Director to leave Sanford Housing Authority
Director to leave Sanford Housing Authority
By MARK ROGERS [email protected]
Since taking the helm of the Sanford Housing Authority in December 2024, Michael C. Threatt has worked to help bring stability and transparency to the agency.
Earlier this week, Threatt announced that he will be leaving the SHA and return to academia and pursue other ventures.
"It is great resolve that I announce my season as CEO of the Sanford Housing Authority (SHA) will conclude in mid-April 2026," he said in a statement. "Over the past year and a half, I have been proud to lead the historic transformation that prevented a [federal Housing and Urban Development] receivership through our Reset-Renew-Reframe initiative."
When Threatt assumed leadership, SHA faced systemic challenges, including deteriorated apartments, outdated policies, weakened internal controls, low inspection scores, staffing gaps and eroded public trust. Within his first 90 days, Threatt executed a formal HUD Recovery Agreement, triggering an immediate, agency-wide corrective action process.
ROADMAP 2030
Under Threatt's leadership, SHA launched Roadmap 2030: A Strategic Path Forward, a five-year strategic plan grounded in the principles of the Reset-Renew-Reframe initiative. The plan modernized governance, restored compliance, strengthened workforce capacity, repositioned the public housing portfolio and redefined SHA's role as a housing authority of the future.
FINANCIAL CAPACITY AND TRANSPARENCY
The agency's recovery was further complicated by the prior loss of its nationally recognized fee accountant, BDO PHA Finance, due to organizational instability. Reengaging BDO required demonstrable improvements in transparency, governance and financial discipline.
Threatt strengthened internal controls, and SHA successfully restored this critical professional partnership, reinforcing technical capacity and compliance efforts.
As financial stabilization progressed, leadership identified legacy disruptions stemming from a prior administration's abrupt exit from the Yardi housing software and return to SACS, resulting in irretrievable data loss that materially complicated audit reconstruction and delayed the Fiscal 2024 and 2025 HUD Financial Data Schedule submissions.
Portions of the forensic audit by CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) could not be completed due to these data gaps and records lost during a flood related administrative relocation.
To prevent future breakdowns, Threatt championed implementing ClearGov. This nationally recognized financial transparency platform provides real-time budget visibility, public-facing dashboards and enhanced accountability to HUD, residents and stakeholders. Together, these actions eliminated more than $400,000 in delinquent obligations, stabilized cash flow and restored fiscal credibility.
"I would like to publicly acknowledge Ms. Deborah Kauba for standing in the gap for the Sanford Housing Authority and taking on the audacious task of rebuilding the finance department," Threatt said. Kauba was promoted to CFO of the organization last June, according to the Triangle Business Journal. "If she had not accepted the role and if BDO had not reengaged, we would not have crossed several critical milestones, and our conversation regarding a potential HUD judicial receivership would have been very different."
MAINTENANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS
Longstanding maintenance challenges were addressed through systemwide operational changes and external expertise.
• AMP 1 (Linden Heights, Foushee Heights and Utley Plaza) improved from a 2022 REAC score of 49 to a 2025 NSPIRE score of 81.
• AMP 3 (Harris Court) improved from a 2023 REAC score of 75 to a 2025 NSPIRE score of 91
• Matthews Court achieved an NSPIRE score of 95.
• Strategically outsourced maintenance operations to Premier Contracting Professionals, im
plemented NSPIRE-aligned inspection protocols and established the new maintenance standard to reinforce long-term compliance across all properties. Collectively, these improvements strengthened housing stability, enhanced resident safety and improved day-to-day living conditions while restoring HUD's confidence in the Authority's operations and residents' trust in maintenance capacity.
PRESERVATION, REDEVELOPMENT
Strategic attention was directed toward preserving affordability while confronting obsolete and high-risk assets.
• Advanced the high-priority demolition and redevelopment of Stewart Manor, with Rental Assistance Demonstration Project Based Voucher conversion protocols, transfer of assistance approvals and modernization timelines firmly established.
• Commissioned a comprehensive public housing repositioning study with Dominion Due Diligence Group (DG3) to guide future mixed-finance and mixed-income redevelopment.
PUBLIC SAFETY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Public safety efforts were grounded in prevention, visibility and coordination.
• Launched the Public Safety and Prevention Framework, incorporating enhanced lighting, upgraded camera systems, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design strategies and law enforcement coordination.
• Established a public safety hub and implemented resident engagement initiatives focused on safety, prevention and neighborhood cohesion.
• Installed Tsunami camera systems and license plate readers across public housing and Rental Assistance Demonstration Project Based Voucher sites to support crime prevention and real-time monitoring.
Threatt often frames his professional journey using "basketball numbers: 20, 10 and 7," reflecting both depth and breadth of experience.
When coming to Sanford, he brought more than 20 years of experience in the affordable housing industry, including 10 years in executive leadership roles and service with seven different public housing authorities.
He delivered his final State of the Housing Authority Address on Monday, April 13, during the Sanford Area Growth Alliance's Public Policy Luncheon.
"It has been a profound honor to lead the Sanford Housing Authority and serve the residents of this community," Threatt said. "By launching Roadmap 2030, a five-year strategic plan and restoring financial, operational and cultural integrity, we laid the foundation for a housing authority of the future."
Threatt said he will continue his involvement in national affordable housing leadership and serves on several industry committees. In addition, he is president-elect of the Southeast Regional Section 8 Housing Association, Inc., with his two-year term scheduled to begin in August.
Following his departure, he will conclude his seventh and final appointment with a public housing authority. He plans to return to full-time affordable housing consulting, academia and research.
"My goal is to continue bridging the gap between theory and practice for students by bringing real-world scenarios and case studies into the classroom from the perspective of a practicing professor," he said. "My next season is focused on continuing my impact by influencing housing policy reform, writing books, lobbying and contributing to academic publications and online articles."
Threatt reflected on his time with SHA.
"We all know the number seven represents completion, and the Sanford Housing Authority was my last PHA," he said. "Do the best you can, while you can, with what you can, and then save the rest for your succession plan. I am humbled to have served as the CEO of the Sanford Housing Authority for the past 17 months and by the legacy left."
