Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Moves to Oust CHA Board Chair Amid Leadership Dispute

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced Wednesday that he is removing Matthew Brewer from his position as chair of the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) board, deepening an ongoing conflict over leadership at the city’s housing agency.

The dispute centers on the recent appointment of Keith Pettigrew, currently executive director of the District of Columbia Housing Authority, as CEO of the CHA. The CHA board voted 7-2 to confirm Pettigrew to a four-year term, marking the agency's first permanent leader in 16 months. The board’s decision went against Johnson’s preference, as the mayor had supported retired Alderman Walter Burnett for the top job.

Brewer has contested Johnson’s authority to remove him from the chair role, stating that only the board can make such a decision and that proper legal procedures were not followed. As of Wednesday afternoon, no official documentation of a new appointment had appeared in the Cook County clerk’s records. CHA bylaws require a formal filing to designate a new chair.

Johnson cited procedural concerns, alleging that proper notice was not given ahead of the vote to appoint Pettigrew. He also criticized Brewer’s management of the process, claiming the board’s actions lacked transparency and accountability. The CHA board issued a public statement defending Pettigrew’s appointment as a “duly recognized and transparent vote.”

This leadership standoff at the CHA comes as Johnson faces resistance from other city agencies, such as the Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Transit Authority, raising broader questions about mayoral power over city boards. As of the latest updates, the CHA board maintains its support for Pettigrew, and Brewer’s status as board chair remains disputed while formal procedures and filings are unresolved.