As anticipated, the board of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority has a new chair – Neil S. Kessler.

Mr. Kessler moved up from vice chair after the current chair, Veronica G. Blount, resigned from the board’s top post following the board’s closed session last week.

Mr. Kessler is expected to fill the remainder of her term as chair, which runs through October, when the board holds annual elections.

Ms. Blount noted in a statement that she will remain on the board, but “I will be embarking on some new community engagement activities which will enable me to be much more useful to residents and community stakeholders.”

“We appreciate Commissioner Blount’s commitment to serving Richmond’s most vulnerable residents,” Mr. Kessler stated.