Fort Worth Housing Authority names new executive director

By Scott Nishimura snishimura@star-telegram.com

The Fort Worth Housing Authority board has named Naomi Byrne, chief operating officer of the Pittsburgh Housing Authority, to succeed the retiring Barbara Holston as chief executive, the Housing Authority said Friday.

Byrne will start June 2.

She has more than 15 years experience as a senior executive in housing and non-profits. She was previously executive director of the Texarkana Housing Authority and the Georgetown Housing Authority.

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“The board felt that she had the right mix of experience in the knowledge of the various housing programs and affordable housing development to understand the challenges and opportunities facing FWHA,” Terri Attaway, the Housing Authority’s chair, said. Holston announced last June that she would retire, after 23 years with the agency.

The Housing Authority said it is establishing the Barbara Holston Education Fund, which will provide financial assistance to people in Housing Authority housing programs that will allow them to seek academic and vocational training.

“I have had an amazing career addressing the housing needs of so many,” Holston said.

Byrne holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas A&M University and an MBA from Texas A&M-Texarkana.

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The Housing Authority develops owns and operates affordable housing and accessible housing that provide assistance to people in federal, state and local programs.

The authority owns 1,145 public housing units, 3,126 affordable housing units, and 525 market-rate units, and it administers more than 6,100 housing vouchers and operates two home ownership programs.