"That just struck me as a credible name who could come in there and be objective," Eiding said. "He's the kind of guy that won't create the kind of controversy that will have the politicians in this city jumping" on the board.
As of Wednesday, sources said, Street had reached out to Goldsmith, who would not comment for this article.
If he is offered the position, Goldsmith would be going back to work for his old boss, Street, who chairs PHA's five-member board and who has led the effort to put Greene on leave pending the outcome of the board's investigation. The board meets again next Thursday.
The board voted unanimously on Aug. 26 to suspend Greene with pay and launch a probe into at least four sexual-harassment claims against him. Settlements totaling nearly $900,000 have been negotiated in those cases since 2004, payouts that board members say Greene authorized without their knowledge.
The FBI and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development inspector general have launched a criminal investigation into various aspects of PHA's operations, including nonprofits that PHA contractors were asked to help fund. HUD auditors arrived at the agency Wednesday to begin an audit.
Blackwell said the PHA board authorized Street on Tuesday to approach potential candidates to run the agency on an interim basis. But she said she opposed hiring anyone before HUD auditors finished their business and Greene had a chance to respond to the sexual-harassment allegations.
Street encouraged board members to forward him names of possible interim directors, she said.
"I did not vote for hiring anybody at this point," Blackwell said. "I'm always for due process."
As far as Goldsmith's being a candidate, she said: "Nobody had a problem with it."
