PROGRAMS and developments OF THE Norwood Housing Authority

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1 PROGRAMS and developments OF THE Norwood Housing Authority Established 1948 Administration Offices 40 William Shyne Circle Norwood, MA

2 Norwood Housing Authority BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS NAME TERM ENDS Patricia Griffin Starr April 2021 Anne White Scoble April 2019 Kevin Flaherty (state appointee) July 2021 Judith Langone April 2023 Vacant Position April 2020 STAFF DIRECTORY Stephen Merritt William Plasko Jayne Chen Brian Mohan Maribeth Cunningham Cheryl Murphy Michelle Murray Joyce Mulligan Pamela Chubet Kathleen Fitzgerald Nancy Tran Robert Hostetler Todd Rego Nicolas Bader Joseph O Sullivan Peter Jankowski Thomas Riker Paul Thynne Anthony DelMonaco Christopher Taggart Executive Director Deputy Executive Director Leased Housing Administrator Maintenance Supervisor Leased Housing Administrator Intake Specialist/Reception Financial Specialist/Bookkeeper Program Specialist - Elderly Senior Resident Service Coordinator ROSS Resident Service Coordinator Occupancy Specialist Maintenance Clerk Maintenance Administrative Aide/ Inspector Maintenance Mechanic Maintenance Mechanic Maintenance Laborer Maintenance Laborer Maintenance Laborer Maintenance Aide Maintenance Groundskeeper Telephone Numbers Administration Office Maintenance Office /18/2019

3 WASHINGTON HEIGHTS PROJECT # FAMILY UNITS 49 TWO BEDROOM UNITS ADDRESSES: 26 THREE BEDROOM UNITS JEFFERSON DRIVE ROOSEVELT AVENUE The Norwood Housing Authority was formed in 1948 to provide housing for Norwood residents returning from World War II. Construction was started on Washington Heights, a 75 unit family development, which in the nomenclature of public housing is called a 200 project, also referred to as Veteran s Housing. These projects were funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Pictured at right is a three unit building at Washington Heights, on Jefferson Drive. Pictured is a single family unit at Washington Heights, on Jefferson Drive. Residents of State Aided Family Housing pay 30% of their adjusted income for rent and pay all utilities for their units. The NHA has been able to modernize the electric services to each unit and all units are now heated by gas after a several phase replacement and conversions of the old oil burning systems. Picture on left is a two bedroom handicapped accessible unit on Jefferson Drive.

4 WILLOW WOOD TERRACE PROJECT # & 2 ELDERLY UNITS ADDRESSES: ADAMS STREET with apartment numbers HILL STREET with apartment numbers Willow Wood Terrace was built in two phases, the first was completed in 1961, and the second was completed in Funding was from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for housing for the elderly. In the 1980 s much of the elderly housing in the Commonwealth as well as in the nation became further designated as elderly and disabled. This led to many issues as both HUD and DHCD regulations caused younger disabled people to be moved into developments with elderly folks. This became a major issue in the Housing industry early in the 1990 s and led both the Congress of the United States and the Massachusetts Legislature to put a cap on the percentage of younger disabled people that could be housed in Senior Developments. Willowood Terrace is located at the intersection of Adams and Hill Streets and Railroad Avenue. The property is quite sloped, but is offers an attractive location as apartment living. It is with a short walk of Norwood Center, right next to the Norwood Depot commuter rail station. There is a pleasant community center on site, pictured below, with a coin operated laundry center and community room. The NHA is in the planning process to expand the community center to allow for greater access to the residents.

5 NAHATAN VILLAGE PROJECT # & ELDERLY UNITS ADDRESSES: NAHATAN STREET (EVEN SIDE) with apartment number Nahatan Village is a development of 152 state - aided elderly/disabled housing on Nahatan Street. The development was built in two phases. The original buildings were completed in 1970, with the second phase completed in Nahatan Village is a spacious property with plenty of open green space. The buildings are two stories high. The entry doorways serve 4 units via common hallways. Each apartment has a patio/ balcony, one bedroom, living room, galley kitchen and full bath. The development is within walking distance to downtown shopping areas, specifically the Nahatan Shopping Center, with grocery and drug stores, as well as many other small shops. There is a community building on the site, which has a coin operated laundry room, (on e of two on the site), a community room, and a small common room which serves as a reading room. The community room has a service kitchen, a billiards table, and television. The residents use the community room for weekly BINGO games and coffee hours. The maintenance shop for the development is located in the community building. There is also a small garage on the site for maintenance storage.

6 FRANK L. WALSH HOUSING PROJECT # & 6 72 ELDERLY UNITS ADDRESSES: 7-47 WILLIAM SHYNE CIRCLE ( with apartment number) Frank L. Walsh Housing is a 72 unit elderly/ disabled development located on William Shyne Circle, off of Nahatan St. at Fulton Street. It is also the location of the Norwood Housing Authority Administration Offices. The development consists of the former Shattuck Elementary School, which was renovated into 17 residential apartments, as well as a community room, a laundry room, an atrium sitting area, and the administration offices. Around the old schoolhouse are 5 wood frame two story buildings which house an additional 55 apartments. The funding for the renovation and the new construction was a combination of Federal and State monies. The residents are subsidized through Federal Section 8 dollars that are administered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Schoolhouse is pictured on the cover and shown above with one of the outside buildings on the left. The building show at left is 39 William Shyne Circle and shown is a walkway/fire lane that extends to Nahatan Street. Pictured at right: The entrance to 40 William Shyne Circle is also the entrance to the Norwood Housing Authority s Administration Offices.

7 KEVIN F. MAGUIRE HOUSING PROJECT # ELDERLY UNITS ADDRESSES: BROOKVIEW CIRCLE ( with apartment number) Kevin F. Maguire Housing was built in 1980 with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Originally named Brookview Village, the development was renamed in September 2004 in honor of longtime Norwood Housing Authority executive director, Kevin F. Maguire. Prior to his death Mr. Maguire had served the NHA for 26 years as its Executive Director and was instrumental in the development of Brookview Village. The development has 96 apartments located in six two story buildings. All of the units enjoy a patio or porch. The site has plenty of open space, two community gardens and a greenhouse. The greenhouse was conceived by Mr. Maguire and is envisioned to provide recreational and educational opportunities for residents of the NHA. Maintenance calls are received there by telephone and work orders are then processed and relayed to the proper maintenance personnel, either at the other sites. Maguire Housing also has a very active tenant population with regular BINGO games and other social events at the community room. Since 2014 the NHA has received funding for a ROSS Grant Service Coordinator at Maguire through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The addition of this position has proven invaluable to helping our residents access services that are available in the community. On site there is a shuffleboard court and a nicely furnished community room in the common building, shown in the bottom picture. The common building at 10 Brookview Circle also houses the NHA maintenance headquarters and garage.

8 FEDERAL SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM The Norwood Housing Authority administers the Housing Choice Voucher program in Norwood. This program is designed to assist families and elderly persons by providing rental assistance to tenants of privately owned rental units. Program participants usually pay no more than 30% of their adjusted monthly income toward rent and utilities. The Housing Authority then pays a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) to the landlord for the difference between the tenant s payment and the HUD determined Fair Market Rent. The Norwood Housing Authority participates in the Mass. NAHRO state wide Section 8 waiting list. An applicant for the Section 8 program may apply at any participating local housing authority in Massachusetts. Applicants are awarded the preferences that they are eligible for by the system. This list has grown to over 40 thousand applicants, but if the NHA were to take a name from the list, those with the Norwood local preference would be at the top of the list we would get. Once an applicant is awarded a voucher they can begin their housing search. When they find a suitable unit they need to request approval from the NHA. The unit must pass a Housing Quality Inspection and the landlord must agree to a contract, with the rent that the NHA approves. The NHA has a 3 person Leased Housing staff to process new participants as well as current participants, who must verify their income on an annual basis. The NHA currently administers approximately 330 HCV Vouchers that were issued by the NHA as well as approximately 15 vouchers that were issued by other LHA s, but the participants found housing in Norwood. This is referred to in the industry as Portability. This allows a participant with a voucher to relocate anywhere in the United States. This program was formerly a voucher based program under which the NHA was awarded 341 vouchers. Since 2004 the program has changed to a budget based program, which has caused the NHA to fund the lower number of vouchers. We also administer small AHVP and MRVP programs. These programs are funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Both of these programs were modeled on the Section 8 program.

9 NORWOOD AFFORDABLE HOUSING CORPORATION In January 2004 the Norwood Housing Authority formed this non-profit corporation to promote affordable housing in Norwood. The NHA was able to award to the NAHC a grant to use as a down payment on the purchase of a three unit building at 98 Nahatan Street. A mortgage was then secured from Norwood Bank for the balance. Currently the NAHC Board is made up of seven members, which include 2 members of the NHA Board, Ms. Patricia Griffin Starr, and Mary Lou Fitzpatrick. Additionally the Executive Director of the NHA is a member of the board. Other members include, Ms. Lois Maguire, Ms. Donna Doliner, Mr. John Galvani, and Mr. Scott Murphy. The NAHC is a (c) non-profit organization. The NAHC Board will be looking for additional opportunities to provide affordable housing in Norwood in the future. Three Two-Bedroom Unit Building at 98 Nahatan Street

10 TOWN OF NORWOOD LOCAL INITIATIVE PROGRAM In 2004 the Norwood Housing Authority began administrating the Local Initiative Program for the Town. The LIP program is a voluntary agreement between a developer and the town which provides for an Affordable Housing component to new developments. The LIP program is used instead of the less than voluntary Chapter 40B process, which tends to pit a developer against the town. The Norwood Housing Authority agreed to administer the program for the town, which means the operation of Affordable Housing lotteries and the necessary advertisement, verifications, and other regulatory requirements of the program for several developments. The LIP program is administered at the state level by the Department of Housing and Community Development, (DHCD), which also administers the low income housing programs. Lotteries were held for developments at Washington Square, (Michael Bartucca-developer), and Lenox Station, (John Marini-developer).