Chrystal Kornegay, who has been leading a longtime affordable housing organization, has been named head of the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).
She will be part of the administration of new Gov. Charlie Baker.
Kornegay brings extensive affordable housing experience to the role. For the last four years, she served as president and CEO of Urban Edge, a 40-year nonprofit that offers a range of housing programs in the Boston area. It has developed nearly 1,500 affordable housing units.
Kornegay held various roles at Urban Edge before stepping into its top post in 2011.
She is a 2012 graduate of the Achieving Excellence Program at the Harvard Kennedy School, holds a master’s degree in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and earned a bachelor’s degree at Hunter College.
Kornegay succeeds Aaron Gornstein, undersecretary for housing and community development in the Deval Patrick administration.
The department, which administers the state’s low-income housing tax credits and other key housing programs, falls under the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. Baker picked Jay Ash, former Chelsea city manager, to head that office.
