The LHA is pleased to announce that the agency has been recently awarded 21 Mainstream Vouchers by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an award of $241,227. These vouchers will be utilized to provide permanent housing to non-elderly persons with disabilities, and who are at risk of institutionalization or experiencing homelessness in the City of Lowell. The Mainstream Voucher program further assists disabled persons achieve stable, independent living by encouraging community collaboration between housing providers like the LHA and support service providers to connect voucher holders with essential services.

This is the second year in a row the agency has received federal award funding. We are appreciative that the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has recognized our ability to work with local partners to deliver these critical services. We look forward to continuing to work with our community partners to provide our new residents with the services they require to achieve their highest level of self-sufficiency. Thank you to Congresswoman Trahan and her staff for their dedicated understanding and support of the vital link between housing and services.

Lowell Housing Authority conducted a community needs assessment survey at the Authority’s designated elderly/disabled developments.The assessment met all of the new federal requirements of the Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) grant for which the agency is applying. The survey focused on 3 main categories: policy change, wrap around service focus areas, and environmental changes.This assessment will help the agency review and restructure priorities, determine improvement areas, and identify any unmet needs, and gaps in access to community resources.

Elderly disabled developments that participated in the survey were City View Towers, Francis Gatehouse, Belvidere Heights, Centralville Gardens, and South Common Village. Approximately 23% of residents responded to the survey. The top four areas of interest in order of rank were saving money (29%), eliminating debt (25%), increasing income (21%) and getting a job (25%). Residents listed that having a disability (34 %) followed by access to adequate transportation as the two most prominent barriers to getting and keeping work. Also noteworthy, residents were overwhelmingly interested in additional training to develop computer skills.

The LHA is committed to data-driven decision-making and will be using the survey results to guide resident service policy making. Strides have been made in several of the areas of interest through some of the Authority’s established programs, such as Tech Savvy Seniors and partnerships with agencies such as Office of Economic Empowerment, who will be leading Economic Empowerment for Seniors workshops at each of the developments this Fall. The LHA would like to extend its gratitude to residents who completed the survey as it will help shape future policies and strengthen our resident services program.

Project Bread operates a program called Summer Eats. Summer Eats, sometimes called the Summer Food Service Program, or summer meals program, is a program offering free meals to kids and teens during the summer months.  Summer Eats sites may be located at parks, playgrounds, camps, school buildings, libraries and more. The Summer Eats program has provided lunches to Lowell Housing Authority Summer Youth Activities Program participants.  We kindly ask residents with children in the Summer Youth Activities Program to help Summer Eats learn more about you and your needs to seek ways the program can be approved to better serve you.  Please take a few minutes and complete this brief survey. Please return completed surveys to Michelle Dinan, Director of Family Self-Sufficiency at [email protected] or Lowell Housing Authority, 350 Moody Street, PO Box 60, Lowell, MA 01853 by Monday, August 12th. Thank you in advance for your participation.

Summer Eats Survey (English)                             Summer Eats Survey (Spanish)

The Lowell Housing Authority has recently established a Digital Inclusion Initiative to increase technological aptitude and awareness, expand economic opportunities, and advance educational attainment objectives for residents. One of the LHA’s focus areas is the Learning Zone After-School programs which serve 20 youth between our North Common Village and Highland Parkway developments in grades 2 through 8. After surveying Learning Zone participants and consulting with several housing authorities across the country, the LHA decided that providing tablets would be the best initial step. In May, the Lowell Housing Authority submitted a grant proposal to Enterprise Bank to support the Digital Inclusion Initiative and was awarded $4,000 grant. With the support from Enterprise Bank, the Lowell Housing Authority will be able to purchase 20 tablets for participants, and will help to provide a value resource for program participants.

According to the Pew Research Center, without internet access, many low-income students face a “homework gap,” creating an uneven playing field in the classroom; low-income households with children are four times more likely to be without broadband than their middle- or upper-income counterparts. The survey of Learning Zone participants revealed that 35% have no internet access at home and additional 23% of participants are considered to be under-connected, having access to only a mobile phone to access the internet.

Maria Lobao, Vice President of the Enterprise Bank, expressed that this initiative will have a “profound impact on our youth and she looks forward to seeing the initiative unfold.” The support received from Enterprise Bank helps us continue to drive the Learning Zone’s mission to further promote academic success and broaden one’s quest for knowledge.

In August, all 20 Learning Zone participants will receive tablets. At that time, Learning Zone staff will engage participants with tablet demos which will serve as an invaluable learning tool, particularly for youth who do not have access to internet in the home. Participants will also be introduced to resources they can access online. Throughout the year, they will have the support of Learning Zone staff to usher them towards their educational pursuits. Ultimately, LHA’s Digital Inclusion Initiative will empower our youth to have a stronger command of technology and use of the internet to compliment their education.

Take Care of Yourself and Check on the Most Vulnerable:

·        Check on your neighbors, especially the elderly, young children, and those with respiratory illnesses to ensure they are remaining hydrated and have adequate cooling in their homes.

·        Infants and young children are sensitive to the effects of high temperatures and rely on others to regulate their environments and provide adequate liquids.

·        People 65 years of age or older may not compensate for heat stress efficiently and are less likely to sense and respond to change in temperature.

·        People who are overweight may be prone to heat sickness because of their tendency to retain more body heat.

·        People who overexert during work or exercise may become dehydrated and susceptible to heat sickness.

·        People who are physically ill, especially those with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation, may be affected by extreme heat.

Stay Cool: Keep your body temperature cool to avoid heat-related illness

·        Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible. If you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdoor activity to the morning and evening. Try to rest often in shady areas so that your body has a chance to cool off.

·        Find an air-conditioned shelter. (Call 2-1-1 for a list of cooling centers). Do not rely on a fan as your primary cooling device.

·        Avoid direct sunlight.

·        Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.

·        Take cool showers or baths.

·        Check on those most at-risk several times a day.

·        Pets that cannot be brought indoors should be provided ready access to water and shade to keep them cool.

Stay Hydrated: Because your body loses fluids through sweat, you can become dehydrated during times of extreme heat

·        Drink more water than usual.

·        Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more fluids.

·        Drink from two to four cups of water every hour while working or exercising outside.

·        Avoid alcohol or liquids containing high amounts of sugar.

·        Remind others to drink enough water.

We are pleased to announce the Lowell Housing Authority has received “High Performer Status” for the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS). The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) utilizes these assessment tools to monitor our agency’s performance and program compliance across several indicators.  This includes an evaluation of the physical conditions of our properties, and financial and executive management practices of the agency.

This year’s PHAS score was 93/100. Noteworthy in this year’s report is 100% score of 25/25 points for agency management and a 2-point increase in our financial score. This is a 3-point total increase from last year’s score of 90/100. These scores are a testament to the concerted efforts of the LHA’s executive and property management teams.

Thank you to Sherry Giblin, Chief Financial Officer, Sam Talbot, UPCS Inspector, Brian Moriarty, Superintendent of Facilities, Adam Garvey, Assistant Executive Director, former Assistant Executive Director, Mary Ann Maciejewski, and our property management teams, who ensure our properties are well-maintained and our resources are utilized wisely to provide the greatest benefit for our residents.  Thank you also to our Board of Commissioners and our residents who support the work of our agency each and every day.

Achieving high-performer status provides us with additional grant opportunities, as well as an increase in capital funds. We look forward to improving upon this year’s score and embracing the challenges to come.

View Our Report Card

The Lowell Housing Authority’s retreat inspired the agency to develop a series of working teams to address the Authority’s critical issues.  The LHA created a team dedicated to tackling vacant unit turnovers. A brainchild from the agency’s retreat last fall, this new team will be tasked with turning over vacant units with greater efficiency, through more effective communication, inventory management, and more focused work. This team of specialists is comprised of Mechanics, Technicians, and Custodians who will be responsible for improving turnover performance. While the vacancy team is still crunching numbers, it is anticipated that this team will significantly improve our vacancy turnover process, making units move-in ready faster and saving the agency money through more prudent purchasing. Thank you to John Greenwood, Brian Barter, Kenneth Fleming, Joseph Sullivan, Brian Moriarty, and Brian Dean for driving this initiative, and keep up the good work!

The LHA also developed a sign subcommittee last month. This new group was formed to address the inconsistency of signs across developments. The sign group is in the process of conducting a sign audit at each property to determine the appropriate number, size, and design for sign placement.  The ultimate goal of the subcommittee is to improve communication with residents, replace aging signs with those that reflect the agency’s new brand, and to create a clean consistent look across LHA properties.

As new projects arise, the LHA will assemble additional teams to manage projects and drive agency performance. Some project areas include improving work processes, developing resident services, implementing digital technology, and fostering more robust resident and community engagement strategies.  We look forward to bringing you the latest news about our progress in the coming months.

Check out our turnover team’s latest work below.

The Lowell Housing Authority (LHA) believes in the value of education in supporting youth development, and fostering sustained family self-sufficiency, through a number of programs and services.  The LHA operates two Learning Zone academic enrichment programs, located at North Common Village and Highland Parkway family developments. The agency also connects participants in the LHA’s Family Self-Sufficiency program with community partners, and academic institutions to encourage life-skill development and the pursuit of higher education. The agency also operates a nonprofit affiliate, The Lowell Youth Activities Program, Inc., which has been providing scholarships to children living in Lowell Housing Authority properties for the last 25 years.

This past spring, the LHA had the opportunity to assist children beyond the walls of LHA. The LHA spent the spring hosting a book drive for Project Learn. Through book drives, Project Learn aims to support early childhood education by providing tools and equitable resources of young children in Lowell. According to Project Learn, the number of books in a child’s home directly predicts reading achievement and long-term academic success. Unfortunately, the average number of books in a low-income family’s home is 0. We wanted to help.

The agency collected over 180 books for children in the community! The LHA is proud to have been able to support Project Learn. Thank you to all of the employees, family and friends who contributed to make this book drive a success!

Learn more about the work of Project Learn: https://www.projectlearninc.org/

The Lowell Housing Authority has experienced an elevator failure at 111 Hildreth Street.  We have assembled a response team of resident service professionals that is actively working with our residents and property management team to put a service plan in place.  Our main concern and duty are for the safety and comfort of our residents.

We have met with our residents at this development to explain the situation, establish a forum for ongoing communication and to hear their specific needs and make accommodations.  After holding these meetings, we are proud of our residents for the cooperation and resiliency they have shown.  We are also having active conversations with our Fire Chief and Building Commissioner to ensure LHA is moving in the right direction to maintain a safe environment, and thank them for their time and support.

After meeting with our elevator professionals today, we have found a financially feasible solution that will materially reduce the time of outage.  We expect an initial repair timeline of 14 to 18 weeks.  This is a drastic improvement from initial replacement estimates of 40 to 45 weeks.  This is still a long inconvenience for our residents so our resident service plan will move forward.  For your information, please see the additional details below and the attached plan in which we we have detailed all aspects of the issue and our strategy for addressing this unfortunate setback.

We are receptive of any advice or feedback from our stakeholders and would appreciate speaking with you.  Residents or stakeholders with questions or concerns may contact Adam Garvey, Assistant Executive Director, at 978-364-5313  [email protected].  

Thank you to our residents for their cooperation, and patience during this challenging time.

ELEVATOR CONDITION AND REPAIR TIMELINE & RESIDENT SERVICE PLAN

This initial repair has a project timeline of 14 to 18 weeks

Services:  The following services will be provided to our residents.  This is a preliminary list and will likely expand as we continue to speak with our residents, housing providers and community partners.

• Assistance delivering goods, packages and personal items to unit
• Assistance with laundry delivery
• Providing rest areas on each stair landing
• Providing sitting and recreation areas on each floor of the building
• Providing entertainment and activities during outage
• Providing basic sundries to residents in need
• Providing wheeled carts and totes
• Assist in scheduling medical transports
• Assisting with coordination of outside services
• Providing access to and assisting with online ordering and delivery of food and household goods

Resident Safety:  We will be installing several safety related items during this outage.  We will have a heavy staff presence in this building to monitor activity and any difficulties that residents may encounter.  We have chairs and rest areas on each landing of our stairwells to allow residents a comfortable place to rest, if needed.  Mobile security cameras will be installed in each stairwell.

Communication:  Our executive and property management teams will be holding regular meetings with the residents of this building during the repair or replacement project.  These meetings will be used to inform our residents of progress and next steps.  More importantly, we will use these meetings to ensure our resident needs are being met and discover any new difficulties they may be having.

We will have postings around the buildings and in stairwells that will provide emergency and support staff contact information and other postings that inform residents of available services.

Support Staff:  The Lowell Housing Authority employs two (2) resident service coordinator positions.  These coordinators are being relocated to a desk in the lobby of 111 Hildreth to assist our residents.  Additionally, we are hiring up to six (6) additional, part-time positions to assist these coordinators with resident services.  After normal business hours, we will have a combination of facilities staff and resident assistants to assist residents.

Full Plan