SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward appointed a special advisor to work with the Neighborhoods, Housing and Human Service division on its plans for housing and homelessness.
Chris Patterson will advise Woodward on human services considerations. According to a press release from the City of Spokane on Tuesday, Patterson grew up in the foster care system in the Spokane area, founded BreakThrough in 2006 as a resource for youths needing a safe and consistent environment and served two years under U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson as one of 10 regional administrators for the agency.
“Chris has extensive leadership and lived experience that shaped and molded a direct, compassionate, and collaborative approach that has earned him the respect and support of leaders nationwide with diverse backgrounds,” Woodward said in a release.
The announcement comes a week after the Director of the Neighborhoods, Housing and Human Services, Cupid Alexander, accused City Administrator Johnnie Perkins of treating him differently because he is Black. Alexander announced he was resigning on June 15 saying in statements only that he was "transition[ing] to another journey at the end of next month," and that "the timing was right for me."
But in an email sent to Perkins on the morning of June 16, on which many other city leaders were copied, Alexander expressed extreme frustration with his treatment and experience working for the city.
"You have a routine history of misconstruing and inaccurately representing words and actions," Alexander wrote. "You have treated me in comparison to my peers in a very disparate way."
Alexander complained that Perkins was attempting to force him out of his role sooner than his announced July 30 end date by omitting him from meetings and asking him to hand over duties.
According to the city, Kirstin Davis will temporarily assume the role of deputy director for NHHS. Woodward also discussed adding leadership and staffing during an NHHS meeting Tuesday morning. Finalists have been identified for the open senior program manager position and recruitment is underway for a Community, Housing and Human Services department director, the city wrote in a press release.
