Today, the Minneapolis City Council approved Mayor Jacob Frey’s appointment of former Councilmember Kevin Reich as the Chair of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners. Kevin Reich replaces Tom Hoch, who was appointed Chair in May 2022 and has been serving in an interim capacity since January 1, 2025.

“I want to thank Mayor Frey for appointing a respected civic leader with a deep understanding of infrastructure financing to chair MPHA’s board,” said Abdi Warsame, Executive Director/CEO of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. “Serving alongside Kevin on the City Council, I know he is dedicated to understanding the issues before him and respects the perspective of staff and subject matter experts to guide his thinking. Kevin brings a unique blend of policy expertise and financial acumen, and I am excited to welcome him to the award-winning MPHA team.”

“I am honored to have this opportunity to serve on this governing board,” said Kevin Reich, incoming Chair of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners. “MPHA is a legacy institution that is a cornerstone of our city’s commitment to affordable housing.”

Kevin Reich is a long-time community leader with over two decades of experience in economic development, public infrastructure investment, and sustainable land use and environmental practices. Kevin currently serves as the Executive Director of the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO), where he oversees daily operations and leads initiatives aimed at promoting stewardship of the watershed through capital projects, education, and outreach.

Prior to MWMO, Kevin represented Minneapolis’ First Ward on the City Council from 2010 to 2021, where he served as Chair of the Transportation and Public Works Committee from 2014 to 2021. As chair, Kevin led the council’s work to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in public works projects across the city every year. During his time on City Council, Kevin helped shape Minneapolis’ built environment through contributions to the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the Transportation Action Plan, and the Complete Streets Policy.

Kevin joins MPHA at a time when the agency is winning local, national, and international awards for its work while also expanding its community partnerships to deliver critical resources to residents and program participants. Additionally, MPHA heads into the summer construction season ready to break ground on the largest public housing redevelopment project in the city’s history, investing even more in family housing preservation, and announce numerous additional projects that will both preserve and add to MPHA’s portfolio of nearly 6,000 units.