By Jorge Casuso

January 8, 2026 -- A rising New York City official who helped secure housing for a record 43,000 vulnerable residents has been hired to run the City's Housing Authority and homeless services programs.

Aileen Reynolds, who will head the Department of Housing and Human Services, most recently served as Assistant Commissioner of Housing Opportunity at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

There she oversaw a team of more than 75 employees "dedicated to placing vulnerable New Yorkers into stable, secure housing," City officials said Wednesday.

Reynolds -- who will assume her post on Monday with an annual salary of $258,756 -- replaces outgoing director Heather Averick, who will remain with the City in a part-time role working on special projects in the City Manager’s Office.

Reynolds is the latest addition to the City Manager Oliver Chi's executive team tasked with implementing a Realignment Plan "to help re-establish Santa Monica as a safe, clean and vibrant coastal community."

“Aileen rose to the top of a highly competitive national recruitment because she brings exceptional technical expertise paired with a deeply values-driven approach to leadership,” Chi said in a statement.

“She is a proven builder of systems that expand housing access, and just as importantly, she leads with an authentic humility -– a vital quality essential in building our team-oriented One SaMo culture across the organization.

"As we advance our Realignment Plan, Aileen’s collaborative leadership style and ability to center people while delivering results will be a tremendous asset to Santa Monica,” Chi said.

In her new role, Reynolds will "lead efforts to expand affordable housing opportunities citywide" and continue implementing the City’s Homelessness Strategic Plan, City officials said.

Her responsibilities will also include directing programs, services and funding for the city’s Human Services Grants Program, officials said.

In addition, Reynolds will help execute various elements of the city’s Realignment Plan, including implementing new registries for vacant properties and market rents approved by the City Council last year.

Her work also includes "advancing the city’s Housing Element goals with a renewed focus on the Downtown core" and "overseeing the replacement of the SAMOSHEL homeless shelter with a new housing-first system of care."

Reynolds -- who "brings more than a decade of experience in affordable housing and housing policy" -- began her housing career as a project coordinator for a 500-plus-unit affordable housing development in the Bronx, City officials said.

She has "worked across multiple facets of affordable housing, including property management, housing marketing and the development of equitable housing access policy."

A graduate of Fordham University, Reynolds has worked with the New York City Housing Development Corporation, Richman Property Services and the Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation.

“I am thrilled to be joining the City of Santa Monica during this important period of realignment and revitalization,” Reynolds said in a statement.

“I look forward to working alongside the Housing and Human Services team and our citywide partners to advance programs and policies that serve the community with compassion and effectiveness.

"I’m grateful for the opportunity to take on this important responsibility and can’t wait to get started,” Reynolds said.