LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) –  The Lafayette Housing Authority is now under local control for the first time since 2011, when federal officials took over the agency after wrongdoing by leadership.

A transition ceremony was held today at the LHA Wednesday morning.

In March of 2011, Lafayette Housing Authority was taken over by the federal government after former executive director Walter Guillory was charged with bribery and wire fraud.

After five years of hard work and collaboration, officials with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) say they’ve seen tremendous improvement.

“Improvement in their financial capacity, financial management, improvement in the number of families that they are serving, improvement in the condition of the properties,” said Lourdes Castro Ramirez, of HUD.

Over the past six months, a local board has spent time learning the housing authority’s system in preparation for this transition.

“The mayor has appointed a dynamic group o individuals hat will be serving as the board of commissioners,” Ramirez said.

Mark Becnel, Kim Boudreaux, Shelton Cobb, Monica Gibbs and Polly Williams will sit on the board of commissioners.

“I think that they know Lafayette better is going to help our board and the partnership with the federal government work even better than it did in the past,” Lafayette Consolidated Government Mayor-President Joel Robideaux told Dalfred Jones.

Robideaux also said he is grateful for the guidance LHA experienced under the HUD receivership, “It was time for Lafayette to take control of our housing authority again and provide the types of services Lafayette deserves.”

The new executive director of the Lafayette Housing Authority is Yvonda Bean.

Bean will oversee the administration of all programs and day to day operations.

For more information on the Department of Housing and Urban Development or the transition process, visit HUD.gov.