WS Chronicle

The Board of Commissioners of ASPIRE (formerly the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem) has named Ted Ortiviz as its new executive director, effective July 8.  

Ortiviz, who grew up in public housing in Pueblo, Colorado, has served as ASPIRE’s executive vice president of operations since September 2024, overseeing public housing, housing voucher, development and maintenance programs. He is the former executive director of housing authorities in Pueblo and Lafayette, Louisiana. 

“About a year ago, when we began looking for an executive vice president, we looked for an individual capable of becoming the next executive director,” said Andrew Perkins, chair of the ASPIRE Board of Commissioners. “In Ted we found not only the right skills and experience, but also a person with passion for the work of ASPIRE and someone who knows first-hand the challenges of living in public housing.”  

Following the economic downturn of the late 1980s, Ortiviz’ family lived for 10 years in a single-family home that offered subsidized rent through the Housing Authority of Pueblo. The house was one of 65 units in the Eastwood Heights community. 

“The house gave us a stable place to live where I could grow up with the basic necessities and get a quality education,” Ortiviz said. “Every now and then I was teased about living in public housing, but I didn’t let that bother me. It was a safe place and a steppingstone for my mother, who was eventually able to get a higher paying job and move us into market-rate housing.” 

Ortiviz went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University-Pueblo and a Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University, Cooley Law School. After coming up short on the bar exam, he entered what turned out to be a long career in human services. He accepted an intake job with the Pueblo County Department of Human Services, helping clients apply for SNAP, Medicaid and other benefits. He eventually became director of the Department of Housing and Human Services, overseeing housing programs, senior programs, veteran services, weatherization, and USDA food programs.  

When the executive director of the Pueblo Housing Authority decided to retire, Ortiviz saw a chance to return to his roots. He served as executive director from 2013 to 2019, where he successfully developed affordable housing under the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) programs. In addition, Ortiviz developed a 2.5-megawatt solar garden to help offset utility costs for residents. 

Ortiviz also served on the Pueblo County School District 70 Board of Education. He was elected in 2011 and re-elected in 2015, serving eight years, including four years as chairman of the board. 

In March 2020, he was named executive director of the Lafayette Housing Authority in Lafayette, Louisiana. During his time there, he oversaw improvements to public housing properties through HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) housing program. The RAD program is designed to improve and preserve aging public housing by converting it to Section 8 Project Based Vouchers, enabling public housing authorities the opportunity to leverage private capital to make renovations and repairs. Residents are relocated to other public housing properties during the renovation, then given the opportunity to return when it is complete. The successful RAD conversion involved over 250 public housing units.  

He later moved back to Pueblo, where he managed projects funded by a $75 million bond for the Pueblo County School District 70, approved by voters in 2020. As that work was winding down, he was hired for the position with ASPIRE. 

Ortiviz is prepared for the challenges facing ASPIRE, among them the need to finish the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative project to replace Cleveland Avenue Homes and the ongoing maintenance issues with Crystal Towers and ASPIRE’s other aging high-rise apartment buildings.  

“I chose this career because I felt like I could make a difference,” Ortiviz said. “It’s hard work but extremely satisfying. I like to say that we’re changing lives, one key at a time. I lead with humility and purpose. I believe in listening deeply, acting boldly, and staying accountable. I’m honored to lead ASPIRE at such a pivotal moment – not just with a new name and headquarters, but with a renewed commitment to empowering residents and reimagining how ASPIRE serves the Winston-Salem community. My priority is and will always be the people we serve.”