Naomi Truman
Naomi H. Truman (born March 24, 1946; died January 30, 2017) was a registered nurse, attorney and public housing official who served as executive director of the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District from 2008 to September 2015.
Truman earned her juris doctorate at Wayne State University.
Truman joined the Birmingham Housing Authority in 1991. She served as deputy director and general counsel for HABD before being appointed as interim director after the resignation of Ralph Ruggs in October 2008. She was hired as permanent director in February 2009. She also served as CEO of Magic City Housing Development.
The HABD board voted to fire Truman and install attorney Marshall Jackson as interim director in early 2014. Her dismissal was challenged in court and stayed by order of Judge Carole Smitherman. In February Birmingham mayor William Bell appointed Cardell Davis to take over the seat on the board then occupied by chair Charles Townsend. The board change gave Truman's supporters the three votes necessary to rescind her dismissal.
Truman retired in September 2015 and was succeeded by Dontrelle Foster on an interim basis. She died in 2017 and is buried at Elmwood Cemetery. HABD's scholarship program for residents was renamed the "Naomi H. Truman Scholarship Foundation" in her memory.
References
- Bryant, Joseph D. (February 6, 2014) "Fireworks at Birmingham Housing Authority Board as executive director rehired, mayhem, arrests follow." The Birmingham News
- "Naomi H. Truman" (April 3, 2014) The Birmingham Times
- Stein, Kelsey (July 22, 2015) "Birmingham Housing Authority director retiring in September; search for replacement begins." The Birmingham News
- "Naomi Truman, former director of HABD dies." (February 2, 2017) The Birmingham Times