YONKERS: Lakisha Collins-Bellamy remembers the day she moved into Cottage Place Gardens in the summer of 1985, but even more memorable was the day in November of 2007 when she returned for her first real job with the Yonkers Municipal Housing Authority.
“It was fate that I came to work for the Housing Authority,’’ said Lakisha., who currently serves as MHACY’s in-house counsel.
Lakisha is a homegrown Yonkers success by any account.
A lifelong resident of Yonkers, Lakisha Collins-Bellamy is a graduate of Yonkers’ Roosevelt High School and is a parent to a Yonkers Public Schools student. Collins-Bellamy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from State University of New York at New Paltz, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Marist College and Juris Doctor from New York Law School.
The road to her success started at MHACY in 1997 when Lakisha was a college freshman and took a summer job with the housing authority.
While she was earning her master’s degree, Lakisha worked for the Westchester County Board of Elections, but was looking for a higher paying position to help support her infant son.
Her cousin told her that a civil service test was being offered for a position at MHACY and she took the civil service test.
When the letter notifying her of the test scores arrived in the mail Lakisha’s hands were shaking as she opened the envelope.
Not only had she passed the test, but she was the top scorer!
Lakisha worked her way through the ranks at MHACY.
As the Director of Housing Programs, she oversaw daily operations of Section 8, Low Income Housing Tax Credit and Public Housing programs, eventually spearheading a software transition that improved the quality and increased the efficiency of customer service throughout the agency.
After attending the City of Yonkers Management Academy, Lakisha renewed her commitment to becoming a lawyer, and managed to finish law school part-time and summers in 3 instead of 4 years.
She rose through the ranks, at Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers (MHACY), leading and inspiring a staff of more than 90 employees.
As the Director of Housing Programs, she oversaw daily operations of Section 8, Low Income Housing Tax Credit and Public Housing programs, eventually spearheading a software transition that improved the quality and increased the efficiency of customer service throughout the agency.
Lakisha says she uses innovation, big-picture solutions, and tactical legal strategy to recommend best practices that bolster performance.
Now 13-years after taking her first job at the Housing Authority, Lakisha says she is grateful to all the people who helped her to achieve her goals, and she has been paying back her hometown through many community service activities.
Lakisha Collins-Bellamy is a Yonkers Public Schools board member and was appointed to the Yonkers Police Commission review board by Mayor Mike Spano.
Now Lakisha Collins-Bellamy seeks is on the Yonkers democratic primary ballot and is campaigning to be the next city council president.
If elected Lakisha says that she will bring her superb communication skills, flexibility, integrity and strong work ethic to the city council president’s office.
Comfortable in dynamic environments, Lakisha says that she will serve as a catalyst for moving Yonkers forward and out of the troubles from the pandemic.
The Yonkers Democratic primary is on June 22nd and Lakisha Collins-Bellamy is facing off against current city council president Mike Khader.
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