A little more than two years after taking the helm as Boston’s planning chief, Arthur Jemison is leaving his position.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu named Jemison as the city’s inaugural chief of planning in April 2022 to help advance her vision for a more equitable, resilient, transit-oriented and affordable city.

Jemison, who announced he was leaving Aug. 1, is returning to Detroit as executive director of the city’s Housing Commission. 

The news comes barely a month after Boston’s new planning department opened for business,  marking the first time in 70 years that the city has had a planning department. 

Wu announced the return of planning as a core function of city government in April.

The move replaced several functions of the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA), transitioning house planning, zoning, development review, urban design and real estate staff to the new department led by Jemison. 

Jemison is no stranger to Detroit. 

Before heading up planning for the city of Boston, Jemison held several positions in Detroit, including chief of services and infrastructure and group executive for planning, housing and development.

Jemison’s last day on the job in Boston will be Sept. 13. 

Devin Quirk, deputy chief of the Boston Planning Department, has been named acting director.