Gov. McKee names interim housing secretary

Daniel Connors, a former state lawmaker from Cumberland was named the interim housing secretary by Gov. Dan McKee Wednesday. (Courtesy of Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services)

An administration official from Gov. Dan McKee’s hometown will temporarily lead the Rhode Island Department of Housing as the state embarks on a search for a permanent cabinet member.

McKee’s office on Wednesday announced Daniel Connors, who serves as chief of staff for the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), as the interim housing secretary. The announcement came on the last day of Housing Secretary Stefan Pryor’s tenure as housing czar, who is stepping down from his $238,597-a-year post for an unspecified private-sector job.

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Connors, 48, represented McKee’s hometown of Cumberland in the Rhode Island Senate from 1997 to 2011. The governor’s office said picking Connors is based purely on merit.

“With more than 15 years of experience across Rhode Island state government, Mr. Connors is well positioned to provide transitional support during this time,” said Communications Director Andrea Palagi.

In addition to his 14 years in the General Assembly, Connors’ resume indicates he had his own private practice from 2008 to 2018 and taught business classes at Providence College from 2009 through 2020. He also spent three years working on real estate matters at the law firm of former Senate President and now Superior Court Justice Joseph A. Montalbano.

Connors served as a senior adviser for then-Gov. Gina Raimondo from December 2019 through July 2020, but resigned after he was arrested by Narragansett police for allegedly driving under the influence. Court records show Connors was found guilty of refusing to submit to a chemical test, a civil offense .

At the time of his appointment to EOHHS in 2023, McKee press secretary Olivia DaRocha told WPRI-12 . “We believe that Mr. Connors has since accepted responsibility, dealt with the consequences and worked to get himself to a better place.”

“I am grateful to be able to focus on the common good, as Rhode Island’s housing needs are closely aligned with our mission at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services where we focus on all social determinants of health,” Connors said in a statement.

Palagi said the governor’s office plans to conduct interviews with local candidates for the permanent housing secretary position “over the coming weeks.” Brenda Clement, who since 2016 has served as director of HousingWorks RI, and Pawtucket Planning and Redevelopment Director Bianca Policastro have so far been the only two potential local candidates to express interest in the role .

“ A longer-term national search may be initiated if the local interviews do not produce a qualified candidate,” Palagi said.

Connors will not be considered for the permanent position and is expected to return to his role at EOHHS, where he makes an annual salary of $184,292. Rhode Island Current has made repeated inquiries on when a job posting will go up, but did not receive a response from the governor’s office.

An official job posting released to Rhode Island Current Wednesday night had not yet been made public. Rhode Island Department of Administration spokesperson Cassius Shuman said a job posting is not required for cabinet positions.

Candidates for the position in 2023 were required to have at least a master’s degree in urban planning, economics, or a related field of study. The job posting also asked for five-years experience administrating housing policy and/or development.

Housing Network of Rhode Island Executive Director Melina Lodge commend Connors’ appointment as temporary secretary.

“Stable transitional leadership will be crucial in the months ahead as we continue to work with the state to address Rhode Island’s pressing housing challenges together,” she said in a statement.

Lodge called on the governor’s office to make sure that whoever is named to the permanent post is someone with a deep understanding of Rhode Island’s housing needs and is willing to collaborate with the state’s network of advocates and developers.

“We stand ready to work with the governor’s office in making recommendations about the qualifications, skills, and qualities that the permanent housing secretary should possess, and remain committed to working closely with the new housing secretary to ensure that Rhode Island can move forward with comprehensive, effective and equitable housing solutions,” she said.

This story was updated to include comment from Housing Network of Rhode Island Executive Director Melina Lodge and the release of the new job posting.

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