FORT WORTH, Texas (Oct. 28, 2021) – Fort Worth Housing Solutions has promoted Lanesha Davis, an eight-year agency veteran who previously led all special programs, to Vice President of Housing Operations and Client Services. Davis reports to Deputy Director Sonya A. Barnette, who is also Senior Vice President for Housing and Client Services.
Davis joined FWHS in 2013, and most recently served as Special Programs Director/504 Coordinator. In her new role she will lead the operations of all housing programs – including the Housing Choice Voucher and Rental Assistance Demonstration programs – and grant administration for all programs serving homeless residents and well as oversee Fair Housing and 504/ADA compliance for the agency as a whole.
“We are providing assistance to persons who are at a crisis point, which would be representative of our homeless population,” Davis said. “We’re also assisting those persons who are low-income who need support in maintaining a safe environment.”
Davis is a seasoned administrator with more than 20 years of experience with federal affordable housing programs, Fair Housing compliance and grants management. She has a vast knowledge of community resources and has worked with a variety of target populations. She served as the City of Arlington’s Housing Coordinator for more than a decade before joining FWHS.
“Lanesha is a proven leader who cares for the families and communities we serve,” FWHS President Mary-Margaret Lemons said. “The contributions she’s made to our organization over the last eight years have impacted thousands of lives. She is a welcomed addition to the management team, and I know she will continue to serve our clients with dignity and respect.”
Davis said FWHS has evolved during her tenure while remaining true to its mission to develop housing solutions where people flourish.
“I have seen the actual transformation of us streamlining and taking on new leadership and really working with strong community partners and developers,” she said. “Although we’re moving from a public housing model to a rental assistance model, we are vastly increasing our capacity to aid our community in developing affordable housing, which is a much-needed service.
“I’m very excited about the direction we’re going, and how we can be a much greater community partner.”
Davis currently serves on the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition Improvement, Coordination and Training committee, and serves on the MHMR Homeless Community Advisory Board. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from North Texas University in sociology and an MBA from Texas Woman’s University. She also holds an ADA coordinator certification from the University of Missouri-Great Plains ADA Center.
About Fort Worth Housing Solutions
Fort Worth Housing Solutions is the premier provider of affordable housing in the City of Fort Worth. The agency’s portfolio includes 40 mixed-income properties across the city with 87 percent of its 7,000 units offered at various levels of affordability to income-eligible residents. The agency also manages federal Housing Choice Vouchers and other rental assistance programs that help about 7,000 families and individuals cover housing costs each year. In all, FWHS ensures that more than 28,000 people have a safe, affordable place to call home each day. Learn more at www.fwhs.org.
