Apr 21, 2018 4 min read

Lois Mocniak was a young adult, a few years out of Mapletown High School, when she secured a job with the Greene County Housing Authority. She was a clerk/typist initially before eventually ascending to the top of the pecking order.

Mocniak found a home there, and helped others do the same.

“There were only 80 public housing units in the county when I started in 1971,” she said. “They had been built in 1964. The supply was low.”

Demand for affordable housing was higher, and the issue was addressed over time. There are now 290 such units.

Although Mocniak was not directly responsible for the addition of 210 residences and maintenance of the original 80, she played a significant role. From 1989 until a couple of weeks ago, she was executive director of the authority, a Section 8 and public housing agency in Franklin Township, near Greene County Fairgrounds.

She is now the retired executive director. Mocniak, 67, of Greensboro, stepped down April 9 from a 46 1/2-year career at GCHA, a decision she acknowledged was bittersweet.

“Leaving friends at work was tough,” she said. “The goodbyes were hard.”

Lane Turturice, the housing authority solicitor in recent years, has succeeded her as executive director.

Yet as conflicted as she was about departing, Mocniak said her job was rewarding and gratifying, helping people who are struggling and/or on fixed incomes.

“I made many, many friends,” she said. “The residents are so grateful for everything they have. They know they are privileged to live in housing when times are tough and they need a chance to get back on their feet. The goal is to get them into their own residence.

“They get a job and job training, they get promotions, repair their credit and move out of public housing and purchase their own place.

“That’s what public housing is for – that transition.”

Mocniak made several transitions at the authority – from clerk/typist to project manager to accountant to the top position. There were a number of positive experiences, and one that was notably tragic.

She was in charge when a fire devastated the Avalon Court senior apartment complex on East Greene Street in April 2010. Two women died in the blaze and seven people were hospitalized. Mocniak oversaw a $5 million renovation of the building, in which 38 of 40 units had been occupied.

Then about two years ago, Woodside Manor in Carmichaels underwent a complete interior renovation.

“We get grant money on a yearly basis and have done renovations on all of our developments.” Mocniak said. “Woodside Manor was the most recent.”

Mocniak is proud of the authority, proud that it has been designated “high performer” status in its field. It also has been considered a larger housing authority.

Although she developed a bond with a number of co-workers, none has been as long-lasting as the one Mocniak had with Renee Janco, who has been at the housing authority for 46 years. Janco was a few years behind her future supervisor at Mapletown and regards her as a longtime friend.

“Lois was a great boss,” Janco said. “She was very kind and understanding, and helpful. She was very good at her job and knowledgeable. I’m really sad to see her go.”

After many years of assisting people in transition, Mocniak is now undergoing change. This retirement thing is a new gig, one her husband, Marty, has had for five years, since retiring from West Penn Power.

“It’s not only an adjustment for me, but for him, too,” Lois said.

She has plans, but not fully structured ones. Lois and Marty will travel; get together with their adult children – Doug, a Pittsburgher, and daughter Annie Parker, who lives in Michigan; and see the young’uns.

“We have three beautiful granddaughters we will spend more time with,” she said.

“I will be volunteering, too. I didn’t have time before.”

Now she will.