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St. Petersburg Housing Authority chief retiring by year's end

 
Darrell Irions was criticized when he led the demolition and renovation of Jordan Park.
Darrell Irions was criticized when he led the demolition and renovation of Jordan Park.
Published May 2, 2015

ST. PETERSBURG — Darrell Irions, the often-controversial CEO of the St. Petersburg Housing Authority, is leaving after 20 years as head of the agency.

Irions, 61, is retiring so he can have more time to spend with family out of state and "start that next chapter," he said Friday.

The authority helps provide homes to almost 4,000 low-income residents. While the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has continually rated it a high-performing agency under Irions, his tenure has been marked by several difficult chapters.

Last year, he upset many residents when he sought to end the board's lease with the Carter G. Woodson African American Museum. The city plans to buy the museum building from the authority.

In 2010, the authority paid $1 million — twice the appraised amount — for land for a new headquarters on Gandy Boulevard. Irions also was chief of the Pinellas County Housing Authority for several years while also running the St. Petersburg authority, but quit the county position in 2009 after months of fighting with that board.

"I've been in this business nearly 40 years and I've been successful at it the entire time, controversy or no controversy," Irions said. "We decentralized poverty in St. Petersburg. My legacy, if I have one, is trying to eliminate some of the stigma attached to those huge public housing projects."

Irions was criticized when he led demolition and redevelopment of the Jordan Park housing complex in 2000, causing residents to be uprooted. But he said he is proud of the new housing. The community went from 434 units to 237. Residents received vouchers to move to other housing throughout the city.

"It was the barracks-style public housing," he said of the old complex. "You shouldn't have to live like you are in prison."

Again, when the St. Petersburg authority sold two buildings for seniors and the disabled, there were complaints. But the displaced residents found much better homes, Irions said.

City Council member Karl Nurse has been frustrated with Irions' reluctance to invest in redeveloping housing in Midtown.

"We really have not been successful in getting him to engage in being a partner to improve the housing stock," Nurse said.

St. Petersburg authority chair Delphinia Davis said she supports Irions but believes the national search planned by the agency's board will find a strong replacement. Irions said he makes around $175,000 a year.

In addition to his public position, he has fared well investing in private real estate. Irions bought an Orange County condo in 2011 for $125,000 cash and sold it in 2012 for $235,000. The next month he bought a Flagler County condo for $235,000 cash and sold it for $325,000 in 2014.

"I've been in this business a long time. I know housing overall," Irions said.

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He and his wife, Jacqueline Rivera, who is CEO of the Clearwater Housing Authority, live in a $606,000 home in Tampa they bought with a mortgage.

Times reporter Susan Taylor Martin and researcher Carolyn Edds contributed to this report.