Peoria Housing Authority Names Christopher Vincent CEO
Contractors and development partners should expect a new CEO with senior-housing development experience to shape procurement and project priorities.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in People
The Peoria Housing Authority's board voted September 29 to hire Christopher Vincent as its new CEO, succeeding Armeca Crawford, who left in January. Vincent most recently served as deputy executive director of the East Chicago Housing Authority.
Why it matters
For Peoria, the hire fills a leadership position that has been held on an interim basis since March, after a ten-month search that considered 30 candidates. The choice signals the board's preference for a CEO with a track record of development deals and emergency resident relocations.
The search ran ten months and considered 30 candidates before the board voted. Vincent's record includes five real estate development deals, a 206-unit senior housing project that opened for leasing in 2025, and the 2021 relocation of 94 senior residents from a 10-story building.
The players
Peoria Housing Authority
The local public agency that owns and manages subsidized housing in Peoria and oversees its residents' rental assistance programs.
East Chicago Housing Authority
The public housing agency in East Chicago, Indiana, where Christopher Vincent spent eight years in executive leadership before joining Peoria.
Christopher Vincent
The new Peoria Housing Authority CEO, who previously served as deputy executive director of the East Chicago Housing Authority and has led multiple real estate development deals.
Armeca Crawford
The former Peoria Housing Authority CEO who departed the position in January 2026.
Damon Duncan
The interim Peoria Housing Authority CEO since March 2026, who will work with Vincent during a thirty-day transition.
The details
Vincent spent eight years in executive leadership roles at the East Chicago Housing Authority, where he has been deputy executive director since 2020. His work there included helping South Bend's housing authority exit troubled status and offering technical assistance to housing authorities in Florida and Arkansas. Damon Duncan, who has served as interim CEO since March, will work alongside Vincent for a thirty-day transition period.
Timeline
January 2026: Armeca Crawford left the Peoria Housing Authority CEO position.
March 2026: Damon Duncan became interim CEO.
September 29, 2026: The board voted to hire Christopher Vincent.
2025: A 206-unit senior housing development led by Vincent opened for leasing.
Market Landscape
Public housing authorities select executives through board votes after formal searches, and Peoria's ten-month process followed that pattern. Vincent's background in senior housing development and emergency resident relocation places him in a segment of the housing authority field that handles aging-resident portfolios.
Operators who do business with the Peoria Housing Authority, including contractors and development partners, should expect a new CEO to review existing projects and vendor relationships during the transition. Vendors in senior housing development and resident relocation services may see shifting procurement priorities as Vincent takes over.
The takeaway
Contractors and development partners should track the Peoria Housing Authority's board actions over the coming months for changes to procurement and project priorities under new leadership. Reviewing existing contract terms with qualified counsel before the transition period ends can clarify how any shifts affect current agreements.
Further reading
For more on local leadership changes, explore the People section.
