Chicago Mayor Richard Daley announced today he’s appointing a little-known Cook County official as CEO of the city’s massive housing authority.

Lewis Jordan oversaw about 2,000 homes as head of the city of Rockford’s housing agency until 2006. Since then, Jordan has directed a similar-sized agency, the Housing Authority of Cook County.

Now Mayor Daley has chosen him to take charge of the Chicago Housing Authority’s $1.6 billion effort to replace most high-rise projects. That plan, five years behind schedule, aims to build or rehab 25,000 units.

Jordan’s appointment worries Jay Stewart of the Better Government Association. “The buildings are coming down,” Stewart says. “The new ones are going up. And all those residents are still out there. I think it’s a huge challenge of how you’re going to serve that community who needs a helping hand.”

If the CHA board approves him, Jordan will be the agency’s third leader in 15 months.