INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Housing Agency welcomes Yvonda A. Bean to be their new Chief Executive Officer.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said Bean will begin work as IHA’s CEO starting on Feb. 17.

Bean previously served as the CEO of the Columbia Housing and Cayce Housing in South Carolina, and worked as the president of two other housing nonprofits, the South Carolina Affordable Housing Initiatives and Columbia Housing and Development.

“I am pleased that Yvonda A. Bean will be serving as Indianapolis Housing Agency’s CEO,” Mayor Joe Hogsett said in a press release. “I look forward to seeing the ways in which her expertise from serving more than two decades in public housing, including the recovery of two troubled housing agencies, will now be utilized to support the residents of IHA.”

In HUD’s announcement, Bean’s accomplishments included seeing over $100 million in new construction developments, creating an employee apprenticeship program, and partnering with community colleges to provide public housing residents with free tuition.

“I am incredibly honored to have been selected to serve as IHA’s new CEO. The organization’s mission aligns deeply with my values and passion for creating equitable housing and economic opportunities for marginalized communities. My work has been rooted in the belief that housing is a right and not a privilege—EVERYONE deserves access to safe, affordable housing. I am thrilled to join IHA and look forward to collaborating with HUD, the City, the Board, the IHA team, residents, and community partners to contribute to IHA’s impactful work,” Bean said in the press release.

Before leading organizations in South Carolina, Bean was the CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Lafayette, Louisiana.

Bean serves on the Board of Governors for the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) and is the Vice Chair of NAHRO’s Legislative Network Advisory Committee. She also chairs the Legislative Committee for the Southeastern Regional Council of NAHRO and holds leadership roles on multiple other housing and community development boards.

Ms. Bean’s contributions to the industry have been recognized with prestigious honors, including NAHRO’s 2023 Professional of the Year award and the 2024 Advocate of the Year award.

In 2024, the federal department HUD took over control of IHA “… after years of operational, administrative, and financial failures that have had a detrimental impact on Indianapolis residents,” the release said.