Evicted CHA Board Member Fights To Keep Seat

A Charlotte Housing Authority commissioner who was evicted from public housing last month is fighting to keep her seat on the board. Lucille Puckett is two years into a three-year term as "Resident Commissioner" on the board representing public housing residents. But the city attorney says Puckett's position on the board ended the moment she was evicted. Puckett is asking the mayor and city council to let her finish her term as a Housing Authority Commissioner. She claims she is being targeted because of her outspoken criticism of housing authority policies. "I feel like they all have a personal ax to grind at this point because I did nothing to violate my oath of office," says Puckett. "And you know there's a lot of policies that is under review right now and I believe that's another reason the staff and the authority kind of wanted me to be gone." Puckett will take her appeal directly to the other six members of the Charlotte Housing Authority Board when they meet Thursday afternoon. The Housing Authority says Puckett was evicted for meeting with a man who was banned from visiting public housing property. Puckett challenged the eviction in court and the Housing Authority spent more than $80,000 over the last year defending itself before a judge ultimately allowed the eviction to go forward.