Meet Leroy Williams, Vice President for Resident Services 

Leroy Williams began his full-time career at NYCHA in 1999, but his connection to the organization goes back even longer. Growing up in Melrose Houses and Bronxchester Houses in the Bronx, his 22-year experience as a resident helped shape his commitment to public housing and improving the lives of NYCHA families. 

Currently, Mr. Williams is the Vice President for Resident Services in the Resident Services, Partnerships, and Initiatives (RSPI) Department, where he manages two units: Resident Outreach for Conversion and Modernization Services and Resident Participation and Civic Engagement. In this role, he oversees planning and resident engagement for initiatives such as NYCHA’s Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program and new construction projects. His responsibilities also include guiding technical assistance for resident associations (RA), RA elections and trainings, and management of Tenant Participation Activity funds, while working with resident groups like the Citywide Council of Presidents, Resident Roundtable, and Resident Advisory Board.  

Mr. Williams began his NYCHA journey as a Community Service Aide at the Moore Houses and St. Mary’s community centers. His involvement as a teenager in the Melrose Houses Youth Advisory Council and his work in the afterschool and summer camp programs led to that first role at NYCHA.  

“When I started my first job at NYCHA, my end goal was to become a community center director; that’s what I wanted,” Mr. Williams said. “I was 20 years old when I became a center director.”  

After serving as a Community Service Aide, Mr. Williams ended up leading several community centers in the Bronx and Manhattan, including at Moore, St. Mary’s, Davidson, Dyckman, Monterey, and Murphy Houses, driven by his enjoyment of working directly with residents. 

Two of his supervisors believed in him so much that they pushed him to take on more administration-level jobs: “They suggested that I would be part of the process of bringing greater programming to a greater amount of NYCHA communities instead of focusing on one development.”  

After five years leading community centers, he became a Bronx Borough Administrator overseeing various community and senior centers, including their staff. Mr. Williams kept rising through the ranks, moving on to become Deputy Director of Manhattan Community Operations, second in charge of the borough’s community facilities. He also worked with the borough’s resident associations, overseeing elections and helping them grow their associations. He held that position for 10 years until 2016, when he was named Director of Community Development, which involved leading resident engagement for the newly established PACT and other housing preservation and development programs.  

He thanks his mentors for helping him grow in his career and pushing towards bigger dreams: Deidra Gilliard, the former Vice President for Community Operations; Jacqueline Howard, who currently works for Resident Participation and Civic Engagement as a Neighborhood Service Coordinator; and Elizabeth Davis, who served as his Borough Administrator when he was a center director. For the last 13 years, his mentor has been Ukah Busgith, Executive Vice President (EVP) of RSPI. Their long working relationship has fostered mutual trust and continuous improvement. “We’ve been working together so long that we finish each other’s sentences,” Mr. Williams said. “I was 25 when I became a deputy director, and she has helped me improve my management skills, trusting my decision-making and foresight on solving issues in the department.  

“Leroy Williams is a shining example of dedication and service at NYCHA,” said Ukah Busgith, EVP of RSPI. “His strong connection to residents, exceptional governance of Resident Services, and commitment to promoting engagement have significantly improved many lives citywide. His journey from a Community Service Aide to Vice President reflects his unwavering dedication. Leroy inspires others, leading by example to find practical solutions for residents and strengthening the NYCHA community.” 

Twenty-five years into his career, Mr. Williams has witnessed significant organizational changes; he is proud of the way that RSPI (formerly Community Operations) has been able to adapt to changes in service to NYCHA residents. “Over the years, I have seen less funding coming into NYCHA for social programming and staff. When I started, we had over 1,000 staff, and now we’re a little over 240 staff doing similar work – but we can’t do it in the same way. And that’s where the creativity comes in. We have to work with residents to understand their needs and wants, to bring in partners that can provide similar programs as NYCHA once did. RSPI works with external partners to bring programming into our developments to help improve the overall quality of life for residents and the surrounding community.” 

His focus now is on shaping the future of resident services and outreach, ensuring that current and future staff are prepared to lead and engage with residents effectively. “My career has always been about helping residents improve their quality of life, and I take that to heart,” Mr. Williams said. “I work very long hours to make sure that’s done. We have to be here for residents to uplift them, assist them, and to make sure they know they’re our real partner in this. We’re here for our residents, not for ourselves. I want to make sure that everyone knows residents are not the barrier, they’re the answer.”