Home

Auditor's Welcome

Meet the Auditor

Joe's Biography

Record & Accomplishments

The OSA Today

Contact/volunteer

Contribute

Press Clips

Boxing

Photo Gallery

OSA Website

Return Back to Recent Press Clips

Boston Globe South - Deterioration of Housing for Disabled Cited
By Johanna Kaiser - 3/4/2010

Years of underfunding and a cumbersome leasing process have resulted in the deterioration of state-subsidized public housing units for people with special needs, depriving them of decent and safe housing, says state Auditor Joe DeNucci.

In a recent statewide audit of 30 local housing authorities - including those in Brockton, Quincy, Hingham, and Norwell - DeNucci’s office found serious health and safety problems in state housing for those with mental or physical disabilities and other special needs.

Problems included mold and mildew, failing heating systems, animal infestation, rotted window frames and roofs, and broken and missing safety railings. The audit, which was released last week, also found narrow staircases and other structural problems that made the units inaccessible to tenants.

These deteriorating conditions and outdated buildings have not been taken care of properly, the report stated, because of a lack of funds for local housing authorities.

“Housing authorities are getting squeezed both because of underfunding and a leasing process that is cumbersome and inefficient,’’ said Glenn Briere, DeNucci’s spokesman.

Some agencies have been working to improve conditions.

The Norwell Housing Authority, for example, is replacing one of its two special-needs buildings because it is not fully accessible to all its residents, said Nancy Dooley, a board member of the authority. Dooley said her agency wants to build new housing on state-owned land, but it has not found the funds.

“There was more encouragement a year ago because we had hoped to get funding through a state agency,’’ Dooley said. “It’s an ongoing problem, but we are trying to keep the residents together and in Norwell.’’

Unlike general public housing, Briere said, special-needs public housing units are managed by human service providers under contract with state agencies like the Departments of Mental Health, Developmental Services, and Public Health. Local housing authorities earn revenue from these providers, who pay the rent, and the state funding agencies, which pay an annual maintenance fee of $2,000 per unit. The housing authorities are responsible for the cost of repairs.

The weakened economy, however, has made it more difficult for the local housing agencies to collect these funds to cover operating and capital needs, said Briere. This multiparty leasing process has also led to miscommunication between the organizations.

“Part of the problem is there has not been a clearly delineated line of authority of who is responsible for keeping the units up to par,’’ Briere said.

The report suggested creating a more straightforward and effective leasing program that would make it clear that the human service providers are responsible for routine janitorial issues and the local housing authority is responsible for maintenance and repairs to the property.

The report concluded that rent payments and the $2,000 annual maintenance fee were inadequate to repair long-neglected units, but DeNucci acknowledged that the current budget crisis would make it difficult to increase funding.

“I recognize the serious fiscal problems we are facing at this time,’’ said DeNucci in a statement, “but I hope we can make this important program a priority. Vulnerable people with special needs deserve to live in safe, decent, and sanitary units.’’

Thomas Thibeault, assistant executive director of the Brockton Housing Authority, said despite these statewide problems, public housing for people with special needs in Brockton has been successful.

“We’ve been able to maintain good revenue and good conditions,’’ said Thibeault, regarding the authority’s two special-needs housing developments. The Department of Public Health regularly inspects the units, and their conditions are above the minimum requirements, he said.

Though funding can be a problem, added Richard J. Sergi, executive director of the authority, the state government has been responsive.

“Public housing across all levels has been underfunded,’’ he said. “The state has been forthcoming in working with us to address any issue for this particular type of housing.’’

Other communities reviewed in the audit include Amherst, Attleboro, Barnstable, Boston, Bourne, Chelmsford, Cohasset, Dennis, Fall River, Fitchburg, Framingham, Grafton, Hudson, Mansfield, Methuen, Milton, Needham, Orleans, Plymouth, Sandwich, Sharon, Somerville, Taunton, Waltham, Westfield, and Worcester.

A copy of the review and its findings is available on the state auditor’s website at www.mass.gov/sao