In January, Gov. Deval Patrick announced his plan to consolidate public housing in Massachusetts into six regional agencies, rather than the 240 Massachusetts currently has.
According to The Republican, Patrick proposed the bill saying that it "would help modernize the system that shelters 300,000 low-income families and elderly residents."
Lynne Mareno, Northborough and Southborough's Housing Authority, visited the Board of Selectmen to ask for its support in opposing the measure. She argues that the move would impact towns' ability to maintain its effective services to those needing housing.
"Instead of an independent local town," she said, "you'll have 40, probably running out of a Worcester area management company, with no local board, running it. There will be nine people appointment by the government. We run independently. We house our locals and we give local preference, and preference to the veterans. We screen everybody. If this management company takes over, this is probably all going to change. There will be more homeless people housed, there won'd be a local preference, and there won't be an on-site staff. This is about saving money. They will be basically calling a 1-800 number for assistance."
By March, 79 lawmakers had signed on to an alternate bill on behalf of local housing officials calling for a "far less drastic overhaul of the system,"said the Republican.
Moreno said that the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment's counter bills to Patrick's are gaining support. She asked for a letter from the Northborough board that would state that it supported the alternate bill, which it granted.
So far, local delegates Sen. Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester, and Rep. Harold Naughton, D-Clinton, have signed on in support of the MassNAHRO bill, but Moreno had "yet to see (Acton Sen.) Jamie Eldridge's or (Marlborough Rep.) Danielle Gregoire's name on there."
"Usually the consolidation of services is something I support," said Selectman Dawn Rand. "But I look at how the state has maintained hospitals and other buildings and I wouldn't want to see the state doing that to the Housing Authority. These are pleasant to look at and they are well-maintained. I'd hate to lose that ability to watch over our own property."