Cynthia Rogers-Ellickson Tapped to Lead Dallas Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization

Following a months-long search, an internal candidate was named Dallas’ director of Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization on Thursday. Longtime city employee Cynthia Rogers-Ellickson has served as the interim director since David Noguera submitted his resignation in September.

Noguera left the City of Dallas to work for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Miami.

Interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert issued a memorandum last week announcing Ellickson’s appointment along with that of Elizabeth Saab, who will be the city’s first interim chief of strategy, engagement, and alignment.

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Cynthia Rogers-Ellickson Promoted to Permanent Post

Rogers-Ellickson joined the City of Dallas in 2006 and, over more than 17 years with the organization, has served with increasing responsibility within the housing department, Tolbert said in her memo.

“In September 2023, Cynthia was appointed Interim Director of Housing and has been responsible for administration and operations of housing and neighborhood revitalization, including direct oversight of developing and managing its annual grants and operating budget, planning and execution of housing programs and projects, personnel responsibilities, and developing and maintaining partnerships with the community and other public agencies,” Tolbert wrote in her memo.

Rogers-Ellickson also has managed more than $35 million in housing funding in grants and local funding. She is currently the president of the Dallas Housing Acquisition and Development Board, Tolbert added.

“She led Housing to the finish line on the first Housing Bond Proposition and executed the Dallas Housing Policy Pillars and Smartie Goals to identify the Equity Target Strategy Areas,” Tolbert’s memo states. “She is identified as an expert in housing and federal grants administration.”

Ellickson has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Texas at Arlington and a master’s of education in curriculum and instruction from the University of Phoenix.