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After serving seven months, Michael Best stepped down as director of the Washington Housing Authority. His successor is Larry Russell who started working with the housing authority on July 5. 

Russell said he “appreciates the opportunity” to work with the Washington Housing Authority. 

“I am excited with the things that the housing authority here is doing,” he shared. 

Russell said he is looking forward to assisting with the Neighborhood Revitalization Program, and seeing more homes being built under that program. 

A North Carolina native from Laurinburg, Russell is a former executive director of the Rocky Mount Housing Authority from 1992 to 2015. He has also worked with Housing Authorities in Fayetteville and Greensboro. 

While working in Rocky Mount, he partnered with the North Carolina Finance Agency to build three housing developments and in addition saw the construction of a single-family subdivision called Whatley Cove in Rocky Mount. There are 48 total homes in the subdivision that are moderately priced between $100,000 and $250,000. 

When he retired in 2015, he started his own company, Globe Eagle Enterprises, LLC where he provides consulting services to housing authorities. 

He is also a former chair of the Carolinas Council of Housing Redevelopment and Codes Officials which is a nonprofit organization that serves Housing and Community Development agencies in the Carolinas. 

Russell is a 1973 graduate of Fayetteville State University with Bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and History. He then graduated from North Carolina Central University in 1990 with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. 

Russell said the Washington Housing Authority is currently searching for candidates. 

 Russell and Best met while Best who spent 33 years working for and being promoted within the Greenville Housing Authority earning the titles of Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer in Greenville before leaving in 2022 to work with the Washington Housing Authority.