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This story is one in a continuing series covering the crisis in public housing in Columbia. \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Gilbert Walker’s 50-year tenure in public housing administration came down to a month of chaos and criticism, followed by his abrupt retirement.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Columbia Housing Authority\u2019s executive director announced his retirement on\u00a0Feb. 21,\u00a0just over a month\u00a0after two men were found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning in the Allen Benedict Court public housing complex. The 26-building complex was shuttered permanently and its 411 residents forced to abandon their apartments, some fleeing during the night because of the build-up of poisonous gases and other life-threatening issues. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Walker has worked\u00a0for the housing authority since 1968 and became the executive director in 2000. <\/span>His decision to retire came at the end of a CHA board meeting on Feb. 21. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere was no one ushering him out or anything like that, that he was able to come to that decision and after more than 50 years of service to an organization, he has a right to go home,\u201d said Cynthia Hardy, a public relations specialist and former television host who was hired in February as the new communications director for the Columbia Housing Authority.<\/span><\/p>\n Hardy says that the board made it clear to her that Walker made this decision on his own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou spend so much of your years doing something you love, you have a lot of accomplishments and then something tragic like this happens, and you\u2019re responsible,\u201d Hardy said of Walker. \u201cYou want to do what you love, but if moving aside and doing some other things are going to make the organization stronger, then a good leader does that, too.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n When the housing authority came under scrutiny after the deaths at Allen Benedict Court last month, <\/span>District 3 Columbia City Councilman Moe Baddourah called for<\/span> Walker to step down. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSomebody has to be held accountable for what happened at Allen Benedict Court,\u201d said <\/span>Baddourah<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n H<\/span>e believes Walker\u2019s decision to retire has been a positive development. <\/span><\/p>\n In the next few months, Baddourah said he would like to see a more open process when it comes to the workings of the CHA, and says it\u2019s time for change throughout the organization moving forward. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s just not forget that there are two dead people that resulted in 411 people out of their own homes. They were asked to leave their houses in the middle of the night,\u201d said <\/span>Baddourah,<\/span> \u201cHopefully we learn from that experience.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Although Walker was not available to speak directly to his legacy or his next steps, he did release a retirement letter to former Columbia mayor who now serves as the CHA\u2019s attorney, Bob Coble. <\/span><\/p>\n In the letter, Walker said, \u201cI regret that current events will overshadow the multiple outstanding achievements of the Columbia Housing Authority during my tenure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He noted achievements during his tenure at the CHA, including redeveloping old public housing, increasing the availability of affordable public housing in Columbia, and the demolition of older public housing including Gonzales Gardens, Saxon Homes and Hendley Homes. <\/span><\/p>\n