Greene Resigns as Chief of Housing Authority Board

Seeking to end a growing political controversy, Mayor Tom Bradley on Monday accepted the resignation of Alvin Greene, the embattled chairman of the Los Angeles City Housing Authority Board who had not attended a commission hearing in six months.

Greene, whose resignation the mayor had requested, wrote to Bradley: “The nature of my current business activities requires that I travel extensively throughout the country. As a result, it is increasingly difficult for me to attend regularly scheduled meetings of the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.”

Greene, 56, a Pacific Palisades resident, had missed all of the twice-monthly board meetings since May, city records show. His attendance record created a political flap last week when Bradley said he had not been informed of the problem by Deputy Mayor Grace Montanez Davis, who regularly attended the meetings as Bradley’s liaison to the Housing Authority.

Issue Left Unclear

But Davis said in an interview Sunday that she had repeatedly notified the mayor of Greene’s absences since June, leaving it unclear whether the mayor acted when the matter was first brought to his attention or when it became a political embarrassment.

Once Greene’s attendance problems were made public a week ago, Bradley immediately sought his resignation. The mayor also reprimanded his chief of staff, Deputy Mayor Michael Gage, and dismissed Davis as his Housing Authority liaison for failing to keep him informed.

Davis will be given another assignment within a week as part of a realignment of duties among the mayor’s staff, Gage said. Bradley intends to name a replacement for Greene soon.

‘Profound Contribution’

On Monday, Bradley met with Greene and issued a letter praising his service to the Housing Authority. The mayor said he “regretted” having to accept Greene’s resignation.

“Al, your service with the Authority has made a profound contribution,” Bradley wrote in the letter. “It came during a period of crisis at the Housing Authority that was both financial and managerial. Your ability to stabilize and move the Authority forward in a positive way has long been recognized (by) your peers and I admire your dedicated service and the results of your efforts.”

Bradley added that he would consider reappointing Greene to serve the city in another capacity when his business activities no longer require him to travel extensively.

Greene, who could not be reached for comment, told Bradley on Monday that he had remained active in Housing Authority affairs even though he did not attend the meetings.

“He really wanted to let the mayor know that he hadn’t really walked away from his duties as has been portrayed in the press and that he really was actively involved on a weekly basis talking with other commissioners, talking with the executive director, talking with the staff,” said Gage, who attended the meeting.

However, board member Dori Pye said Monday she had not spoken to Greene since he stopped attending commission meetings in May.