Seattle housing-board nomination causes uproar

[flamingyouth]

Mayor Greg Nickels' choice for a spot on the Seattle Housing Authority board has erupted into mudslinging between low-income-housing advocates, who oppose the nomination, and City Hall, which is accusing them of a whisper campaign and McCarthyism.

The City Council appears likely to confirm Sybil Bailey, Nickels' nominee for the board that oversees the largest public-housing provider in the state. The vote is set for Tuesday.

Bailey is a longtime resident of Denny Terrace, a building run by the authority.

Her supporters, who include residents and the local chapter of the NAACP, say she has dedicated her life to helping others. Opponents, who include other residents and low-income- housing advocates, say she would not be an independent voice on the board and did a poor job as president of a resident council.

Bailey, 65, is shocked by the uproar over the unpaid post, and started to cry when discussing it with a reporter.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003237030_sha31m.html