In a pair of appointments announced this week, the San Diego Housing Commission has added both a new commissioner and a president and chief executive officer.
Mayor Todd Gloria turned to a familiar ally in naming Stephen Cushman to a seat on the seven-member board that oversees millions of dollars in public housing, developments and other programs.
Cushman is a longtime San Diego business leader and philanthropist who has previously served on boards that run the convention center board and Port of San Diego, along with numerous other public and nonprofit organizations.
“Mr. Cushman began his career in publishing and then progressed into the travel industry for 25 years,” Gloria wrote in his Tuesday announcement. “During that time, he established his automotive dealerships, the Cush Automotive Group, and was a recognized leader in the automotive sales industry up to its sale in 2006.”
Historically, Cushman also has served on the board of directors of the local American Red Cross chapter, the Sharp HealthCare network, the San Diego International Auto Show and what was then called the Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce.
He also served as special assistant to four San Diego mayors and listed himself as a consultant to Gloria on a recent Form 700, a state-required disclosure of personal interests.
After a theft scandal nearly prompted the closure of the San Diego Food Bank in 2005, Cushman stepped in with philanthropist Irwin Jacobs to restructure what became the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank.
This week, Cushman was appointed to a two-year term that expires in January 2025. The appointment pushes the commission to its full capacity. The city has been slow to fill a number of vacancies on volunteer boards and commissions for several years.
Separately, the San Diego Housing Commission completed a lengthy and nationwide search for a permanent successor to former CEO Richard Gentry.
Lisa Jones, who has served the San Diego Housing Commission in senior leadership roles since 2017, was formally introduced as the new president and chief executive officer. She is the commission’s sixth permanent leader in its 45-year history.
“We need a leader who expands access to affordable housing, leverages external resources to help people get off the streets, reverses historical actions that have segregated communities and invests in the hard-working staff at the Housing Commission,” said San Diego Councilmember Joe LaCava, who chaired the working group that made the recommendation.
“That leader is Lisa Jones,” LaCava said.
Most recently, Jones was the commission’s executive vice president of strategic initiatives. In that role, she oversaw the organization’s strategic plan, homelessness programs and other efforts.
Jones said she was honored and humbled for the opportunity and looked forward to doing more to provide housing opportunities to needy people.
“As housing costs increase and resources continue to be limited, it will take innovative approaches and partnerships to make the progress that San Diegans need,” Jones said. “Engaging with the community is one of my core values.”
