Patrick would regionalize housing authorities

BOSTON – Gov. Deval L. Patrick this month filed legislation that will “professionalize, modernize and regionalize” the operations Massachusetts’ housing authorities.
According to a news release, the legislation consolidates the state’s 240 housing authorities into six regional authorities. The six housing authorities will take over ownership and fiscal and operational management of all public housing in the state.
The regional housing authorities would have professional, senior leadership and centralize the information technology, human resources, administrative, accounting, procurement and regional technical assistance functions – producing cost savings and increased efficiency to the state and to taxpayers. The new system would take effect in July 2014.
The state’s public housing portfolio is distributed across 242 cities and towns. Under the reformed system, each regional housing authority will consist of one executive director, a governing board, central and regional management staff and local site managers.
Each authority will be accountable to its local communities, tenants and the Mass. Department of Community of Housing and Development through a governing board, which will include nine unpaid members to be appointed by the governor. Six members will be housing professionals, three of whom will be nominated by local governments from the region, two will be tenants and one a union representative. •

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