. WELCOME TO THE CHAMBER THIS MORNING. UH, FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS LIZ BRENNAN, DISTRICT NINE CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY
COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. TODAY IS OCTOBER 16TH, 2025 AND THE EXACT TIME IS 10:14 A.M..
THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON.COM. BACKSLASH CITY DASH COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST
ON XFINITY CHANNEL EACH RCN CHANNEL 82 FIREHOUSE CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C C C
DOT HOUSING AT BOSTON DOT GOV AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THE HEARING AND
INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON AN ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING
TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON POORER MONTREAL AND ACCURACY OR
A NORMAN CHAND M0N TR 0ND AT BOSTON DOT GOV FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET
NUMBER 0259 IN ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE STATUS OF THE ELEVATORS AT THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY. RUTH BURKE BARCLAY APARTMENTS AND DOCKET NUMBER 0769 IN ORDER
FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT HUD REPORT ON BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY
COUNCILOR ED FLYNN AND COUNCILORS JULIA MEJIA A CO-SPONSOR ON 0769 AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY
15TH AND APRIL 2ND, 2025 RESPECTIVELY. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY MY COLLEAGUE COLLEAGUES AND ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR ED FLYNN
AND COUNCILOR ERIN MURPHY AND I HAVE A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR PEPEN SO WE'LL HAVE
OPEN OPENING REMARKS FROM COUNCILOR FLYNN AS A LEAD SPONSOR YOU'VE GOT 2 MINUTES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS FOR
RUTH BARCLAY FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. THANK YOU TO ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK AS WELL. LAST YEAR I FILED A HEARING REGARDING AGING ELEVATORS AT BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY WHICH
OPPOSED PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS. IN NOVEMBER 2024 I HELD A HEARING ON THIS ISSUE. WHAT WE ALL HEARD DURING MAYBE THE MOST IMPORTANT HEARING I
HAVE BEEN A PART OF AT THE COUNCIL WAS DIRECTLY FROM RESIDENTS AT THE RUTH BARCLAY APARTMENTS ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO GO ABOUT THEIR DAILY LIVES. THEY WERE HEART WRENCHING STORIES.
THEY TALKED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO GET GROCERIES, PICK UP MEDICATIONS, STAYING ACTIVE, GOING TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, FAMILY APPOINTMENTS, GETTING BASIC SERVICES, PROLONGED
PERIODS OF ELEVATED DISREPAIR. THEY TALKED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO GET UPSTAIRS AND USE THE BATHROOM IN TIME. ELEVATOR ACCESS IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR SENIORS PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES. THIS HEARING WILL DISCUSS THE LATEST STATUS OF THE VHA ELEVATOR MODERNIZATION THAT RUTH BARCLAY IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR THE DEPARTMENT
OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT INSPECTOR GENERAL RELEASED A REPORT ON VHA AND FOUND THAT VHA DID NOT CONSISTENTLY MAINTAIN ITS PROGRAM UNITS AND BUILDINGS
PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMS, UNITS IN DECENT SAFE AND SANITARY CONDITIONS IN GOOD REPAIR. IT ALSO FOUND THAT THE VHA DID NOT CONSISTENTLY PERFORM ITS ANNUAL SELF INSPECTIONS
INCORRECT IDENTIFIED DEFICIENCIES. THE AUDIT REPORTED THAT BOTH PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS AND BUILDINGS HAD DEFICIENCY AND OF THE 31 OF THE 36 HOUSING
UNITS INSPECTED HAD DEFICIENCIES IS AND OVER A THIRD HAD AN LIFE THREATENING DEFICIENCIES THAT NEEDED TO BE CORRECTED WITHIN 24 HOURS. SOME OF THESE TYPES OF LIFE
THREATENING DEFICIENCIES INCLUDING MISSING OR INOPERABLE SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS, SECURITY HAZARDS, BLOCKED EGRESS, ELECTRIC
HAZARDS, INOPERABLE FIRE EXITS . I REPRESENT THE MOST PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. OUR PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS ARE SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE
RESIDENTS IN THE CITY. THEY DESERVE RESPECT AS LEADERS OF THE CITY. WE HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO ENSURE THAT ALL UNITS MEET HUD'S AND HIS OWN REQUIREMENTS THAT OUR PUBLIC HOUSING
RESIDENTS LIVE IN A SAFE, DECENT SANITARY ENVIRONMENT. THIS HEARING WILL DISCUSS ANY UPDATES TO THE STATUS OF THE ELEVATORS AT RUTH BARCLAY HOW VHA HAS IMPROVED ON THE ISSUE.
AND AGAIN WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EXIT ACCESSIBILITY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITY IN OUR SENIORS IS A PRIORITY. THIS IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE. THIS IS A FEDERAL ISSUE.
IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS WE TALK ABOUT SPENDING A LOT ON MONEY ON VARIOUS PROGRAMS. I CAN'T THINK OF WHAT COULD BE A BETTER USE OF OUR TIME AND EFFORTS THAN FOCUSING ON ADA
ACCESSIBILITY CIVIL RIGHTS, EQUITY AND RESPECT MOST OF ALL FOR OUR NEIGHBORS AT BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR, AND THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN.
I WILL MOVE STRAIGHT TO TESTIMONY FROM ADMINISTRATOR BOK WHO IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY AND I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION.
PLEASE DO NOT KNOW JUST FOR THE LEAD SPONSORS. DO YOU MIND? I'M HAPPY TO. 2 MINUTES. ARE YOU OKAY? OKAY, THAT'S FINE. I'LL RESET TO 2 MINUTES.
THANK YOU. YOU, I GUESS. THANK YOU. ADMINISTRATOR BOK, JOSH AND OTHER MEMBERS OF YOUR TEAM WHO ARE HERE BUT ESPECIALLY TO OUR
RESIDENTS WHO CAME TO SHARE THEIR PERSONAL STORIES WHICH. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FLYNN. I'VE BEEN TO SOME, YOU KNOW, MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE SET UP AT
THE RESIDENCE AND IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE HEARINGS THAT YOU FILED HERE HAVE BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER OF MAKING SURE THAT WE UPLIFT THE VOICES OF THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SOME REAL CONCERNS SO OVER THE PAST
YEAR WE'VE HEARD TOO MANY STORIES FROM RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY OUR SENIORS IN THOSE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE BEEN TRAPPED IN ELEVATORS, MISSED MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS OR FELT UNSAFE IN THEIR OWN HOMES
DUE TO CONDITIONS TO THE VHA DEVELOPMENTS SPECIFICALLY AT RUTH BARCLAY APARTMENTS RESIDENTS WENT THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS WITH BROKEN ELEVATORS RELYING ON A SINGLE CAB THAT OFTEN FAILED.
THESE AREN'T JUST INCONVENIENCES THEY'RE QUALITY OF LIFE AND SAFETY ISSUES THAT VIOLATE BASIC HUMAN DIGNITY. SO THANK YOU BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS VULNERABLE TO SHARE
THESE CONCERNS YOU HAVE. SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY TO DO THAT. NOW WITH THE RELEASE WHICH ACTUALLY CAME OUT A LITTLE WHILE AGO BUT THE HUD INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT WE SEE THIS ISN'T AN ISOLATED PROBLEM.
IT'S SYSTEMIC. THE REPORT FOUND THAT A MAJORITY OF VHA UNITS INSPECTED HAD SERIOUS DEFICIENCIES INCLUDING LIFE THREATENING ONES MISSING SMOKE DETECTORS, INOPERABLE FIRE EXITS AND
ELECTRICAL HAZARDS. THESE FINDINGS RAISE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS ABOUT OVERSIGHT ACCOUNTABILITY AND HOW IS ENSURING THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF MORE THAN 17,000
RESIDENTS ACROSS BOSTON? I BELIEVE WE OWE IT TO OUR RESIDENTS, MANY OF WHOM OUR FAMILIES, SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO OFTEN FEEL THAT THEIR VOICES ARE NOT
HEARD OR THEIR THEY DON'T HAVE A PLACE HERE IN CITY HALL TO SPEAK UP. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT VHA IS MEETING ITS LEGAL BUT ALSO MORE IMPORTANTLY ITS MORAL OBLIGATIONS. SO THIS HEARING TO ME IT'S
ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND STEPS FORWARD AND I TRUST THAT THE CONVERSATION TODAY WITH YOU CAN SEE WILL BE JUST THAT AND WE'LL HAVE SOME ACTION PLAN MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE THIS BETTER. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MURPHY ADMINISTERED TO BOK. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR CALLING THE HEARING INTO COUNCILOR MURPHY.
I'M REALLY GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE I AGREE WITH THE COUNCILORS COMMENTS THAT THE CONDITION THE CONDITIONS OF HOUSING ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ALL OF US THAT WORK AT BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY TO FOCUS ON AND I
THINK IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO COVER SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO. IF I JUST SAY NEXT SLIDE. CORA YEAH, THAT MIGHT HELP. YES.
OKAY, GREAT. SO AND I'M SORRY THIS IS A LITTLE SMALL FOR THOSE WHO ARE HERE IN THE CHAMBER. I THINK COUNCILORS HAVE A PRINTED COPY BUT MAYBE JUST TO START WITH SAYING THAT THE HUD OIG REPORT ALTHOUGH IT CAME OUT
IN FEBRUARY OF 2025 WAS PRODUCED BASED ON DATA FROM 2022 AND 2023 RIGHT AFTER THE COVID PANDEMIC. AND AS I ADDRESSED IN A LETTER TO THE COUNCIL BACK IN MARCH
AND TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AT THE BUDGET HEARING IN MAY, THE THAT WAS A PERIOD IN WHICH IT WAS RIGHT AFTER THE VHA AND ON ALL PUBLIC HOUSING IN THE COUNTRY HAD BEEN SORT OF ENJOINED FROM DOING THE
REGULAR INSPECTION REGIME FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY. AND SO IT WAS YOU KNOW, A ROCKY RETURN TO NORMAL ORDER FRANKLY AND AND AND THERE WERE QUITE A
LOT OF CHALLENGES AND I THINK A GREAT BENEFIT TO ME IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO BE HERE AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS TODAY IS THAT ALTHOUGH THE REPORT CAME OUT IN 2025 I GOT TO SEE WHAT
THE HUD OIG FINDINGS ABOUT 2022 AND 2023 HAD BEEN. NOT LONG LIKE A FEW MONTHS AFTER I HAD JOINED THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AS ITS ADMINISTRATOR IN SORT OF LATE 2023.
AND SO REALLY BECAUSE OF THAT WE'VE SPENT THE LAST TWO YEARS FOCUSED ON THE WAYS TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. SO THE GOOD THING IS THAT TODAY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT ARE THINGS
THAT WE STARTED BEFORE THAT REPORT SORT OF FORMALLY CAME OUT BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY SEEN THE FINDINGS AND WE KNEW THAT WE HAD TO DO WORK ON IT OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS SINCE THAT
DATA REFLECTED IN THE HUD, OIG ADDED WE AUDIT WE REALLY WORKED ON ADDRESSING LONG STANDING QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES ACROSS OUR HOUSING PORTFOLIO AS IT SAYS ON THE SLIDE BY LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY NEW OPERATIONAL PRACTICES AND CITY RESOURCES
THE VHA HAS MADE AND IS MAKING SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS. SO THERE'S ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE AND MODERNIZATION, WORK ORDERS AND PHYSICAL INSPECTION RESULTS AND THEN RODENT REDUCTION AND TRASH MANAGEMENT.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE CORA I WANTED TO START WITH ELEVATORS AND YOU KNOW AND REALLY THE FIRST PART OF MY PRESENTATION THE ELEVATORS WILL BE FOCUSED MOSTLY ON OUR
ELEVATORS AT RUTH BARCLAY. RUTH BARCLAY HAS A CONTINUE TO BE THE SITE WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST CHALLENGES AND YOU KNOW, AS LOTS OF THE RESIDENTS BEHIND ME CAN ATTEST, THOSE CHALLENGES ARE ONGOING. SO I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, JUST A QUICK ELEVATOR SNAPSHOT. THE BOOK HAS 106 ELEVATORS ACROSS OUR PORTFOLIO AND ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDINGS AND HERE'S A KIND OF A BREAKDOWN OF THEM IN THE ELDERLY DISABLED
PORTFOLIO 49 CABS ARE DOUBLES OR TRIPLES SO WE CALL THOSE REDUNDANT ELEVATORS. OKAY. IF ONE IS DOWN AND SOME THE OTHER ONE COULD BE UP BUT TWO AND JUST TWO IN THE ELDERLY DISABLED PORTFOLIO ARE SINGLES
THAT USED TO BE FOUR. WE JUST ADDED THROUGH A AN ONGOING CAPITAL PROJECT ACTUALLY IN YOUR DISTRICT MADAM CHAIR AT COMMONWEALTH ELDERLY WE ADDED TWO ELEVATORS TO
COMPLEMENT NOT TWO NON REDUNDANT ONES AND AND NOW WE'RE AND SO SINCE WE'VE ADDED THESE TWO NEW ELEVATORS OUR TOTAL ELEVATOR COUNT ACTUALLY WENT UP FROM 104 TO 106 AND WE NOW ARE MODERNIZING THE TWO
OLDER ONES SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE REDUNDANCY YET BECAUSE SINCE WE PUT THE NEW ONES IN WE'VE TAKEN THE OLD ONES OFFLINE BUT BUT THEY WILL BE FULLY REDUNDANT AT THAT SITE THE PLACE WHERE WE STRUGGLE A
LOT WITH NON REDUNDANT ELEVATORS WHERE THERE'S JUST A SINGLE ELEVATORS IN OUR FAMILY HOUSING PORTFOLIO SO WE HAVE 37 CABS THAT ARE SINGLES ACROSS FOUR FAMILY SITES AND THEN WE HAVE TEN CABS THAT ARE DOUBLES
THAT ARE REDUNDANT THAT ARE ALL AT RUTH BARCLAY HOWEVER AS I'M GOING TO ADDRESS ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES IS THAT AT THE PUNCH OF THE RUTH BARCLAY ELEVATORS WE'VE HAD LONG TERM OUTAGES OF SINGLE ELEVATORS WHICH THEN
MAKES THAT A NON REDUNDANT STACK UNTIL IT GETS FIXED. WE GO NEXT TO THE NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS ABOUT THE SORT OF ACTIVE ONGOING ELEVATOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF ACTIVE AND RECENTLY COMPLETED ELEVATOR CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR MORE THAN $19 MILLION. OUR ELEVATOR SPENDING COMES OUT OF TWO DIFFERENT BUCKETS THERE'S THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE
SPENDING AND THEN THERE'S THE MONEY THAT COMES OUT OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET MAINLY THE HUD CAPITAL BUDGET. AND AND THIS IS THIS IS IN THAT SECOND GROUP. SO WE COMPLETED THIS YEAR
ELEVATOR MODERNIZATION AT HAZAN AND MATTAPAN. I MENTIONED THAT WE ADDED THESE TWO REDUNDANT ELEVATORS AT COMMONWEALTH ELDERLY A TOUR UNIT AND WESTERDAM COUNCILOR FLYNN AND YOUR
DISTRICT BOTH ELEVATORS. THE MODERNIZATION WAS FINALLY COMPLETED THIS MONTH ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO AGO WHICH IS HUGE FOR US AND AS YOU KNOW THAT'S A VERY LARGE BUILDING AND IT'S BEEN VERY CHALLENGING TO HAVE
THIS LONG ONGOING ELEVATOR PROJECT HAPPENING. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT THE MODERNIZATION OF THE ELEVATORS ARTERY IN AND OUT IS NOW COMPLETE AND THEY'VE GOT THEIR CERTIFICATES AND THEY'RE RUNNING AND THEN AT RUTH
BARCLAY WE GOT FUNDS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL TO COMPLEMENT THE FUNDS WE HAD FROM HUD IN ORDER TO COMMISSION MODERNIZATION OF ALL THE TALL ELEVATORS AT
RUTH BARCLAY AND WHAT I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT AND I'LL GET INTO MORE OF THE DETAILS ON THIS IN A SECOND BUT BASICALLY WE FINALLY HAVE THE CONTRACT EXECUTED FOR THE FULL
MODERNIZATION OF THOSE ELEVATORS THAT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE 14 BROOKLYN 16 IS BROOKLYN 23
MONSIGNOR REYNOLDS AND 47 HARRISON ARCHWAY AND SO THE I'LL GO THROUGH THIS IN A MOMENT BUT BASICALLY THE VHA HAD TO FIRST PUT OUT A DESIGN BID BECAUSE EACH OF THE ELEVATORS IS A CUSTOM WIDTH AND
HEIGHT AND EVERYTHING HAD TO BE DESIGNED BY AN ARCHITECT AND SO WE WERE WAITING ON THAT FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS AND THEN WE GOT THAT THIS SUMMER AND THAT ENABLED US TO PUT OUT TO PUT OUT THE CONTRACT AND GET BIDS
ON IT AND NOW WE'VE ASSIGNED IT AND WE ACTUALLY HAD THE NOTICE TO PROCEED MEETING YESTERDAY WHICH IS THE MEETING WITH THE CONTRACTOR THAT GIVES THEM THE GREEN LIGHT TO MOVE FORWARD. YOU'LL ALSO SEE ON THIS IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS LIST A
PORTFOLIO FOLIO Y ELEVATOR ASSESSMENT WHERE WE'RE PLANNING TO RELEASE THE RFP THIS WINTER. THIS IS REALLY RELATED TO THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW, PROBABLY THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING FOR ME AND I THINK THE RESIDENTS
BEHIND ME AND THE COUNSELORS WHO ARE HERE AND CERTAINLY FOR YOU, COUNSELOR FLYNN, IS THAT LIKE WHERE WE'VE ENDED UP WITH THE BERKELEY ELEVATORS WITH THIS MANY ELEVATORS ALL IN A
STATE OF DISREPAIR ALL AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS REALLY NOT A PLACE THAT WE SHOULD END UP LIKE WE'VE WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT EVEN WITH OUR LIMITED RESOURCES HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THAT WE'RE DOING
ADVANCED ELEVATOR REPLACEMENT AND MODERNIZATION SO THAT WE DON'T GET TO THE SITUATION THAT WE'VE BEEN IN. AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND ACROSS OUR WHOLE PORTFOLIO, WE'RE DOING THIS PORTFOLIO WIDE ELEVATOR ASSESSMENT SO THAT THE
VHA CAN MORE PROACTIVELY PUT THOSE THINGS INTO THE CAPITAL YOU KNOW, PLANNING NOW THAT'S THAT'S NEVER GOING TO OVERCOME THE FACT THAT THE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL MONEY THAT WE GET FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
NOT CLOSE TO ENOUGH FOR ALL OF THE ELEVATOR WORK THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO AND VARIOUS OTHER KINDS OF WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO AS WELL. BUT WE THINK THAT WE CAN STILL PLAN BETTER AND WE'RE PLANNING TO WORK ON THAT IF YOU GO THE
NEXT SLIDE KYRA. SO THIS IS SOME CONTEXT ON RUTH BARCLAY. THERE'S 15 ELEVATORS AT THE SITE. ONE CHALLENGE IS I THINK I MENTIONED IN THE SUMMARY THAT A LOT MORE OF THE FAMILY
DEVELOPMENTS HAVE NON REDUNDANT ELEVATORS AS OPPOSED TO THE ELDERLY DISABLED ONES BUT BECAUSE THE VHA ADOPTED A NUMBER OF UNITS THAT RUTH BARCLAY FOR MOBILITY NOW
SEVERAL DECADES BACK WE ACTUALLY HAVE QUITE A LOT OF ELDERLY DISABLED RESIDENTS AT THIS FAMILY SITE AND SO AND SO THAT MEANS THAT YOU KNOW THE ELEVATORS THAT WERE NOT
ORIGINALLY ENVISIONING SORT OF THE LARGE MOBILITY DEVICES THAT WE HAVE TODAY AND THAT LEVEL OF INTENSIVE USE BY AN ELDERLY DISABLED POPULATION IS HAS REALLY BEEN A CHALLENGE AND IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING
TO ADDRESS. I MENTIONED THIS ALREADY BUT THERE ARE ALL THOSE ELEVATORS THAT RUTH BARCLAY OUR CUSTOM LENGTHS AND WIDTHS WHICH MEANS THAT THE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS FOR ANY ELEVATOR MODERNIZATION THEY HAVE TO BE DONE ON A SORT
OF TIME CONSUMING CUSTOM ELEVATOR BY ELEVATOR BASIS. BUT WE WERE VERY GRATEFUL THAT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED CAPITAL FUNDING TO ASSIST VHA IN FUNDING THE MODERNIZATION OF THESE 1010 STOREY AND 13
STOREY ELEVATORS WHICH IS WELL BEYOND WHAT THE HUD BUDGET ALLOCATION WOULD HAVE ENABLED. SO VHA COMMISSIONED THE DESIGNS FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF EIGHT OF THOSE ELEVATORS AND THEN WE
GOT THE WE WE SORT OF SEPARATED OUT THE TWO AT 42 HARRISON ARCHWAY SO THAT WE COULD GET THE WORK GOING ON THOSE THIS YEAR SO 42 HARRISON ARCHWAY TO WORK ON BOTH THOSE ELEVATORS FULLY UPGRADING THEM HAS JUST
BEEN COMPLETED AND THEY'RE BOTH ONLINE. I WAS JUST TALKING TO SOMEBODY WHO LIVES THERE ABOUT ANOTHER ISSUE THAT JUST CAME ONTO MY RADAR TODAY WHICH IS THE QUESTION OF NOT BEING ABLE TO TELL WHETHER THE ELEVATOR
THAT'S GOING TO COME WHEN YOU CALL IS THE LARGE OR THE SMALL ONE WHICH IS MATTERS IF YOU'RE IN A MOBILITY SCOOTER. SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'M GOING TO BRING BACK TO MY TEAM AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT. BUT WE'RE VERY PLEASED THAT THOSE TWO ELEVATORS ARE BACK UP AND RUNNING.
IT TOOK US A LONG TIME TO GET THEM TO GET ALL THE PARTS AND TO GET THEM FULLY UPGRADED BUT WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED THEY ARE AND THE DESIGNS FOR THE OTHER EIGHT TALL CELL SITES
WERE ALL COMPLETED AROUND AUGUST OF THIS SUMMER. HOWEVER, IN THE MEANTIME WHAT'S BEEN REALLY CHALLENGING ALL SUMMER AT THE AT BERKELEY AND INTO THE FALL IS THAT ONE CAB
EACH AT 14 IS BROOKLYN 16 IS BROOKLYN 23 MONSIGNOR REYNOLDS AND 47 HARRISON ARCHWAY HAVE HAD LONG TERM OUTAGES AND THOSE OUTAGES HAVE BEEN REALLY DUE TO LIKE KIND OF CORE FUNCTIONAL
ISSUES THAT REALLY NEED THE MODERNIZATION OF THE CAB TO ADDRESS THEM. SO THEY WEREN'T THEY HAVEN'T BEEN LIKE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO JUST RESOLVE WITHOUT THAT MODERNIZATION. AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT
ALL THESE TALL ELEVATORS THEY'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING AS NON REDUNDANT ELEVATORS SO THAT PUTS MORE STRESS ON THE CAB THAT IS RUNNING AND IF THEY GO DOWN WE HAVE TO USE THE ELEVATOR DOWN PROTOCOLS AND IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING FOR THE
RESIDENTS AND FOR OUR STAFF AND EVERYBODY THE THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT ALL FOUR OF THOSE STACKS AS I SAID ARE THOSE ARE THE
FOUR PAIRS OF ELEVATORS THAT WE NOW HAVE UNDER CONTRACT TO FULLY MODERNIZE AND AT EACH OF THOSE SITES THE FIRST CAB THAT THEY MODERNIZE WILL BE THE ONE THAT'S BEEN DOWN SO THAT
THAT ONE WILL COME ON FULLY, FULLY MODERN BEFORE BEFORE THE OTHER ONE GOES OFFLINE TO BE MODERNIZED AND WE WILL OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO STAGGER THIS BUT WE EXPLICITLY SAID IN THE CONTRACT THAT YOU COULD ONLY
BID IF YOU WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON MULTIPLE ELEVATORS AT ONCE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DO THEM ONE BY ONE BY ONE. SO WE'RE GOING TO SO THE TEAMS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK ON THEM AT LEAST TWO AT A TIME.
SO AT TWO OF THE ADDRESSES AT A TIME AND WE'RE GOING TO ACCELERATE THAT MORE IF WE CAN ALSO JUST A NOTE THAT IN THE BACK IN THE WINTER OF 2025 WE SIGNED AN ONGOING ELEVATOR SERVICE CONTRACT WITH SCHINDLER
ELEVATOR I KNOW WHEN WE WERE LAST YEAR COUNCILOR WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT LONG TERM CHALLENGE WE HAD HAD TO GET A PERMANENT MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR ON SITE BUT WE'VE ALSO CONTINUED TO HAVE BOTH
UNITED ELEVATOR CORP. AND MOTION ELEVATOR CORP WORKING ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS OF THE BARKLEY SITE AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY ELEVATORS AT THE SITE WITH SO MANY CHALLENGES THAT IF WE RELY ON ONLY ONE COMPANY WHICH ALWAYS HAS JUST A LIMITED NUMBER
OF TECHS, THEN THEN WE DON'T GET AS MUCH DONE AS WE NEED TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO I MENTIONED THIS THE DESIGN PROJECT WAS COMPLETED THIS SUMMER. THE PROJECT THE MODERNIZATION PROJECT FOR THE EIGHT REMAINING
TALL ELEVATORS WENT OUT TO BID. WE AWARDED THAT THIS MONTH AND THE EIGHT ELEVATORS ARE GOING TO BE MODERNIZED STARTING AND THIS LAST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR AND CONTINUING ALL THROUGH 2026.
WE ALSO I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE UNDERTOOK OVER THE SUMMER THAT WAS TO PUT THESE FIRE KEYHOLES . WE'VE NOW DONE IT IN ALL THE RESIDENT ELEVATORS AT RUTH BARKLEY EXCEPT FOR 42 BECAUSE
IT HAD THAT OTHER PROJECT GOING ON SO WE'LL BE DOING IT IN 42 SHORTLY. WHAT IT DOES IS THE FIRE KEYHOLES ARE AN ISSUE THAT WE HIT IN THE SUMMER WAS THAT IF IF THERE'S AN ENTRAPMENT AND
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COMES IN APPROPRIATELY GETS SOMEBODY OUT BUT USES AXES TO DO IT THE DOORS OF THIS STYLE OF ELEVATOR ARE HARD TO PROCURE AND SO WE ENDED UP WITH A SITUATION WHERE
BECAUSE OF THAT THE ACCESS WE WEREN'T ABLE TO REPLACE THE DOORS ON AN ELEVATOR FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AND THAT MEANT IT WAS DOWN WHICH IS A HARDSHIP FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND STRETCHES ELEVATOR DOWN PROTOCOLS OUT LONGER SO THE
FIRE KEYHOLES ARE A TOOL THAT YOU GET IN NEW ELEVATORS WHERE THERE'S BASICALLY A WAY FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO SORT OF TRIP THE DOORS OPEN WITHOUT NEEDING THE ACCESS THAT THAT TO FORM
THE DOORS. SO THAT'S THAT'S AN EXCITING CHANGE FOR US BECAUSE WE WANT TO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WANT TO BOTH MINIMIZE THE TIMES WHEN THE ELEVATORS GO DOWN OBVIOUSLY ANY ENTRAPMENT AND WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T TURN INTO IT BEING DOWN FOR WEEKS AFTERWARDS. I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OTHER CAPITAL INVESTMENTS AT RUTH BARCLAYS. SO IN ADDITION TO THE WORK ON
ELEVATORS, SHE'S DOING A MAJOR $12.9 MILLION CAPITAL PROJECT THERE TO REPLACE WINDOWS AND UPGRADE VENTILATION. THIS IS REALLY ABOUT PROVIDING GREATER COMFORT IN TERMS OF TEMPERATURE AND GETTING RID
OF DRAFTS AND ALSO MUCH HEALTHIER AIR TO RESIDENTS WITH THE VENTILATION. SO THIS PROJECT IS ALSO ALREADY CONTRACTED AND IT'S ACTIVELY UNDERWAY AND WE ALSO CONTINUE TO ELIMINATE TRIP HAZARDS AT
RUTH BARCLAY AND OTHER SITES HAVE A BIG, BIG PORTFOLIO WIDE PROJECT TO REPAIR AND REPLACE PAVED PATHWAYS AND RAMPS AND THIS YEAR WE'VE ALSO BEEN INVESTING IN REFRESHING COMMUNITY SPACE THAT RUTH
BARCLAY ALONG WITH THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBIES STARTING AT THE 42 AND 47 HARRISON ARCHWAY ADDRESSES. SO I KNOW FOLKS WILL HAVE SEEN THAT WE PUT IN NEW FLOORS AND FRESH PAINT AND AND DID SOME
WORK IN THOSE LOBBIES THOSE TWO HARRISON ARCHWAY ADDRESSES SO FAR AND THEN ALSO IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM THAT'S USED BY THE TASK FORCE AND OTHERS IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THIS
IS JUST A LITTLE SUMMARY KIND OF IN A CHART OF THE ELEVATORS THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SO THE FIRST FOUR ARE THE SHORTER SIX STORY ELEVATORS SO 19
MONSIGNOR REYNOLDS WAY WE DID AN UPGRADE OF BACK IN Q4 OF 2024 AND IT'S BEEN OPERATING WELL SINCE THEN. WE ARE DOING A SIMILAR UPGRADE TO A SIMILAR ELEVATOR AT 29
MILE SENIOR REYNOLDS WAY THAT'S UNDER CONTRACT AND IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS QUARTER AND THEN TEN AND 20 EAST BROOKLINE ARE ALSO PLAN WE HAD HOPED TO GET THOSE DONE THIS YEAR BUT THE ELEVATOR COMPANIES THAT WE WERE
CONTRACTING WITH COULDN'T DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY WITH EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON. SO SO WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE TEN IN 20 ALSO HAVE THAT SAME
UPGRADE SOON IN 2026 AND THEN YOU SEE 23, 14, 16 AND 17 THOSE ARE THE FOUR ADDRESSES, TWO ELEVATORS EACH SO EIGHT ALTOGETHER WHERE WE'VE SIGNED
THE CONTRACT FOR I BELIEVE IT'S H.J. RUSSELL AND UNITED TO DO THE TO DO THE MODERNIZATION WORK AT ALL EIGHT OF THOSE CAPS AND THE NOTICE TO PROCEED
MEETING TO SORT OF LAUNCH THAT WORK HAPPENED YESTERDAY THEN 42 HARRISON ARCHWAY WHICH IS OUR 13 STORY ONE IS THE ONE WHERE WE COMPLETED THE UPGRADE BOTH CAVS JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO
AND THE ONLY THING THAT WE WE DO STILL NEED TO DO THERE IS ADD THE ADD THE FIRE KEY HOLES INTO THAT ONE. AND I'M ALSO GOING TO LOOK INTO THIS QUESTION ABOUT THE BUTTON AND KNOWING WHICH ONES THE
LARGE ELEVATOR AND SMALL ELEVATOR AND THEN WE'VE A LITTLE A LITTLE JUST SORT OF BACK OFFICE ELEVATOR THAT WE USE AT THE MANAGEMENT OFFICE TO GET BETWEEN THE TWO LEVELS OF THE MANAGEMENT OFFICE IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THIS IS
JUST SOME PHOTOS OF SOME OF THE WHAT I MENTIONED SOME OF THE LOBBY AND COMMUNITY SPACE REFRESHING THAT WE DID THIS YEAR. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE
THIS IS MORE VHA WIDE BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED BECAUSE OF RUTH BARCLAY AND THE CHALLENGES WE'VE HAD THERE AS THESE ARE OUR ELEVATOR DOWN PROTOCOLS WHICH WE UPDATED IN EARLY 2024
WHICH KIND OF LAY OUT FOR STAFF AND RESIDENTS HOW HOW WE HANDLE WHEN ELEVATORS ARE DOWN FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME OR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND YOU
KNOW, WE DO A NUMBER OF THINGS WE'LL OFFER RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO STAY IN HOTELS FOR THE ELEVATORS THE AND THE ADDRESSES WHERE WE'VE HAD PROLONGED OUTAGES WE'VE OFFERED
RESIDENTS TRANSFERS TO OTHER SITES OR OTHER OTHER ADDRESSES IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT AND IT CAN ALSO INCLUDE IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS YOU KNOW US HAVING WE'LL HAVE PAID
HELPERS AT ENTRYWAYS AND AND LIKE I SAYS HERE HOTEL STAYS AND TRANSFERS LIKE I MENTIONED WE WENT THROUGH THESE PROTOCOLS WITH THE DISABILITY COMMISSION
AND THE ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD AND WE'VE REALLY YOU KNOW WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE WE'VE REALLY STRENGTHENED THEM IN WHAT WE'VE WHAT WE'VE WORKED ON A LOT SINCE WE PUT THEM OUT IS TRAINING ON THEM. SO WE'VE REALLY WE DISTRIBUTE THEM TO ALL OVER MANAGERS.
WE'VE DONE REGULAR UPDATED TRAININGS. WE'RE TO CONTINUE THOSE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND THE DISABILITIES COMMISSION AND THE ABA SUGGESTED LAST YEAR THAT WE
SORT OF CIRCULATE A SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF THEM THAT'S MOST RELEVANT TO RESIDENTS AND WE ALSO POSTED THEM OUTSIDE EACH ELEVATOR AND INSIDE THE ELEVATORS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH
AND CHINESE AT BIRTH BERKELEY AND IT'S JUST MENTIONED HERE FOR ANYBODY WHO'S WATCHING AT HOME YOU CAN LOOK AT THE DETAILED PROTOCOLS AT BOSTON HOUSING THAT SLASH ELEVATOR.
THIS IS JUST A COUPLE MORE NOTES WE WE HAVE INCREASE THE DAILY INSPECTIONS WE'RE TRYING TO AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE STRUGGLE WITH IN ALL OF OUR SITES IS PEOPLE BREAKING
ENTRANCE DOOR LOCKS AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A QUICKER TURNAROUND ON FIXING THOSE WHEN THEY GO DOWN BECAUSE ONE OF THINGS THAT WE SEE IS WHEN IT COMES TO FIRE ALARMS THAT TRIGGER THE TRIGGER
ELEVATORS TRIPS THEY COULD TRIGGER ISSUES WITH ELEVATORS. A LOT OF TIMES WE'VE GOT OUTSIDE OUTSIDE SMOKE SMOKING
OUTSIDE FOLKS COMING IN AND SMOKING THAT TRIGGER THOSE AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON ME ON MAKING THE BUILDINGS MORE SECURE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON PORTFOLIO LIGHT IS PUTTING IN A SYSTEM CALLED
BUTTERFLY IMAX. IT'S A VIDEO INTERCOM SYSTEM YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN MANY BUILDINGS. WE'VE NOW FINISHED PUTTING IT INTO ALL OF OUR ELDERLY DISABLED HIGH RISE DEVELOPMENTS
AT VHA AND WE'VE ALSO PUT IT IN AT ONE BUILDING AT RUTH BERKELEY AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO INSTALL ARE WE'RE GOING TO BE INSTALLING IT AT OTHER ENTRANCES AT RUTH BERKELEY AND OTHER HIGH RISE FAMILY PUBLIC HOUSING BUILDINGS IN 2026 AND
CONTINUING JUST IN GENERAL TO INSTALL CAMERAS AND LIGHTING AS NEEDED ON AN ONGOING BASIS SO THAT THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR NOW ON ELEVATORS AND I'LL TRY TO
JUST KEEP MOVING THROUGH IMPROVE MAINTENANCE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES AT VHA SO BASICALLY A YEAR AGO IN NOVEMBER 2024 I THINK IT WAS WHEN WE WERE HERE
COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR YOUR LAST HEARING WE HAD JUST MADE A WHOLE BUNCH OF MAJOR CHANGES ON MAINTENANCE LEADERSHIP AT VHA. SO THIS DETAILS ALL THE FOLKS WHO GOT PUT INTO NEW POSITIONS AT THAT TIME OVER THE PUBLIC
HOUSING PORTFOLIO. SO DAVID GLAZE WHO'S HERE WITH US HE'S THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR HOUSING PROGRAMS WITH OVERSIGHT OVER PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMS, OUR NEW CHIEF OF MAINTENANCE AND
INSPECTIONS OFFERING WE HIRED A NEW DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE, JOHN MCDONOUGH. HE'S NOT HERE BUT. ALSO OUR CHIEF OUR NEW CHIEF OF PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMS IN
COMPLIANCE, KELLY CRONAN. AND THEN IMPORTANTLY WE CREATED AND FILLED A NEW REGIONAL MANAGER OPERATIONS POSITION THAT FOCUSES ON OVERSEEING ELEVATOR CONTRACTS AND OTHER CONTRACT MANAGEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY GETTING WHAT WE NEED OUT OF OUR
CONTRACTS. SO THIS WAS A BIG, BIG OPERATIONAL CHANGE AT VHA IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP THAT HAPPENED A YEAR AGO AND IT'S REALLY BORNE FRUIT. IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE .
SO IN JANUARY 2024 WE REORGANIZED OUR MAINTENANCE REGIONS TO ALLOW FOR MORE EFFICIENT WORK ALLOCATION AND THEN AS I MENTIONED WE DID THIS BIG CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP IN
2024 AND THEN WE ALSO ON NOVEMBER 1ST OF 2024 WHICH IS A LITTLE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO VHA FULLY TRANSITION TO A NEW PAPERLESS WORK ORDER SYSTEM. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT NOW
ALL OF OUR WORK ORDERS ARE DIGITAL AND THEY ACTUALLY ALL GO TO OUR MAINTENANCE WORKERS PHONES AND FOLKS TAKE PHOTOS TO SHOW WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND THEY'RE WAY MORE TRACKABLE THAN THEY WERE BEFORE AND WE'RE ABLE
TO BUNDLE THEM EFFICIENTLY SO WE CAN QUICKLY IDENTIFY OH THERE'S THREE PLUMBING ISSUES ALL IN THE SAME BUILDING. LET'S SEND THEM ALL TO THE SAME PLUMBER AND TELL THEM TO GO BRING THEM ALL OUT TODAY AND HAS REALLY JUST MEANT A SEA
CHANGE IN OUR MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS. SO ON OCTOBER 11TH 2024 A YEAR AGO WE HAD 17,059 OPEN WORK ORDERS IN VHA UNITS.
THAT'S A VERY LARGE NUMBER. THERE WAS A HUGE BACKLOG FROM COVID AND ON OCTOBER 14TH WHEN WE PULLED THIS DATA TWO DAYS AGO THAT NUMBER HAS DROPPED TO 655.
SO IT'S A IT'S A HUGE CUT IN THE NUMBER OF OPEN WORK ORDERS AND ALSO IT'S A HUGE DECREASE IN HOW LONG WORK ORDERS ARE OUTSTANDING. SO YOU CAN SEE ONLY 12% OR MORE
THAN 30 DAYS ONLY 2.6% AGED MORE THAN 60 DAYS. AND SINCE I'M ALWAYS BOTHERING OUR TEAM ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ANY ONES THAT ARE IN THAT OVER A 60 DAY THOSE ONES ARE ALWAYS ONES WHERE THERE'S SOME
LIKE GREAT COMPLEXITY. THERE'S SOME PART THAT WE ARE WAITING ON OR LIKE SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON THAT IS PREVENTING US FROM FINISHING IT BUT WE'RE REALLY WATCHING THAT THOSE OF AGING WORK ORDERS BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS NOT JUST TO
HAVE CUT THE BACKLOG DOWN IN THIS ENORMOUS WAY THAT WE HAVE BUT ALSO TO KEEP OURSELVES PERMANENTLY AT THESE MUCH LOWER NUMBERS. THE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS THEY'RE NOW CONDUCTED BY TRAINED
INSPECTORS INSTEAD OF SITE MANAGERS. COUNCILOR FLYNN MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE HUD OIG FINDINGS WAS THAT BECAUSE WE HAD, YOU KNOW, THE SAME FOLKS WHO WERE MANAGING THE UNITS, INSPECTING THE UNITS SOMETIMES THAT JUST
MEANS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE LIKE QUITE THE SAME EYE FOR THE DETAILS OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND ALSO FRANKLY OUR SITE MANAGERS WEREN'T BEING SERVED WELL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE INSPECTOR TRAINING THAT WASN'T LIKE THEIR PRIMARY ROLE.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE TOOK OUR INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT AND JUST HAD THEM BE THE INSPECTORS FOR OUR PUBLIC HOUSING UNIT. SO NOW OUR PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS ARE BEING LOOKED AT WITH THE SAME EYES AS THE PRIVATE
LANDLORD UNITS THAT GET INSPECTED BY OUR TEAM AND AND IT'S REALLY JUST IT'S REALLY JUST MEANT THAT CATCHING ISSUES AND GETTING THEM INTO THE WORK ORDER SYSTEM AND THEN GETTING US TO RESOLVE THEM HAS REALLY IMPROVED. SO YOU SAW THAT THIS YEAR IN
OUR HUD INSPECTION SCORES SO THERE'S A HUD INSPECTIONS SYSTEM CALLED INSPIRE WHICH WE DO EVERY YEAR WITH ALL OUR PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS AND THIS YEAR THE VHA UNITS AVERAGE OVER
A 90% SCORE SOME OF THEM WAY UP THERE LIKE 95, 96 AND THOSE WERE THE HIGHEST MARKS THAT VHA HAS RECEIVED IN DECADES AND THEY WERE ALSO INTERESTINGLY BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE RESULTS WE SAW THIS YEAR AT THE
PRIVATELY MANAGED PUBLIC HOUSING SITES THAT WE DON'T OPERATE ANYMORE. SO EVEN THOUGH THOSE SITES HAVE GENERALLY SEEN INVESTMENT MORE RECENTLY THAN OUR SITES BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SUCH A FOCUS ON THIS
OVER THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR AND REALLY HAVE LIKE A SWAT TEAM ADDRESSING ALL OF THESE ISSUES, WE SAW THE VHA PROPERTIES PROPOSED LIKE PERFORM BETTER IN THIS HUD INSPECTION THAN THOSE PRIVATELY MANAGED SITES WE HAD A FEW THAT
SAW ENORMOUS YEAR TO YEAR IMPROVEMENTS. MARY ELLEN MCCORMICK HAD A VERY LOW SCORE THE YEAR BEFORE 39 FOR 34 IT WAS THE LOWEST BY FAR ACROSS OUR WHOLE PORTFOLIO AND
IT WENT UP THIS YEAR TO AN 89 THAT WAS JUST A HUGE EFFORT BY THE MAINTENANCE TEAM AND I THINK IT REFLECTS THE FACT COUNCILOR FLYNN MARY ELLEN MCCORMICK'S IN YOUR DISTRICT. I THINK THERE HAD BEEN A LITTLE
BIT OF AN ORIENTATION AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT BECAUSE MARY ELLEN MCCORMICK WAS GOING UNDER REDEVELOPMENT LIKE IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON CONTINUING TO FIX IT UP. BUT THE REALITY IS IS THAT THE
REDEVELOPMENT PROCESS TAKES SO LONG AND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO LIVE AT MARY ELLEN MCCORMICK FOR ANOTHER 1015 YEARS AND OLD BUILDINGS AND SO THE VHA ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO BE KEEPING THOSE UP TO THE
SAME STANDARD OF THE REST OF THE SITE. SO THAT'S REALLY THE ETHOS THAT WE'VE TAKEN NOW AT BOTH MARY ELLEN AND CHARLES TOWN AND MILDRED HALEY, ALL THE BIG SITES THAT WE'RE DOING REDEVELOPMENT AT AND YOU REALLY SEE THAT IN THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE SCORES AND THOSE
IMPROVEMENTS CAME IN SPITE OF MAJOR ELECTRICAL UPGRADES THAT HAD TO BE COMPLETED FOR THE NEW INSPECTION STANDARD. SO THE JUST PUT IT'S JUST
FINISHED THE BASICALLY JUST WANT TO SHOUT AT OUR ELECTRICIANS THERE WAS A HUGE CHANGE IN THE GROUND IT ELECTRICAL OUTLET NEED AND ALSO IN THE WAY THAT THAT SMOKE DETECTORS ARE DISTRIBUTED
THROUGHOUT THE APARTMENTS AND OUR ELECTRICAL TEAM WOULD BE A SHADE AT A TIME IF YOU JUST GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND WE'VE ALSO THIS IS JUST A SLIDE TO SHOW THAT WE'VE ALSO BEEN DOING REFRESHING COMMUNITY SPACES
ACROSS THE PORTFOLIO AND ELDERLY DISABLED SITES. IN ADDITION TO THE ONES I TALKED ABOUT AT BERKELEY, I'LL SKIM REALLY QUICKLY TO THE LAST SLIDES BECAUSE I CAN TELL THE COUNSELORS EAGER TO ASK QUESTIONS.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE YEAH THERE YOU GO. JUST TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A BIG YOU KNOW, A BIG WASTE MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE AT VHA FOCUSED ON COLLABORATING WITH
THE ZERO WASTE BOSTON TARGETS AND REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE A HUGE PROPORTION OF THE CITY'S HOUSING AND SO WE GENERATE A LOT OF THE RESIDENTIAL TRASH AND THAT MEANS ANYTHING THE CITY IS GOING TO DO BETTER ON
THAT FRONT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BETTER AT THE VHA. GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE KYRA, ARE A REALLY BASIC QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERN FOR ALL RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
AND I KNOW THE COUNCILORS HEAR A LOT ABOUT IT IS RODENT RODENT CONTROL AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE AT VHA JUST LIKE IN ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO WE'VE REALLY BEEN
FOCUSED ON NEW TRASH MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC WORKS, A NEW RODENT MITIGATION STRATEGIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ICE-T. GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. I WON'T GO INTO THIS IN DETAIL BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT
ANOTHER COUNCIL HEARING RECENTLY BUT WE HAVE BEEN AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE BOSTON ROAD AND ACTION PLAN DEVELOPING THESE NEW PARTNERSHIPS ONE OF THESE EXTRA SENSE AI POWERED CAMERAS TO TRACK RAT ACTIVITY THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE WERE HERE BEFORE. ANOTHER THING IS THANKS TO THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING AWARD WE'RE DOING A CONTAINERIZATION PILOT WHERE WE'RE CHANGING THE WHOLE WAY THAT WE DO OUR TRASH CORRALS OUT IN BRIGHTON AND
THAT'S GOING TO BE PAIRED WITH A P.W PILOT TAS SERVICE THEN WITH COMMERCIAL LEVEL SERVICE BECAUSE WHAT'S GOTTEN IN THE WAY OF ENCLOSED TRASH IPH IS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE SERVICEABLE BY THE CITY TRUCKS
AND THE CITY TRUCKS DON'T UNLOCK THINGS LIKE THEY WON'T UNLOCK A DUMPSTER SO YOU CAN'T HAVE A SEALED DUMPSTER BUT WE'RE TRYING A PARTNERSHIP WITH TWD TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT'S MORE COMMERCIAL LEVEL
OUT IN BRIGHTON AND THAT'S GOING TO THE ADDITIONAL WE'RE GETTING THE CONTAINERS NOW IN THE AND THE UPGRADED SERVICE IS GOING TO COME IN THE SPRING AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN PILOTING ONSITE COMPOSTING, PARTNERING WITH
BOOTSTRAP COMPOST AT OUR BUNKER HILL SITE. IT'S BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL RESIDENTS LOVE IT AND WE'RE HOPING TO DO MORE OF THAT. GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THAT'S JUST A PICTURE OF THE PILOT THAT WE DID IN CHARLESTOWN
AROUND COMPOSTING AND DIFFERENT TRASH CORRALS IN GENERAL BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THIS ACROSS THE WHOLE SITE BECAUSE IT INVOLVES US PULLING THEM OUT BY HAND BECAUSE IT'S NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE CITY
TRASH SERVICE. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A MORE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION. AND THEN IF YOU TO THE FINAL SLIDE I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAVE A NEW RODENT PREVENTION TEAM AT VHA.
THIS IS THEIR LOGO WE UNDER THE ADVICE OF IS TO YOU WE PURCHASED TWO BURRO OUR X MACHINES WHICH ARE THESE NEW THESE NEW MACHINES FOR ERADICATING RAT BURROWS THEY'RE
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY. THEY'RE SAFE FOR USE IN OUR RESIDENTIAL COMPLEXES AND WE HAVE THIS NEW DEDICATED ROTOR PREVENTION TEAM THAT'S ACTIVELY USING THESE MACHINES VERY EFFECTIVELY. WE HAD A BIG COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING FOR THEM ON HOW TO
OPERATE THEM AND THEY'RE GOING AROUND TO ALL OF OUR SITES AND THEY'VE KNOCKED DOWN A LOT OF BURROS AND WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT IN THE NUMBER OF THROUGH THEM ONCE WE'RE GETTING ON RATS AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT WHOLE STAFF PREPARING TO TAKE THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE
PESTICIDE LICENSE EXAM TO BECOME A LICENSED EXTERMINATOR SO THAT THEIR CAPACITIES WILL BE EVEN MORE EXPANDED BEYOND THE USE OF THE MACHINE. THEY DON'T NEED THE LICENSE FOR THE USE OF THE MACHINE BUT WE WANT TO COMBINE IT MORE WITH BAITING AND SOME OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT THEY DO NEED
THE LICENSE FOR. SO THIS IS EXCITING. SO NOW I WILL GO TO LAST SLIDE JUST SAYS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION AND NOW HAPPY TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS AND FURTHER THANK YOU DIRECTOR BOK FOR A VERY COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU FOLKS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON. I'LL HAND IT OVER NOW TO CONTRA
FLYNN FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. MADAM CHAIR, BEFORE I BEFORE I SPEAK DON OATES IS ALSO SPEAKING. DO WE WANT TO GIVE YOU DO THE
FIRST PANEL FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE SECOND PANEL. OKAY. I DIDN'T REALLY EVEN GET TO ASK THE QUESTION. YEAH, I UNDERSTAND YOU HAD A SECOND PANEL SO I'LL GO TO THE
SECOND TIME. OKAY. SO YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
COUNCILOR FLYNN THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. ADMINISTRATIVE BOOK. I THINK HE SPOKE FOR ABOUT 35 MINUTES IS A LOT OF INFORMATION
YOU PROVIDED. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO THE RESIDENTS BEFORE AND YOU PAINTED A ROSY PICTURE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT BOTH
BERKELEY DEVELOPMENT AND I'M OVER THERE FREQUENTLY IN TALKING TO THE RESIDENTS THEY DON'T AGREE WITH THAT ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK. I HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU I
HAVE TO DO WHAT I THINK IS BEST FOR MY CONSTITUENTS AND MY CONSTITUENTS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT HAPPENING HAPPENING AT BERKELEY. YOU PAINT A VERY POSITIVE
PICTURE ABOUT THE ELEVATOR SYSTEM AT RUTH BERKELEY THAT IS JUST NOT THE CASE. I CAN'T ACCEPT THAT. HOWEVER, I DO WANT TO HEAR FROM
MY CONSTITUENTS THAT PUT ME INTO OFFICE THAT HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE. I WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM DIRECTLY. SO I'M I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED.
I I KNOW SOME PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE BUT WE HAVE TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED HAPPENING AT BOTH BERKELEY. WE JUST CAN'T SAY EVERYTHING IS GOING VERY WELL AT BOTH BERKELEY AND IT'S TIME TO MOVE
ON. THAT'S NOT HOW I CONDUCT MYSELF AS A CITY COUNCILOR, AS A DISTRICT CITY COUNCIL I FIGHT LIKE FOR MY CONSTITUENTS.
COUNCILOR FLYNN, IF I IF I CAN ADDRESS IT I ACTUALLY I DON'T INTEND TO PAINT A ROSY PICTURE. I THINK I TRIED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'VE CONTINUED TO HAVE AN ELEVATOR
DOWN AT EACH OF THOSE ADDRESSES THAT I MENTIONED THE TALL ONES AND IT'S BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING FOR RESIDENTS. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU AND THE GOOD NEWS THAT I AM EAGER TO SHARE IS THE FACT THAT WE
HAVE THIS FULL MODERNIZATION UNDER CONTRACT NOW AND I'M SUPER GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM IS ADVOCACY TO HELP GET US THE MONEY TO DO THAT. BUT OF COURSE I AGREE WITH YOU THAT UNTIL THOSE ELEVATORS ARE
ACTUALLY MODERNIZED AND REPLACED PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO EXPERIENCE IT AS AN IMPROVEMENT. AND I KNOW THAT AND AGREE WITH IT. I THINK THAT WE HAVE BEEN PUSHING AS HARD AS WE CAN TO
GET TO THIS POINT WHERE THE WORK ACTUALLY STARTS. IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN BOTH AN EDUCATION AND FRUSTRATING FOR ME THAT WE HAD THIS SIX MONTH PERIOD OF GETTING THOSE DESIGNS DONE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO BID
OUT THAT WORK AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU THAT IF I WERE A RESIDENT CONTINUING TO DEAL WITH AN ELEVATOR THAT KEEPS GOING DOWN AND ONE THAT'S DOWN LONG TIME I WOULD FEEL LIKE THINGS ARE GOING WELL ON THAT FRONT.
SO I JUST WANT TO AGREE WITH YOU BUT ALSO SAY THAT IT'S NOT MY INTENTION TO PAINT A ROSY PICTURE. IT IS MY INTENTION TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING. I HAD A FIREFIGHTER TELL ME AND
A RESIDENT TELL ME THAT A FIREFIGHTER HAVING A CARRY A RESIDENT DOWN THE STAIRS BECAUSE THAT RESIDENT COULDN'T ACCESS THE ELEVATOR SYSTEM THAT
RESIDENT HAD TO GO TO A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK TO KEEP TRACK OF THE 911 CALLS THAT WENT TO RUTH BARCLAY
AS IT RELATES TO ELEVATOR SYSTEM BEING DOWN OR EMS RESPONSE OR FIREFIGHTERS RESPONSE OR POLICE RESPONSE THE
THE VHA DOESN'T GET THE NINE ON ONE CALL LOGS NOW WE DO KEEP TRACK OF ELEVATORS GOING DOWN AND GOING BACK UP. OKAY TO THE CHAIR I'M RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING 0911
CALLS THAT GOING TO RUTH BARCLAY OVER THE OVER THE LAST OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS FOUR FOR ANY REASON I WANT TO I WANT
TO LOOK AT THOSE 911 CALLS AND WHAT THE REASON THOSE CALLS WERE ABOUT I JUST CAN'T I JUST CAN'T ACCEPT ELDERLY PEOPLE AND
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES WAITING FOR AN ELEVATOR WHEN THEY HAVE A ONE PERSON HAD A CANCER A CANCER APPOINTMENT TO GET CHEMOTHERAPY AND THAT
PERSON ELDERLY PERSON COULDN'T GET TO THEIR APPOINTMENT. ONE WOMAN SAID TO ME THAT SHE WAS WAITING FOR THE ELEVATOR TO
GO UP TO HER APARTMENT. THE ELEVATOR DIDN'T COME. SHE HAD TO GO TO THE BATHROOM VERY BAD THROUGH THAT'S WHY
THAT'S WHY I TAKE THESE ISSUES VERY SERIOUSLY. SO SO CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY ELEVATORS AND BRIEFLY JUST TELL
ME HOW MANY ELEVATORS ARE DOWN RIGHT NOW A GROUP PULLED BACK ON I THINK RIGHT NOW IT'S THOSE FOUR THAT I MENTIONED SO ONE EACH AT 23 MS. SENIOR REYNOLDS
47 HARRISON ARCHWAY 14 RECLINES AND 16 BROOKLYN AND THE ELEVATORS ARE CONSISTENTLY BREAKING ALL THE TIME AND THEN THE ELEVATOR COMPANIES COME IN
FIX THEM BUT IT'S KIND OF A PROCESS OF BREAKING DOWN AND THEN FIXING THEM AND THEN WE PRETTY MUCH USE TWO ELEVATOR COMPANIES TO DO THE WORK. IS THAT ACCURATE? YEAH.
IN FACT, AS I SAID, WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD THREE ELEVATOR COMPANIES RESPONDING AT THE SITE. WE'VE HAD ONE THAT'S OUR CONTRACTOR SCHINDLER BUT WE'VE ALSO WE'VE ALSO HAD SORT OF SPECIFIC LIKE EMERGENCY WORK
STUFF THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO UNITED INTO MOTION. YEAH, OKAY. IN THE REASON THE REASON WE
WERE USING THOSE TWO COMPANIES IS IS ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK SO THE YOU KNOW, WE BID OUT SORRY DO YOU MEAN MOTION AND
UNITED YEAH YEAH. SO WE'VE BID OUT THE OVERALL MAINTENANCE CONTRACT AND THE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT IS KIND OF THE LIKE RESPOND WHEN SOMETHING IS DOWN BUT WHEN WE
FIND OUT THAT YOU NEED LIKE A WHOLE LIKE YOU KNOW MAYBE A WHOLE BUNCH OF PARTS NEED TO BE ORDERED AND AND WORK NEEDS TO HAPPEN OVER A SERIES OF WEEKS IF BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY OF THESE ELEVATORS THAT ARE IN
NEED OF SERVICE AT BERKELEY IF ONLY ONE TEAM WAS RESPONDING TO THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO ALL THE WORK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AND I AGREE WITH YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN LIKE WE NEED TO WE NEED TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE EACH ONE AFFECTS SO I DON'T WANT IT TO BE LIKE OH THIS ONE'S DOWN BUT WE'RE WAITING FOR THE SAME TECH TEAM IN ORDER TO FIX THIS OTHER ONE. SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN CALLING ON OTHERS AS WELL. WHAT IS THE AVERAGE TIME AN
ELEVATOR IS DOWN? I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER. IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE. OKAY. HOW HOW FAST IS THE ELEVATOR FIXED AGAIN?
IT TOTALLY DEPENDS. SO WE GET VERY QUICK RESPONSE ON THE INITIAL FOLKS SHOWING UP. BUT IF IT'S AN EASY FIX IT'S AN EASY FIX. THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE ADDED THE FIRE
KEYS THAT HOLES THAT I MENTIONED IS BECAUSE FOR INSTANCE AT ONE OF THE ELEVATORS THIS SUMMER I THINK IT WAS 23 BUT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 29 MY SENIOR REYNOLDS WE HAD AN ISSUE WHERE BECAUSE A
NUMBER OF THE DOORS WERE BROKEN BY THE ACCESS IT WEEKS FOR THE FOR THE DOOR THE REPLACEMENT DOORS TO COME IN AND IN THE MEANTIME WE WERE STUCK WITH THAT ELEVATOR DOWN SO IF AN ELDERLY PERSON HEARS HERE'S MY
PROBLEM IF AN ELDERLY PERSON IS IN A WHEELCHAIR NEEDS TO GET TO A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT, THE ELEVATOR IS NOT WORKING. WHAT IS THE PROTOCOL TO HELP
THAT ELDERLY PERSON GET TO HER MEDICAL APPOINTMENT? YEAH. SO WHEN AN ELEVATOR IS DOWN THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. ONE IS IT'S ALREADY DOWN, RIGHT?
SO THEN IF THE ELEVATORS BEEN DOWN THEN WE'VE CALLED THROUGH THE ENTRY WAY. WE'VE OFFERED PEOPLE IF IT'S GOING TO BE DOWN FOR A PERIOD OF TIME A HOTEL STAY IF THEY KNOW OH I'M GOING TO NEED ACCESS TO OTHER THINGS TO GET
SITE. WE ALSO I THINK I MENTIONED BEFORE REPEAT LIKE WE OFFER TRANSFERS TO FOLKS WHO ARE JUST TIRED OF DEALING WITH THIS AND SO WE HAVE WE HAVE MOVED A NUMBER OF FOLKS SO THAT A LOT
OF FOLKS WANT TO STAY AT ROSS BARKLEY BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT COMMUNITY AND IF THE IF THE IF SOMEBODY IS OUT OF SIGHT AND WE HAVE AN ELEVATOR THAT'S DOWN AND WE GET 24 HOURS NOTICE, WE WILL SCHEDULE SOMEBODY TO COME
AND HELP THEM GET DOWN. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE'VE SEEN SINCE THE PANDEMIC IS THAT A LOT OF THE AMBULANCE COMPANIES THAT USED TO OFFER THAT SERVICE OF CARRYING PEOPLE DOWN IN CHAIRS HAVE STOPPED OFFERING THAT SERVICE.
THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN COVERED IN THE NEWS. YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S MY THAT'S MY QUESTION. IF SOMEONE HAS A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT AND THEY'RE PREPARING TO GET THERE THEN
THEY'RE LEAVING THEIR APARTMENT, GOING TO THE ELEVATOR PRESSING THE BUTTON THE ELEVATOR IS NOT COMING AND THEY'RE ON THE FOURTH FLOOR AND THAT PERSON NEEDS TO GET TO THEIR MEDICAL APPOINTMENT FOR
AN IMPORTANT MEETING WITH THEIR DOCTOR OR NURSE. HOW ARE WE GETTING THAT PERSON DOWN DOWN HOW ARE WE GETTING THAT PERSON TO THEIR MEDICAL APPOINTMENT THAT THAT TAKES PLACE IN 40 MINUTES IN SOME
CASES THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO RESPOND WELL THOSE SITUATIONS BUT IT'S NOT I MEAN THAT'S THAT THAT TENDS IT TENDS TO BE EITHER THAT OR THERE'S A FAILURE OF COUNCIL OR OR MOST
LIKELY IS THE PERSON DOESN'T GO TO THEIR MEDICAL APPOINTMENT. RIGHT. AND FOR SOMETHING FOR A SENIOR OR A PERSON WITH DISABILITY TO MISS THEIR MEDICAL APPOINTMENT
AS WE ALL KNOW THAT'S LIFE AND DEATH IN MY OPINION. A SENIOR SHOULD NOT MISS THEIR MEDICAL APPOINTMENT. A PERSON WITH DISABILITIES CAN'T AFFORD TO MISS THEIR
APPOINTMENTS EITHER. ABSOLUTELY AND IN IN SO WE DO HAVE A COMPANY AS I MENTIONED THAT WE THAT WE CALL WHEN WE KNOW ABOUT THESE IN ADVANCE WE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES COME
AND DO IT ESPECIALLY IN SITUATIONS THAT ARE AN EMERGENCY WE'VE ALSO WORKED WITH PEOPLE TO RESCHEDULE MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS BUT YOU WON'T GET ANY DISAGREEMENT FROM ME COUNSELOR, THAT WE NEED
THESE ELEVATORS TO BE RELIABLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE UNDERTAKING THE MODERNIZATION. THANK YOU. THAT'S RIGHT. THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
COUNSELOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU TALKED ABOUT ACCOMMODATING
RESIDENTS WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT THEY NEEDED TO GET TO MAYBE AN APPOINTMENT OR THEIR APARTMENT, THEY NEEDED TO MOVE OUT AND YOU MENTIONED MAYBE THERE HOTEL STAYS.
IF YOU COULD JUST BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT HOW RESIDENTS GET THAT COMMUNICATION, WHO THEY ASK FOR THAT SUPPORT IF NEEDED AND DO WE PROVIDE IT
100% OF THE TIME AND WHO MAKES THE DECISION OF HOW WE ACCOMMODATE? YES. SO OUR OUR MANAGERS WILL CALL
AND WHEN THERE'S A WHEN WE'RE IN THE ELEVATOR DOWN PROTOCOLS OR HAVE SOMEBODY ON THEIR TEAM DO IT, WE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WORKED ON WAS, YOU KNOW, STANDARDIZING THIS TO
YOUR POINT LIKE MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE MAKING LIKE THE SAME OFFERS TO EVERYBODY AND THAT PEOPLE KNEW WHAT THE PROTOCOL WAS ACROSS OUR PORTFOLIO. SO IF WE ANTICIPATE THAT AN ELEVATOR IS DOWN FOR MORE THAN
48 HOURS, A HOTEL STAY WILL BE OFFERED AND YOU AND AND THERE COULD BE SITUATIONS WHERE SOMEBODY SAYS HEY, I REALLY NEED THIS EVEN IF IT'S LESS THAN THAT BECAUSE IF I'M EXPECTING TO GO TO A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT IN THE MORNING AND
I CAN'T YOU KNOW, I CAN'T BE STRESSED ABOUT THAT SO IS THAT SHARE LIKE HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE? IS IT AN EMAIL? IS IT A FLIER THAT RESIDENTS ARE GIVEN? IS IT POSTED SOMEWHERE? SO WE HAVE A ONE CALL NOW
SYSTEM WHICH IS LIKE A ROBO CALL SYSTEM WHERE RESIDENTS CAN SIGN UP TO GET THOSE NOTIFICATIONS AS EMAILS TEXTS OR PHONE CALLS THEY DEFAULT TO PHONE CALLS AND THEN YOU CAN PICK THE OTHER OPTIONS IF YOU
WANT AND THEN WE ALSO DO THEM IN TRANSLATION IN SO HOW DO WE KNOW LIKE SO HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE RESIDENTS THAT
NEEDED THIS SUPPORT AND HOW MUCH DOES THAT COST US? I DON'T HAVE LIKE I DON'T HAVE EXACT NUMBERS ON THAT BUT WE'VE BEEN WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF IT BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES OF RUTH BARKLEY AND IT'S
CERTAINLY EXPENSIVE. I MEAN THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THAT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE THRILLED ABOUT GETTING TO ACTUALLY MODERNIZE THESE ELEVATORS BECAUSE IT'S BOTH EXPENSIVE FOR THE AUTHORITY AND
NOT GOOD FOR RESIDENTS TO HAVE LIFE DISRUPTED IN THIS WAY. SO IF I'M SOME LIKE SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY OR A SENIOR, I COULD HAVE TWO THREE DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS A WEEK MINIMUM.
DOES THAT MEAN THEY'RE STAYING AT HOTELS? IS IT COMMON? SO I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS COMMON THAT VHA RESIDENTS ARE OFTEN STAYING AT HOTELS SO THAT THEY
CAN GET TO THEIR APPOINTMENTS SAFELY ONLY IF THE ELEVATOR THAT THEY'RE IN THEIR ENTRY WAY IS DOWN FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME, THEN WE WOULD I MEAN THEN IT'S FOR US TO MAKE THAT
HAPPEN BECAUSE IT'S EXACTLY WHAT CANCER PHONE WAS SAYING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THOSE MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS CAN BE. OKAY. HOW WILL WE ENSURING THAT THE
RESIDENTS VOICES ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION PROCESS? YEAH SO I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY BEEN YOU KNOW RESIDENT ADVOCACY THAT'S HELPED AND HELPED US FRANKLY I THINK GET
THE COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR THE FUNDING AND AND ALSO SOME WE HAVE A STATE EARMARK I THINK IT'S HELD UP RIGHT NOW IN THE YOU KNOW AS YOU KNOW THE STATE SORT HOLDING SOME OF THE MONIES
BECAUSE OF BECAUSE OF BUDGET ISSUES BUT WE'RE BUT WE DID APPRECIATE THE STATE ALSO COMING IN ON THIS AND AND THAT'S REALLY BEEN BECAUSE OF OUR RESIDENTS RAISING THEIR
VOICES WE WE HAD ONCE WHEN WE WERE GETTING THE THE ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE CONTRACT ONLINE IN THE WINTER FINALLY HAVING
SELECTED SOMEBODY AND MY TEAM WENT OUT AND HAD A BIG MEETING WITH RESIDENTS TO SORT OF LAY OUT WHERE WHERE EVERYTHING STOOD AND WHAT WE WERE STILL WORKING ON. AND I SOUND LIKE I HAD A LETTER THAT WENT OUT IN AUGUST TO GIVE
FOLKS AN UPDATE IN PART BECAUSE AS I SAID AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THE COUNSELOR'S POINT IT'S CONTINUED TO JUST TAKE A LONG TIME TO MAKE THESE CHANGES. AND SO IT'S BEEN FRUSTRATING. WE'VE WE'VE CONTINUED TO HEAR FROM RESIDENTS SO WE CONTINUE
TO TRY TO GIVE PEOPLE THESE UPDATES ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND HOW ARE WE PRIORITIZING FUNDS ACROSS THE DEVELOPMENTS. I KNOW WE'RE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE RUTH BARCLAY SPECIFICALLY BUT WE KNOW THERE'S ELEVATORS DOWN AND
MAINTENANCE NEEDS THAT ARE LIFE THREATENING ACROSS ALL OF OUR VHA DEVELOPMENTS. SO HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE THAT? YEAH FOR SURE THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES. SO RUTH BARCLAYS ABOUT 5% OF OUR TOTAL PUBLIC OF FEDERAL
PUBLIC HOUSING AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHY I MENTIONED ON THE SLIDE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS PORTFOLIO WIDE ELEVATOR ASSESSMENT BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SAID AS
WELL COUNSELOR WHEN I CAME IN IS LIKE WHY WE WHY DIDN'T WE ALREADY HAVE THIS ON THE LIKE PLAN TO HAPPEN AND ESPECIALLY WITH SO MANY OF THESE ELEVATORS AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO END UP IN THIS
SITUATION AGAIN, WE'RE DOING LIKE A FULL ALL OF OUR ELEVATORS PORTFOLIO WIDE ASSESSMENTS THAT WE CAN LIKE GET THOSE MODERNIZATIONS IN THE QUEUE TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE ABLE RIGHT WITH OUR RESOURCES
BEFORE WE'RE IN THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN AND. RUTH BARCLAY SO I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT HOW MANY FORMAL COMPLAINTS AND I KNOW COUNCILOR FLYNN ALREADY REQUESTED THE ALL THE 911 CALLS
THAT CAME BUT HOW MANY FORMAL COMPLAINTS WERE FILED BY RESIDENTS IN 2024 AND SO FAR IN 2025 DO YOU SORRY WHAT ABOUT
FORMAL COMPLAINTS? DO YOU MEAN SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ELEVATORS AT BARCLAY? I WOULD LIKE ALL OF THEM AT RUTH BARCLAY. I KNOW MANY OF THEM I WOULD THINK IN IN WHAT IS THE PROTOCOL FOR YOU KEEPING BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A
PHONE CALL IT COULD BE A MESSAGE TO ME LIKE SO THERE'S YEAH, SO THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SORT OF TRACKS THINGS THAT COME IN FROM RESIDENTS. SO THERE'S OBVIOUSLY WORK
ORDERS WHICH IS A SPECIFIC THING THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED RIGHT BUT THAT'S ONLY THAT'S YOU GOT A COMPLAINT AND YOU'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY FIX WELL IT'S AS SOON AS SOMEBODY MAKES A
COMPLAINT ABOUT A PHYSICAL THING THERE'S A WORK ORDER OPENED, RIGHT. SO THERE COULD BE A WORK ORDER OPENED WHETHER WE FIX IT YET OR NOT. THERE'S ALSO ANYTHING THAT JUST SORT OF COMES IN AS A COMPLAINT
A QUESTION WE GET THAT AND WE CHECK THOSE IN ANOTHER SYSTEM WE HAVE CALLED ZENDESK THAT LETS US JUST TRACK HAVE WE GOT BACK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THIS? SO SO THERE'S THE ZENDESK COMPLAINTS AS WELL AND THAT'S
USUALLY BECAUSE OF YOUR POINT LIKE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT CALL A COMPLAINT COME IN AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORMATS SO MOST OF THOSE ARE IN ZENDESK. THE EXCEPTION TO THAT WOULD BE WE ALSO HAVE A TOTALLY SEPARATE FORMAL PROCESS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
ISSUES. SO THERE'S LIKE CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINTS ARE DEALT WITH FROM EVERYTHING ELSE BY THE CIVIL RIGHTS DEPARTMENT. SO WE HAVE CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINTS ZENDESK AND THEN WE
HAVE THE WORK ORDER SYSTEM SYSTEM IF WE COULD GET THE INFORMATION IN FROM ALL THREE OF THEM. SO YEAH I WILL SAY THAT THE LET
ME I'LL WORK WITH MY TEAM AROUND WHAT WE CAN WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE. WE THE BOARD HAS STRICT PII REQUIREMENTS SO THERE'S A LOT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION IN SOME OF THOSE REQUESTS SO WE JUST
HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN GIVE YOU THAT'S SUMMARIZED YEAH YOU CAN GIVE THE DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS WRONG WITHOUT I DON'T NEED TO WITHOUT DEPARTMENT WHO EXACTLY EXACTLY. SO IT'S COMING FROM.
OKAY I HAVE ONE MINUTE TO GO. IT WAS SAID BUT WHAT CURRENT PROTOCOLS FOR RESPONDING TO LIFE THREATENING DEFICIENCIES THAT HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP AND COUNCIL OFTEN HAD MENTIONED
SOME SERIOUS ONES THAT HE KNOWS FROM BEING ON SITE AND SPEAKING TO THE RESIDENTS DIRECTLY YOU KNOW, ELECTRICAL HAZARDS, SMOKE DETECTORS OR WHAT IS THE PROTOCOL FOR RESPONDING TO
THOSE TYPES? YEAH. SO THOSE THINGS GO IN AS EMERGENCIES AND THEY GET RESPONDED TO AS EMERGENCY WORK ORDERS AND THOSE ARE NOT AGING TO 30 OR 60 DAYS. THOSE ARE 24 HOUR ISSUES.
AND I WOULD SAY THE ISSUE IN THE OIG REPORT WHERE THERE WAS SOME OF THOSE DEFICIENCIES THAT WERE NOT BEING RESPONDED TO IN THAT WAY THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY PUSHED US TO THIS DIGITAL WORK ORDER SYSTEM
BECAUSE WITH THE PAPERWORK ORDER SYSTEM IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THINGS TO SORT OF GO MISSING AND AND FOR THE VHA AND IN SOME CASES SOME OF THE ONES THAT HUD FLAGGED THE VHA HAD ACTUALLY DEALT WITH. BUT THE PAPERWORK THAT
DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY'VE BEEN DEALT WITH HAD BEEN LOST AND SO WE WERE JUST LIKE WE CAN'T HAVE THAT. WE HAVE TO KNOW THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THESE 24 HOUR DEFICIENCIES IN 24 HOURS AND THAT WAS PART OF WHAT PUSHED US TO THIS.
IT'S THE ONE WHO CODES A WORK ORDER AS AN EMERGENCY. SO THERE IS A WHOLE SET OF LIKE THERE'S A WHOLE SET OF CATEGORIES THAT ARE AUTOMATICALLY EMERGENCIES. IT'S NOT IT'S NOT LIKE A HUMAN
JUDGMENT SO MUCH LIKE YOU COULD SHARE THAT THERE'S YEAH THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT'S NOT JUST A DECISION. NO, IT'S HUD'S QUITE STRICT ABOUT WHAT COUNTS AS TO IF YOU COULD AND WOULD THAT BE A
SEPARATE LIST OF WORK ORDERS THE EMERGENCY ONES OR WOULD THEY BE INCLUDED AND THEY'D JUST BE FLAGGED? THEY'D BE INCLUDED BUT THEY'RE BUT THEY'RE FLAGGED AS EMERGENCIES IN THE WAY THAT THE DATA GETS SORTED THEY SORT OF POP TO THE TOP IN ON THAT
DATA. DO YOU TRACK THE TIME IF IT'S STILL OPEN KIND OF LIKE 311 CALLS, YES. IF IT'S COMPLETED WHEN IT GOT COMPLETED, YES. THEIR DESCRIPTIONS OF WHAT IS
THE STATUS IF IT'S IN PROGRESS. YEAH. SO THE WORK ORDER SYSTEM TRACKS EXACTLY LIKE YOU KNOW HAS THIS BEEN ASSIGNED TO SOMEBODY? RIGHT. AND AS I MENTIONED THAT'S BEEN ANOTHER NICE THING ABOUT THE
CHANGE TO THE DIGITAL SYSTEM IS THAT NOW WHEN WORK ORDERS ARE ASSIGNED IT'S LIKE LITERALLY IT GETS SENT TO THEIR KIND OF HANDHELD AND IT'S WITH THEM AND THEN THERE IS THINKING
THANK YOU. CONSIDER MURPHY SO I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS I'D LOVE TO DIG MORE INTO THE WHOLE QUESTION
OF CUSTOM DESIGN AND WHY THAT'S SUCH A PROBLEM FOR THE ELEVATORS. LIKE ANY ELEVATORS THAT ARE LIKE STANDARD DESIGN AND ARE THE NEW ELEVATORS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED LIKE THE
ADDITIONAL ONES THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED TO BUILDINGS THAT ONLY HAVE ONE ELEVATOR ARE THEY A STANDARD DESIGN THAT WE HAVE FEWER PROBLEMS WITH PARTS IN THE FUTURE? YEAH.
SO WHEN WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO BUILD A TOTALLY NEW ELEVATOR IN A TOTALLY NEW LIKE BUILDING THEN YES, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY TRY TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LIKE JUST
BUILDING THINGS TO THE INDUSTRY STANDARD. I THINK THE PROBLEM IS A LOT OF OUR BUILDINGS ARE SO OLD THAT THEY PREDATE KIND OF A SENSE OF LIKE OH WE SHOULD HAVE AN INDUSTRY STANDARD HERE.
AND SO WHEN WE MODERNIZE AN ELEVATOR AT ONE OF THESE BUILDINGS IT'S STILL GOING TO BE CUSTOM BECAUSE WE CAN'T CHANGE THE SORT OF WIDTH AND YEAH, EXACTLY THE SHAFT IS A FIXED THING AND IF WE CHANGE THE SHAFT THEN WE'RE GOING TO
BE LOSING APARTMENTS MOST LIKELY SO THAT OR AT LEAST BEDROOMS IN APARTMENTS SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO STANDARDIZE THOSE EXISTING
ONES BUT WHERE WE'RE DOING NEW YEAH WE'RE WE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING A LOT ABOUT BECAUSE THIS BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A HARD PROBLEM FOR US IS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN NEW SYSTEMS THAT ARE AS RELIABLE AS POSSIBLE?
I WILL SAY THAT A FRUSTRATING THING ABOUT THE ELEVATOR INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW IS THAT THEY'VE GONE TO ALL OF THESE KIND OF LIKE COMPUTERIZED CONTROLLERS THAT ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE A LOT OF LIKE KIND
OF BELLS AND WHISTLES OF DIAGNOSTICS AND LIKE THEY'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S WRONG AND THEY HAVE ALL THESE SAFETY CHECKS IN PLACE AND IT'S SOFTWARE BASICALLY. AND SO IT'S BASICALLY LIKE A
COMPUTER IN EACH ELEVATOR. AND SO IF IT BECOMES OBSOLETE LIKE YOU WHEN ELEVATORS WERE ALL MECHANICAL YOU COULD HAVE THE RIGHT GUY ON STAFF WHO COULD LIKE FIX THE PULLEYS, RIGHT?
I MEAN I'M EXAGGERATING BUT NOT REALLY. WHEREAS FOR NOW IT'S ALL PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE AND SO YOU CAN END UP IN SITUATIONS EVEN WITH NEW ELEVATORS WHERE YOU
KNOW, A SPRINKLER GOES OFF AND DOUSES THE CONTROLLER OR IT'S DOWN AND SUDDENLY LIKE YOU JUST CAN'T DO ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR COMMISSION A NEW CONTROLLER AND WAIT FOR IT TO COME AS WE FIND
IN OUR ELEVATORS AND OH YEAH CITY HALL HAD EXACTLY THAT. YEAH SO SO THAT'S THAT'S I THINK SO I WOULDN'T SAY THAT EVEN THE NEWEST ELEVATORS ARE WITHOUT CHALLENGES THESE DAYS.
IT'S LIKE A IT'S A REALLY IT'S A CHALLENGING INDUSTRY AND IN TERMS OF SUPPLY CHAIN I KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT DURING COVID WE HAD A LOT OF SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND DOES THAT APPLY TO
TO ELEVATORS AS WELL TO ME AND ALSO THE IMPACT ON, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT FEDERAL POLICY ABOUT TARIFFS AND THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING ANYWAY. YEAH IN A HUGE WAY.
SO OFTEN WE WILL COMMISSION WORK AND SIGN THE CONTRACTS FOR IT AND THEN STILL BE WAITING FOR PARTS FOR MANY WEEKS SOMETIMES MONTHS. WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONE SET OF ELEVATORS NOT A RUTH BARCLAY
AT ANOTHER SITE OF OURS WHERE WE ARE WE ARE WE HAVE LONG BEEN TRAPPED BY THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE THIS JACK IN THEM THAT'S ONLY MADE IN GERMANY THAT WE'RE LIKE CONSTANTLY EXPERIENCING DELAYS WHENEVER IT HAS AN
ISSUE. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING IN ONE OF THOSE ELEVATORS CHANGING TO AN AMERICAN MADE DIFFERENT SYSTEM AND WE'RE DOING THAT IN ONE FIRST AND IF IT GOES THROUGH SMOOTHLY AND WE FEEL
LIKE IT'S WORKING WELL, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT SAME CHANGE IN THE OTHER ONES THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON THAT GERMAN PART BECAUSE IT'S BECOME SO UNRELIABLE. MM HMM. AND THEN I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT
THE INSPECTIONS. YOU'RE OUT YOU HAVE MORE ON STAFF INSPECTORS NOW AND AND ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU KNOW, HOW WELL IS GOING AND AND
ALSO ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING OTHER INSPECTIONS LIKE DO YOU HAVE TO INSPECT PROPERTIES THAT ARE FOR FOR B AJ VOUCHERS THAT ARE THAT'S RIGHT. I'D LOVE TO KNOW JUST EXACTLY WHAT THE LANDSCAPE LOOKS LIKE
FOR YOUR INSPECTORS. YEAH. SO WE HAD AN EXISTING INSPECTIONS TEAM WHOSE JOB WAS TO INSPECT PRIVATE APARTMENTS THAT ARE BEING USED BY SECTION EIGHT VOUCHER HOLDERS.
AND SO WHAT WE DID THE THE CHANGE THAT HAPPENED A LOT IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF IS THAT WE TOOK THAT TEAM AND WE HAD THEM ADD TO THEIR PORTFOLIO OF WORK INSPECTING ALL OF OUR
OWN UNITS. SO THEY'RE A DIFFERENT TEAM FROM THE TEAM THAT MANAGES THE PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS AND AND THEY ARE TRAINED INSPECTORS SO THEY KNOW THE BUILDING CODE,
SANITARY CODE ALL THOSE THINGS REALLY, REALLY WELL AND AND THEN THE WASTE MANAGEMENT I KNOW I KNOW THERE'S A WE GOT SOME MONEY FROM PARTICIPATORY
BUDGETING TO DO SOME INTERESTING INNOVATIONS OUT OF THAT COMMONWEALTH YEAH WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY DOING RIGHT THERE AND THEN ALSO THE OTHER QUESTION WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT IS
JUST ILLEGAL DUMPING LIKE PEOPLE DRIVE ONTO BE PROPERTY AND DUMP YOUR STUFF AND IT'S IT'S IT'S IMPACTS THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS AND
YEAH IT'S A HUGE ISSUE FOR US THE ILLEGAL DUMPING AND AND THE THING THAT'S BEEN REALLY HARD FOR US TO ADDRESS ABOUT IT IS THAT WE'RE WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO BE SERVED AT VHA BY THE CITY TRASH SERVICE BUT THE CITY
TRASH SERVICE ONLY CAN OPERATE OPEN DUMPSTERS OF THE KIND THAT DON'T LIKE SHUT UP. AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE COVERING SO MUCH GROUND IN A DAY THAT THOSE TEAMS NEED TO BE
ABLE TO JUST DUMP LIKE THEY CAN'T THEY CAN'T DO WHAT PRIVATE COMMERCIAL TRASH SERVICES DO WHERE THEY KEEP A RING OF KEYS AND THEY COME IN UNLOCK YOUR DUMPSTER AND THEY DUMP IT IN AND THEN THEY CLOSE IT BACK UP.
BUT THAT IS A MUCH BETTER SYSTEM THAT COMMERCIAL GRADE LEVEL SERVICE WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH TRYING TO BLOCK ILLEGAL DUMPING BECAUSE WHEN IT'S A CLOSED DUMPSTER IT'S JUST REALLY LIKE HARD FOR SOMEONE TO PULL UP WITH ALL
THEIR STUFF AND PUT IT IN AND ALSO IT'S BETTER IT MEANS YOU CAN HAVE MORE SECURE DUMPSTERS WHEN IT COMES TO RODENTS SO THAT'S WHY WHAT WE'RE TESTING AT BRIGHTON IS NOT JUST LIKE A
GRADED DUMPSTERS BUT ALSO THIS COMMERCIAL LEVEL HAULAGE SERVICE TO GO WITH IT. AND WE HAVE A THEORY THAT EVEN THOUGH THAT INVOLVES THAT'S SORT OF MORE OF A IT'S A IT'S AN UPGRADED SERVICE SO IT COSTS
A BIT MORE PER VISIT FOR THEM TO DO IT THAT IF WE CAN REDUCE THE ILLEGAL DUMPING VOLUME AT THE SITES THAT ACTUALLY IT WILL REDUCE THE TIPPING CHARGE. SO WE THINK IT'S GOING TO COME
OUT IN THE WASH BUT WE HAVE TO TEST IT. OKAY. IT'S GOOD TO TRY IT OUT. YEAH, DEFINITELY. I THINK FOR US IT'S SO UNFAIR TO ME THAT PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS GET TAGGED WITH THE FACT THAT THERE'S A LOT
OF TRASH AT SITES WHEN IT'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS AND DUMPING THE TRASH. SO WE REALLY WE REALLY HAVE TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST THAT. OKAY.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE THE HUD FUNDING LIKE I KNOW WE'RE IN THIS SORT OF VERY TENUOUS MOMENT RIGHT NOW THAT WE DON'T THERE'S NO PREDICTABILITY ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ANYTHING REALLY AT THE MOMENT.
WHAT ARE YOU ANTICIPATING IN TERMS OF HUD CUTS TO HUD FUNDING FOR PUBLIC HOUSING IN THE FUTURE? YEAH, SO SO WE GOT OUR REGULAR OCTOBER FUNDING DESPITE THE SHUTDOWN.
SO THAT WAS GOOD NEWS AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL GET OUR NOVEMBER FUNDING EVEN IF THE SHUTDOWN CONTINUES. BUT BECAUSE THE WAY THAT HUD WORKS THEY ALREADY HAVE THE MONEY IN HAND.
IT'S COMPLICATED BUT THEY RUN ON A CALENDAR YEAR FROM EVEN THOUGH THE FEDERAL BUDGET DOESN'T. SO IT'S VERY STRANGE BUT BASICALLY IT'S GOOD NEWS FOR US THAT AS LONG AS SOMEONE AT HUD PRESSES THE RIGHT BUTTONS WE
SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THE NOVEMBER FUNDING FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO UM IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL OUTLOOK, YOU KNOW WE WERE VERY CONCERNED WHEN THE WHITE HOUSE PROPOSED
BUDGET CUTS OF 40% TO HUD PROGRAMS BOTH PUBLIC HOUSING AND VOUCHERS IN MAY WE WERE REALLY RELIEVED WHEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE REALLY REJECTED
THAT. SO THE SENATE PROPOSAL WOULD BASICALLY BE YOU KNOW, AND LIKE TO KEEP US WHOLE AND EVEN THE HOUSE PROPOSAL I THINK THERE IS A 10% CUT TO THE PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING BUDGET THAT'S
PROPOSED. SO WE REALLY WANT TO SEE THAT COME OUT BY THE TIME THEY REACH A FINAL BUDGET. BUT IT ISN'T THAT DRACONIAN 40% THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN I WAS HERE IN MAY. OKAY FINGERS CROSSED FINGERS
ALL THE FINGERS CROSSED ALL THE FINGERS CROSSED. THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW. COUNSELOR FLYNN, AS A LEAD SPONSOR, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
YES, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER 4 MINUTES THERE. THANK YOU. ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE LAWSUIT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL CAMPBELL ON PUBLIC HOUSING IN FRANKLIN FIELD? SO THAT IS IN LITIGATION. IT'S IN DISCOVERY RIGHT NOW AND
I CAN'T SPEAK FURTHER ABOUT AN ACTIVE CASE. OKAY. AFTER THE HUD AUDIT DID BBH TAKE THESE ACTIONS ON ITS OWN?
DID THEY COMPLY WITH THE HUD RECOMMENDATIONS? ARE WE ARE WE IN COMPLIANCE NOW? YEAH, WE'RE FULLY IN COMPLIANCE. HUD HAS CLOSED OUT THE ENTIRE AUDIT ON BOTH THE LEASED HOUSING AND PUBLIC HOUSING SIDE
AND SO THAT MEANS BOTH THAT WE ADDRESSED THE SPECIFIC ISSUES THEY MENTIONED BUT ALSO THAT WE IMPLEMENTED ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS. WELL WILL YOU COMMIT TO
PRESENTING A COMPLETE BUDGET BUDGET BOOK TO THE COUNCIL APPEARING BEFORE THE WAYS AND MEANS LIKE ALL OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS DO DURING NEXT BUDGET SEASON?
UNFORTUNATELY COUNCILOR, OUR BUDGET DOESN'T RUN ON THE SAME CYCLE AS THE CITY SO LIKE THE FEDERAL BUDGET TO BE HONEST WE TO SOME EXTENT FIND OUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE GETTING FROM
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHICH IS 90% OF OUR FUNDING ON SOMETIMES A MONTH BY MONTH BASIS. IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN THAT WAY FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS SO WE DON'T HAVE THE KIND OF TRADITIONAL IT IT'S KIND
OF CRAZY BUT BASICALLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T PROVIDE US WITH THE TYPE OF BUDGET OUTLOOK THAT WE THAT THE DEPARTMENTS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU AT THE CITY LEVEL. I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT WINDOWS
FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AT BOOTH BERKELEY ONE OF THE WINDOWS GOING TO BE DONE. I'M GOING TO ASK RICK, DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE WHEN THE WINDOW OF VENTILATION PROJECT OF RUTH BERKELEY IT'S ACTIVE RIGHT NOW.
IT'S A WHOLE IT'S I THINK WE'RE DOING OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF UNITS SO WE'RE DOING AN IN STAGES DAY
OR SO AND HOW HOW LONG IS THE INSTALLATION GOING TO TAKE US THAT'S WHAT I SAID BEFORE IT
WAS YEAR 40. YEAH OKAY SO A LITTLE SO SO I'LL JUST REPEAT BECAUSE FOR THOSE WATCHING AT HOME THEY CAN'T HEAR OFF THE MIC SO AT RUTH BERKELEY THE WINDOWS HAVE ALL BEEN ORDERED FOR THIS
PROJECT AND THEY'RE COMING IN IN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE WEEKS AND THEN THEY'RE BEING INSTALLED BUT THEY'RE BEING INSTALLED NOT SIMULTANEOUSLY IN ALL APARTMENTS OBVIOUSLY IN STAGES ACROSS THE SITE. SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE
MORE THAN A YEAR FOR ALL OF THEM TO COME IN. MY MY RECOMMENDATION I WANT TO SEE RUTH BERKELEY BE THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT THAT IS EXTENSIVELY
REDEVELOPED LIKE OTHERS SUCH AS MARY ELLEN MCCORMICK SUCH AS BUNKER HILL AND BROMLEY WHO'VE GOT EXTENSIVE MONEY IS RUTH
BERKELEY GOING TO BE THE NEXT VHA DEVELOPMENT THAT GETS EXTENSIVE UPGRADES INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THESE RESIDENTS? THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION.
I THINK RUTH BARCLAY SHOULD BE THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. SO I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING I'D LOVE TO EXPLORE MORE WITH YOU AND WITH THE RESIDENTS AT RUTH BARCLAY I WILL SAY THAT A LONG TIME AGO
RUTH BARCLAY WAS PROPOSED FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND ACTUALLY RUTH BARCLAY HERSELF WHO IT'S NAMED AFTER AND MEL KING AT THE TIME WERE AGAINST THE REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE WHAT THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT WAS PRIVATIZATION SO THAT
WAS WHAT CAUSED THE VHA NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT AT RUTH BARCLAY AT THAT TIME I THINK WHAT'S THE WHAT'S WHAT'S CHANGED NOW IS THAT THERE ARE MORE TOOLS FOR US TO DO THAT KIND OF HEAVY REINVESTMENT REDEVELOPMENT.
WELL MAINTAINING PUBLIC OWNERSHIP WHICH WASN'T TRUE WHEN RUTH BARCLAY AND MULCHING WERE FIGHTING IT DECADES AGO. AND SO I DO THINK ESPECIALLY COUNCILOR WITH THE PARTS OF THE
SITE YOU KNOW HOW AT THE FOUR CORNERS WE HAVE THOSE NON REDUNDANT ELEVATORS AND THE SIX STORY BUILDINGS I THINK THAT YOU KNOW WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOW TO KIND OF FOR THE LONG TERM REALLY HAVE THE ADA
ACCESSIBLE UNITS WITH REDUNDANT ELEVATOR SERVICE THAT WE'D REALLY LIKE TO HAVE AT THE SITE I DO THINK WE SHOULD START TO EXPLORE IT BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE VHA IS NEVER GOING TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WITHOUT A LOT OF CONVERSATION WITH RESIDENTS AND IT WOULD BE GREAT
TO HAVE YOU INVOLVED IN THAT TOO. WHEN COULD THAT CONVERSATION START? I THINK THE CONVERSATION SHOULD HAVE STARTED YESTERDAY BUT RUTH BARCLAY SHOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE DEVELOPMENT WHERE WE INVEST
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY INTO WE SHOULD HAVE PUT FEDERAL FUNDS INTO. RUTH BARCLAY LIKE WE DID OTHER DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE CITY. MY CONSTITUENTS DESERVE A
LITTLE BIT OF RESPECT AND MAY BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST DEVELOPMENTS WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SENIORS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND I WANT TO
DO EVERYTHING I POSSIBLY CAN TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND THEY LIVE IN A IN A SAFE AND HEALTHY APARTMENT IS THAT'S SOMETHING WE ARE COMMITTED TO. ABSOLUTELY.
AND I AND I DO THINK WE HAVE SOME ARPA MONEY GOING INTO THIS WINDOWS AND VENTILATION PROJECTS. SO I DO WANT TO SAY I THINK WE DO HAVE SOME ARPA MONEY IN BERKELEY BUT I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU COUNSELOR ON HOW
TO GET MORE MONEY INVESTED AT RUTH BERKELEY AND I'M HAPPY TO START THAT CONVERSATION YOU KNOW LATER THIS FALL. OKAY. I HOPE THERE'S NO DELAYS WITH THE WINDOW AND INSTALLATION
ME TO BECAUSE IF THERE IS A DELAY I KNOW THE RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO LET ME KNOW ABOUT IT THAT MINUTE AND THEN I'M GOING TO CALL KENSI ABOUT 2 MINUTES AFTER THAT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN. LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CALL. THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCILOR MURPHY, DID YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? I'LL WAIT FOR THE NEXT OKAY.
IT SEEMS, DIRECTOR BOK, THAT WE HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL OUR QUESTIONS FOR YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DON'T THINK THE COUNCILORS FOR BEING HERE AND FOR RAISING THESE ISSUES AND FOR CARING
ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS AND I WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS BEHIND ME FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK AND ALSO JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO THE COUNCILORS POINT WE'RE NOT THERE YET ON THE BEACH ON THE
BERKELEY ELEVATORS. I'M REALLY, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY THAT WE HAVE ALL 15 ELEVATORS AT THAT SITE UP AND RUNNING. IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT BECAUSE I KNOW IT AFFECTS RESIDENTS
QUALITY OF LIFE. SO I JUST WANT TO PLEDGE THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO REALLY WORK HARD ON THAT TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO WE ACTUALLY WILL GO TO TAKING SOME PUBLIC TESTIMONY
AND WE HAVE WE HAVE SOME FOLKS OBVIOUSLY IN CAME I HAVE A LIST
YOU CAN JUST SEE IF THEY'RE ONLINE UM JUST CHECKING IT'S NEW THIS NEW NUMBER THING I'M
JUST TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
YOU GOT A STANDARD TOO, AND
THAT'S THE WAY TO GO. OKAY? YEAH. IN ANYBODY'S SHE'S WELL, SHE'S
I'M SORRY SHE'S AN EX POW. OKAY, OKAY. SHE JUST NEEDS TO ACTUALLY HEAR THESE TWO THINGS TOO. THESE TWO AND SO ARE THEY HERE AND I THINK THEY'RE ANSWER OKAY WELL SHE'S SECOND HAND ALSO. YEAH.
OKAY WE'LL TAKE WE'LL TAKE THESE TO THE AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE SECOND ROUND SO WE HAVE TWO FOLKS WAITING ON ZOOM TO FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY KIM
MINETTI AND ALESSANDRA MONTES SO IS AS CAMERA READY TO TESTIFY? YES I'M AVAILABLE. WELCOME CAMERA. YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES.
I'LL START THE CLOCK AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO TESTIFY THIS MORNING. AS CITY COUNCILOR MENTIONED,
THE SITUATION AT RUTH BERKELEY IS NOT GOOD IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. MS.. BOK MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT BUT WE'RE ACTIVELY BEING HARMED EVERY TIME THE ELEVATOR BREAKS DOWN.
I'VE JUST COME FROM A ROUND OF RUNS THROUGH THE E.R. BECAUSE OF THE STRESS AND STRAIN OF THE ELEVATOR BROKEN DOWN SO MANY TIMES THIS SUMMER AND THE BUSINESS OF PEOPLE
BEING ABLE TO GO TO HOTELS IS ACTUALLY VERY MUCH UNTENABLE BECAUSE IT TAKES THREE MONTHS OR ALMOST FOUR MONTHS TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE MONEY THAT YOU SPEND WHILE YOU'RE IN THE HOTEL.
IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE. SO INSTEAD OF GOING TO A HOTEL WHEN YOU DESPERATELY NEED TO, YOU CAN'T EVEN GO BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IT COSTS YOU TO BE THERE DOESN'T GET BACK TO YOU UNTIL YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN DEPLETED MULTIPLE TIMES.
AND THIS IS WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING EVER SINCE I'VE MOVED INTO THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX. I MOVED IN ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO. IT'S DEBILITATING MY HEALTH CONTINUOUSLY. I'M NOT I'M GETTING ACTUALLY
SICKER LIVING HERE AND THE RATS AND THE RODENTS ARE NOT BEING REDUCED AND SO I'M VERY STRESSED OUT ABOUT THE LEVEL. I'M VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE GOING
TO BE IMPROVED. BUT THE TIME SPAN IN WHICH IT TAKES FOR ALL THIS TO HAPPEN PEOPLE ARE ALREADY BEING HARMED. I'M BEING HARMED. I CONTINUE TO BE HARMED. I CAN'T EVEN BE THERE PHYSICALLY TODAY BECAUSE MY
HEALTH CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE DUE TO THE LEVEL OF STRESS AND STRAIN OF CONSTANTLY HAVING TO DEAL WITH AN ELEVATOR THAT BREAKS. I LIVE ON THE SIXTH FLOOR. I'M DISABLED AND AND I'M SICK.
I'M REALLY SICK AND IT'S NOT GETTING BETTER NOW I NEED TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO MOVE OUT OF HERE WHEN WE CALL THE PEOPLE TO TELL THEM THE ELEVATOR IS BROKEN WE NEED SOMEONE TO COME BRING OUR OUR GROCERIES UP TO
YOU THEN THEY'RE NOT EVEN UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE'RE ASKING THEM FOR. THEY'RE BEING RUDE ABOUT IT. THEY'RE CLOSING OUT WORK ORDERS BEFORE WE EVEN GET A CHANCE TO GET THEM TAKEN CARE OF AND YOU
HAVE TO GO BACK IN AND CALL AND MAKE WORK ORDER AGAIN. PEOPLE ARE EVEN TIRED OF MAKING WORK ORDERS BECAUSE THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET TAKEN CARE OF. SO THIS IS VERY PROBLEMATIC. THE PEOPLE AT THE WORK ORDER
CENTER NEED TO BE RETRAINED IN THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING APPROPRIATELY TO THESE CONVERSATIONS. IT'S VERY STRESSFUL. VERY, VERY STRESSFUL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. NEXT WELCOME HAVE ALESSANDRA MONTEZ CAN YOU HEAR ME?
ALESSANDRA THERE YOU ARE. WELCOME. ALESSANDRA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? SANDRA OH, MAYBE SHE GOES CAN YOU HEAR ME?
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, I HEAR YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, I CAN HEAR YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. THANK YOU. OKAY, WELL AS THE PERSON BEFORE
ME WE'RE SEEING I'M ALSO TRAPPED IN MY UNIT AND I'VE BEEN TRAPPED FOR A COUPLE MONTHS NOW BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION OF THE ELEVATORS.
IT BREAKS DOWN AND THEY FIX IT AND THEY WHERE IT GETS MESSED UP IN IN MINUTES OR HOURS EVEN DAYS AND ALSO WHEN WE CALL THEY
GIVE US RUDE COMMENT, RUDE, RUDE. THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY RUDE AND AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO US THAT WE
HAVE TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE LIKE THEM SAYING YEAH, THEY'LL FIX IT AND THEN WE HAVE TO WAIT HOURS BEFORE THEY COME AND ACTUALLY FIX THE ELEVATORS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO LIKE UNDERSTAND WHEN WILL THAT BE FIXED BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY I'M THE ONE INSIDE THE INSIDE MY UNIT TRAPPED AND I'M
MOST OF THE TIME I'M SCARED TO GO DOWN AND AND UNABLE TO COME RIGHT BACK UP. I HAVE MISSED A COUPLE ACTIVITIES DUE TO THE SEA DUE
TO THE SITUATION BECAUSE I CAN GO DOWN AND WHEN I COME BACK I'M AFRAID THAT I'LL BREAK DOWN AGAIN. SO TO BE HONEST I WOULD LIKE TO
UNDERSTAND HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE BECAUSE LIKE THE PERSON BEFORE ME SAID WE CALL TO GET THE ELEVATORS
FIXED AND THEY TELL US YES, THEY'RE COMING, THEY'RE COMING. IT COULD BE HOURS. I MOVE FROM THE 19TH TO THE 29TH BECAUSE OF THAT SAME ISSUE
I MOVE FROM A FIFTH FLOOR TO A SECOND FLOOR AND I'M STILL HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AND I AT THIS POINT IT'S NOT FAIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY, ALEXANDRA.
THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE SECOND PANEL AND DON OATES WHO'S A DISABILITY ADVOCATE. DON, IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
DON IS GOING TO BE TESTIFYING REMOTELY AS WELL AT THE TIME.
OKAY, DON, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. MADAM CHAIR FIRST. THANK YOU. I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK FOR EQUAL TIME AS ADMINISTRATOR BORK. I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE A PANELIST AS WELL AND SHE HAD 35
MINUTES I THINK FROM WHAT COUNCILOR FLYNN SAID. PARDON? I'M REQUESTING RESPECTFULLY THAT I HAVE EQUAL TIME TO SPEAK
AS ADMINISTRATOR BORK A COUNCILOR FLYNN SAID SHE SPOKE FOR 35. DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? I DO. I'M I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS INVITED AS A PANELIST SO I WAS HOPING TO GET EQUAL TIME.
I DON'T ANTICIPATE USING ALL OF IT BUT IF NEEDED. VERY GOOD. ON YOU GO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. OR CLOSE TO AFTERNOON
COUNCILORS ADMINISTRATOR BOK AND GUESTS FROM RUTH BARCLAY. I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ALL THE WAY OUT THIS MORNING FOR THIS IMPORTANT MEETING AND THANKS FOR INVITING ME TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS
OF RUTH BARCLAY AND ALL BOSTONIANS LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING THAT'S BECOME UNSAFE AND INACCESSIBLE. I WANT TO NOTE THAT I HAVE COVERED I WOULD BE THERE IN
PERSON BUT I AM VERY ILL BUT I DID NOT WANT TO MISS THIS SO I'M ON MEDICATION SO I APOLOGIZE. THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE MY ABSOLUTE BEST PERFORMANCE TODAY BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU AND
WHAT I CAN AND I HOPE IT HELPS. MY NAME IS DON OATES. I'M A DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATE. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF A NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. I'VE NEVER BEFORE DISCUSSED MY
CREDENTIALS TO THIS COUNCIL OR ANY OF THE ACCESS BOARD HEARINGS THAT I'VE ATTENDED BUT IT SORT OF MAKES SENSE I THINK TO DO THAT NOW FOR A MINUTE GIVEN THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU'VE HEARD TODAY WHICH WHICH
I AGREE WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN IT DOES FOCUS ON MORE OF THE POSITIVES OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT RUTH BARCLAY AND IN PR SPEAK WHAT YOU'LL SEE FROM MY
CREDENTIALS WE CALL THAT SOMETIMES POLISHING A. MY APOLOGIES FOR THE CRUDE COMMENT BUT THAT IS THAT IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO MANY OF THE RESIDENTS AND TO ME.
I DID A STUDY PUBLIC RELATIONS AT THE SC. I KNEW HOW SCHOOL OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY. I HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE FROM HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION WHERE I STUDY DISABILITY LAW FROM HARVARD LAW
PROFESSORS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AT THE KENNEDY SCHOOL. SO I'VE SPENT 13 YEARS NAVIGATING ACCESSIBILITY SYSTEMS AND OFTEN THE FAILURES OF THOSE SYSTEMS AND THIS BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY HANDLING OF THE RUTH BARCLAY
APARTMENTS IS ONE OF THE CLEAREST EXAMPLES OF THAT FAILURE THAT I'VE SEEN IN RECENT YEARS AND THAT'S AFTER SPENDING NINE YEARS OF MY EARLY CAREER MANAGING COLLEGE DORMS IN BOSTON INCLUDING ALL OF THE
MAINTENANCE ISSUES LIKE ELEVATORS AND I'VE WORKED AS A PROJECT MANAGER ON TWO COMMERCIAL ELEVATOR INSTALLATIONS AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS AND THOSE WERE COMPLETED INSIDE OF THREE MONTHS. SO THAT SAID, HERE'S A LITTLE
BIT OF THE HISTORY THAT LED US TO THIS POINT. I BEGAN VISITING RUTH BARCLAY TEN YEARS AGO. I STARTED NOTICING ONGOING ELEVATOR ISSUES SIX YEARS AGO WHEN A CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE WHO
LIVES THERE WAS UNABLE TO KEEP APPOINTMENTS AND ENGAGEMENTS WITH ME ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THEN I LAUNCHED AN ORGANIZING
CAMPAIGN THREE YEARS AGO AFTER EFFORTS TO EDUCATE THE RESIDENTS ON HOW TO REPORT WORK ORDERS AND FOLLOW UP ON THOSE WORK ORDERS FAILED NOT FOR ANY
OF THEIR ACTIONS AFTER MORE THAN 50 MEDIA IMPRESSIONS WHICH I ASSUME MOST OF YOU IF NOT ALL OF YOU HAVE SEEN AT SOME POINT INCLUDING LOCAL AND NATIONAL
MEDIA IN ALL FORMS OF MEDIA INCLUDING PEOPLE MAGAZINE, THE GLOBE, THE HERALD, YOU NAME IT. RUTH BARCLAY ELEVATORS WERE IN IT 13 ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD COMPLAINTS NINE OF THEM ARE STILL OPEN.
THE HUD AUDIT TWO CITY COUNCIL HEARINGS INCLUDING TODAY'S IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE STILL VERY MUCH AT THE STARTING LINE TODAY. I'M REALLY HERE TO PLEAD WITH YOU ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS
TO TAKE WHATEVER ACTION THAT YOU CAN TO INTERVENE TO LOOK BEYOND WHAT YOU'VE HEARD TODAY THE TESTIMONY OR THE THE UPDATE
THAT THAT LARGELY DENIES AND DISCOUNTS AND MISLEADS EVEN YOU INTO BELIEVING THAT THE EFFORTS THAT THE VA HAS OUTLINED TODAY
HAVE REALLY MEANINGFULLY IMPROVED THE RESIDENTS ABILITY TO HAVE EQUAL SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE HOMES. THAT'S THAT'S REQUIRED BY STATE AND FEDERAL LAW. I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY, THE
REALITY ON THE GROUND AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY GAP WHICH LOOKS LIKE A SYSTEMIC PATTERN IN THE VIOLATIONS OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS. AND I REALLY HOPE THAT THIS COUNCIL WILL ENGAGE IN SPECIFIC
QUESTIONING OF ADMINISTRATOR BOK TODAY AND DISCUSS WHAT CONCRETE STEPS CAN BE TAKEN NEXT TO EXPEDITE WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING AN
EMERGENCY AND I APOLOGIZE I AM SHORT OF BREATH DUE TO MY ILLNESS SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME SO STARTING WITH OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR BECAUSE I THINK
EVERYONE KNOWS THE HISTORY UP TO THAT POINT I PRESENTED ADMINISTRATE OR BACK IN PERSON WITH A DETAILED LETTER DOCUMENTING MANY OF THE VERY CONDITIONS THAT HUD WOULD LATER
FLAG IN ITS AUDIT REPORT THESE CONDITIONS WE HAD KNOWN ABOUT FOR MONTHS I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A HUD AUDIT ONGOING OR HAD PASSED AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WOULD BE A REPORT
COMING OUT. I ACTUALLY FOUND OUT WHEN THE BOSTON HERALD CALLED ME TO COMMENT ON IT. SO ADMINISTRATOR BOK AT THAT MEETING WITH OUR ATTORNEY DOWN ON CHAUNCEY STREET IMMEDIATELY
ASKED ME TO POSTPONE IF SHE COULD POSSIBLY POSTPONE RESPONDING TO THE LETTER ABOUT HOW SHE WAS GOING TO ADDRESS THE THE ITEMS IN THE LETTER, THE PESTS IN THE MOLD AND THE RODENTS AND THE WINDOWS AND THE HEAT AND THE ELEVATOR AND THE
RAMPS ALL OF IT OUTLINED ALONG WITH THE LEGAL REASONS THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE FIXED AND THE TIMELINESS THAT WAS URGENT AT THAT TIME. ONE YEAR AGO SHE ASKED ME TO POSTPONE THAT UNTIL DECEMBER
FIFTH. OF COURSE I COMPLIED. I HAD ASKED FOR A NOVEMBER 5TH ONE MONTH DEADLINE. SHE ASKED FOR TWO MONTHS. I SAID THAT'S FINE. LATER REALIZING THAT PERHAPS THAT WAS TO MOVE PAST OUR LAST
SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING ABOUT THIS THOSE WHO ATTENDED NOTED AT THAT MEETING MY COLLABORATIVE AND COLLEGIAL POSTURE WITH ADMINISTRATOR BOK.
SHE THEN IGNORED THE DECEMBER DEADLINE ENTIRELY AND I FOLLOWED UP SEVERAL TIMES. SHE IGNORED ALL OF MY FOLLOW UP EMAILS UNTIL I FINALLY COORDINATED IN A JANUARY AN NBC
BOSTON INVESTIGATIVE PIECE TO RUN. BUT I ASKED THE REPORTER TO NOTIFY HER OFFICE THAT IT WOULD BE RUNNING DESPITE THAT I HAD TOLD HER THAT IN GOOD FAITH I WOULD HOLD THAT MEDIA AND NOT
RUN WITH A STORY THAT I HAD DISCLOSED THAT THE OCTOBER MEETING WAS UNDERWAY. IF SHE WOULD SIT WITH ME AND COLLABORATE WITH ME ON DETAILS TIMELINE PROPER WITH THE
RESIDENTS TRANSPARENCY IS WHAT WE WERE ASKING FOR AND SHE WE AGREED THAT IT WAS REASONABLE THAT DATES COULD MOVE AND THAT WAS FINE. BUT THAT TIMELINE WE NEEDED
RESIDENTS NEED TO KNOW WHEN WHAT'S THE BUDGET, WHEN IS IT PLANNED, WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THE PROGRESS AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME? THAT'S WHAT I ASKED FOR.
I DIDN'T HEAR BACK FROM HER UNTIL THE REPORTER CONTACTED HER. SHE RESPONDED THAT DAY WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING THE PRIOR CORRESPONDENCE APOLOGIZING, BLAMING THE CHANGE
OF ADMINISTRATION, THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT CARTER AND YOU KNOW, WHILE REQUESTING YET ANOTHER EXTENSION TO JANUARY 24TH I SIMPLY REPLIED BACK TO HER THAT I CAN'T STALL ADVOCACY
EFFORTS FOR FOUR DEADLINES THAT DON'T MATERIALIZE AND THAT RESIDENTS DESERVED MUCH BETTER THAN THIS. AND I'M NOT I WASN'T GOING TO STOP EXCUSE ME.
SO DON, IN LIGHT OF DIRECTOR BOX PRESENTATION THIS MORNING, HAVE YOU HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED ANY OUTSTANDING PIECES LIKE
THERE'S A LOT OF I HAVE YEAH YES KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS BEEN MADE. CAN YOU JUST GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THE OUTSTANDING PIECES? I'D LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT MY TESTIMONY AS I PREPARED IT IN THE TIME FRAME
THAT I WAS GIVEN. I DO ADDRESS THE MAIN ISSUES CONTINUE. YEAH BUT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE OUTSTANDING PIECES THAT YOU'VE DONE. WELL UNDERSTAND.
THANK YOU. WHEN HER LETTER FINALLY ARRIVED ON JANUARY 24TH WHICH WAS FOUR MONTHS AFTER OUR MEETING IT WAS APPEARED TO ME DEFENSIVE, DISMISSIVE AND IT DIDN'T HAVE
ANY DETAILS OR ACCOUNTABILITY THAT WERE SPECIFIC THAT I ASKED FOR. IT AVOIDED THE CENTRAL QUESTIONS. IT FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LEGAL OBLIGATIONS AND IT AND I READ MORE LIKE A PRESS RESPONSE
OR A LEGAL RESPONSE. SHE VEHEMENTLY DENIED ANY WRONGDOINGS IN ALL THE AREAS THAT I HAD RAISED INCLUDING THE RODENT AND PEST CONTROL HEATING ELEVATOR ANY WRONGDOINGS I
FIRST LEARNED ABOUT THE HUD AUDIT I SAID FROM FROM THE HERALD WHEN I VIEW THE REPORT I CLICKED THE LINK AND I WAS ASTONISHED THAT THE HERALD REPORTER SENT ME THE LINK AND I
READ THE REPORT. THERE WAS A LETTER FROM ADMINISTRATOR BOX AND THE EXACT SAME LETTER SHE SENT ME A LETTER SAYING SHE VEHEMENTLY DENIES WRONGDOING BUT THIS LETTER TO HUD ON THE SAME DAY
SAID SHE GENERALLY AGREES WITH THE VERY ALLEGATIONS THAT SHE DENIED TO ME. SO TWO LETTERS, TWO VERSIONS OF THE TRUTH ONE FOR THE RESIDENTS AND ONE FOR THE REGULATORS. SO THIS APPEARED DUPLICITOUS AND CAPTURES THE PATTERN THAT
WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING. THERE'S THIS PR SPIN THATOU HEARD TODAY ALL THE GREAT THINGS WE'RE DOING. WHY DO WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEW BUZZER SYSTEMS? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO CANNOT GET IN AND OUT OF THEIR HOMES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO SLEEP IN THE HALLWAY WHO ARE AFRAID TO LEAVE. YOU HEARD FROM ALESSANDRA WHO DIDN'T SAY THIS BUT SHE IS A WHEELCHAIR USER WHO MOVED FROM ONE BUILDING 19 MONSIGNOR THAT
GOT ALL THE PUBLICITY WHEN WE DID THE 50 PR HEADS AND SHE MOVED TO 29 ACROSS THE STREET AND SHE'S BEEN CONTACTING ME SINCE SUMMER SAYING SHE'S TRAPPED ON AND OFF ON AND OFF ON AND OFF AND I'M HAPPY FOR
HER TO CALL ME AND LET ME KNOW. BUT HERE'S THE THING THIS CAN'T GO ON FOREVER. WE NEED PROBLEM SOLVING. THE REALITY ON THE GROUND IS THAT UNSAFE AT RUTH BARCLAY
MEANS THAT THE ELEVATORS REPEATEDLY FAIL. IT'S NOT 48 HOURS NOTE YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE 48 HOURS NOTICE TO DECIDE TO STAY IN A HOTEL AND YOU DON'T KNOW OR CAN'T ALWAYS GIVE 24 HOURS NOTICE TO SET UP A WHEELCHAIR
VAN. I'VE HEARD OF RESIDENTS TELLING ME THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT THEY'RE OVER THERE ALMOST EVERY DAY AND IT'S NEVER
A FIRE AND THAT'S TAKEN AWAY FROM ACTUAL FIRES. AND I HEARD A RESIDENT TELL ME A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO LAST WEEK THAT THEY CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO GET ACCESS TO AN APPOINTMENT AND THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT SAID NO, THEY WEREN'T GOING TO DO THAT. SO YOU KNOW, THIS IS LEAVING RESIDENTS, MANY ELDERLY AND DISABLED RESIDENTS TRAPPED FOR HOURS OR FOUR DAYS. IT MEANS THEY HAVE TO CRAWL UP THE STAIRWELL OR DOWN THE
STAIRWELL MISS CHEMOTHERAPY I KNOW SOMEBODY WHO MISSED CHEMOTHERAPY THREE TIMES BECAUSE THE ELEVATOR WAS DOWN THREE DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR. WE KNOW THAT SOMEBODY SLEPT IN HIS WHEELCHAIR IN THE HALLWAY
ONE NIGHT IN THE HALLWAY AND IN YOU HEARD ADMINISTRATOR BOK TESTIFY THAT THE DOORS THE LOCKS ON THE DOORS ARE BROKEN THAT COULD PRESENT AN UNSAFE SITUATION. EVEN A RESIDENT.
THIS THIS UPSETS ME TO EVEN TALK ABOUT BECAUSE IT JUST HAPPENED EITHER LAST WEEK OR THE WEEK BEFORE I HEARD THREE PEOPLE TELL ME ABOUT A RESIDENT WHO WAS TRAPPED IN THE ELEVATOR
AT 47 FOR SURE UP TO 2 HOURS WHO MISSED HER SON'S FUNERAL. SHE ARRIVED ONLY IN TIME TO THROW HERSELF OVER HIS CASKET MAYBE 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT
ENDED BEFORE THEY WERE LEAVING FOR THE CEMETERY. I'M SURE YOU CAN ALL IMAGINE HOW ATROCIOUS THAT IS. RESIDENTS HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT BUT ALSO IT'S PERSISTENT
LEAKS, FLOODING. THERE'S ONE RESIDENT WHO I'M SURE WILL SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT SHE REPORTED INSPECTIONAL SERVICES AND THEY CAME AND SAID THAT HER APARTMENT COULD NOT BE
IT WAS NOT INHABITABLE IT WAS IT WAS NOT IT WAS FLOODED AND AND IT DID NOT RECEIVE THE RESPONSE THAT IT DESERVED VERMIN, BEDBUGS TWO RESIDENTS I'M AWARE OF WHO HAVE BEEN
CONSTRUCTIVELY EVICTED TOLD THAT THEY HAD TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES THAT THEY WERE HAVE LIVED IN ONE FOR 16 YEARS, ONE FOR 30 SOMETHING YEARS CAME CAME BACK AND WERE LOCKED OUT OF THEIR
HOMES IN THERE AND NO EXPENSES FOR MOVING IN MOVED TO A DIFFERENT A DIFFERENT PUBLIC HOUSING AREA AGAINST THEIR WISHES INSTEAD OF EXTERMINATING
PROPERLY STORING THEIR THEIR THINGS AND ALLOWING THEM TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES, TO THEIR FRIENDS, TO THEIR PHARMACY, TO THEIR DOCTORS, TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, TO THEIR GROCERY
AND PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK AND COULDN'T EVEN COME AND SPEAK WITH ME AND COULDN'T COME OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE SICK WITH MOLD FROM LEAKS FROM RUBBER ROOFS THAT LEAK ALL THE WAY DOWN. THESE ARE NOT NEAR MY BUILDING
AGING ISSUES. THEY'RE VIOLATIONS OF CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS. AND IF YOU DID NOT HEAR THE DETAIL IN ADMINISTRATOR BOX VERY POSITIVE. HEY, LOOK AT HOW FAR WE'VE COME
AND WHAT PROGRESS WE'VE MADE THEN I HOPE THAT YOU'LL HEAR FROM THE RESIDENTS TODAY AND I HOPE THAT NOBODY WILL CANDY COAT ANYTHING BECAUSE I WALK AROUND THOSE BUILDINGS I HAVE KNOWN EVERY I KNOW PEOPLE IN
EVERY SINGLE BUILDING AND I'M AN INVITED GUESTS THERE AND WHEN I GO INTO THOSE BUILDINGS I SEE WHAT HAPPENS ON EVERY SINGLE FLOOR. I'VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND, FIRSTHAND.
IT'S STILL HAPPENING TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE IS NO PERSON THAT HANDLES IT LIKE WE USED TO DO IN THE DORMS WHERE SOMEONE'S ON ROUNDS AND THEY WALK AROUND EVERY SINGLE FLOOR IF EVERY SINGLE BUILDING EVERY SINGLE
DAY AND THEY MAKE NOTE IS THE DOOR IS THE DOOR NOT LOCKED BROKEN IS THE DOOR OFF THE HINGES? I REPORTED THAT WORK ORDER LAST WEEK MYSELF. I DON'T EVEN LIVE THERE.
SO THE ACCOUNTABILITY GAP YOU HEARD TAMARA TESTIFY ABOUT THAT WORK ORDERS CLOSED ON PAPER WHILE HAZARDS REMAIN. YOU HEARD ADMINISTRATOR BOK TESTIFIED THAT PEOPLE MISPLACED
WORK ORDERS AND IN THE TRANSITION TO ONE SYSTEM TO ANOTHER THINGS WERE LOST. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE ESPECIALLY SO DON'T WE ACTUALLY
ADMINISTRATIVE BACK WE HAD TIME FOR QUESTIONS SO I CAN YOU TO WRAP IT UP SO WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS. SO HOW MUCH TIME DID YOU GIVE ME TO TESTIFY? IS THAT THE TIME?
YEAH. SORRY. ANOTHER 5 MINUTES SO YOU'RE SO YOU GIVE ADMINISTER ORDER BACK TO AS MUCH TIME TO TESTIFY AS SHE NEEDED BUT I'M LIMITED TO TWO.
HOW MUCH TIME? 5 MINUTES IS THAT EQUAL TIME. MADAM CHAIR. MADAM CHAIR, IS THAT EQUAL
TIME? ARE YOU ARE YOU TRYING TO SILENCE MY TESTIMONY? I'M NOT NO, BUT I FEEL THAT NEED TO BE A MORE PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION.
IF WE CAN ASK I WOULD LIKE I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TIME WITH ADMINISTRATOR BARR. OKAY THEN GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. THE WORK ORDER IS CLOSE ON PAPER THE HAZARDS REMAIN.
THE ELEVATOR OUTAGES ARE HIDDEN BEHIND BUREAUCRATIC EXCUSES. DEADLINES ARE COMING AND GOING WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE. THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. THE BIA CAN TELL HOW IT AGREES THE CONSIDERED CONDITIONS ARE
SAFE THEN FAIL FAILURE TO ACT IT'S NOT DELAY. IT'S DELIBERATE NEGLECT AND THIS IS NOT ONE PROPERTY'S PROBLEM IT'S SYSTEMIC ACROSS ALL PROPERTIES PORTFOLIO DELAY DEFLECTION, DENIAL AND IT'S
FALLING HARDEST ON BLACK ELDERLY AND DISABLED RESIDENTS. IT'S A VIOLATION OF LAW AND OF CIVIL RIGHTS. WHAT'S HAPPENING VIOLATES
MULTIPLE BINDING WHICH I COMMUNICATED ONE YEAR AGO TO ADMINISTRATOR BLOCK ADA. IT REQUIRES EQUAL ACCESS TO PUBLIC ENTITIES, SERVICES PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES MAINTENANCE OF ACCESSIBLE
FEATURES, DESIGNATION OF AN ADA COORDINATOR, ADOPTION OF GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES, REPEATED ELEVATOR OUTAGES AND INACCESSIBLE ROUTES EFFECTIVELY EXCLUDE DISABLED RESIDENTS FROM
USING AND ENJOYING THEIR HOMES AND BUILDING SERVICES. FAILURE TO PLAN FOR OUTAGES AND EVACUATION POOR MAINTENANCE LACK OF TRANSPARENT PROCESSES FOR ACCOMMODATIONS EACH DAY THAT THESE BARRIERS PERSIST IS
A CONTINUING ADA VIOLATION REMEDIES COULD INCLUDE INJUNCTIVE RELIEF DAMAGES IN SOME CASES AN ATTORNEY'S FEES. I WILL NOT GO THROUGH ALL THIS LEGALESE BECAUSE I PUT IT RIGHT IN ADMINISTRATORS BOX HANDS
OCTOBER 5TH LAST YEAR BUT I WILL SIMPLY STATE SECTION 504 OF THE REHAB ACT FAIR HOUSING ACT HUD'S PUBLIC HOUSING PHYSICAL CONDITIONS STANDARDS
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAW CHAPTER 151 B SECTION 47A HOUSING DISCRIMINATION MASSACHUSETTS ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD WHICH ADMINISTRATOR BLOCK IS ALL TOO
FAMILIAR WITH FROM ALL OF THE THE COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE GONE IN NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN MINE I JUST DID 13 SANITARY CODE THAT'S 105 CMHA FOR TEN
PUBLIC PROCUREMENT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT THAT PUBLIC PROCUREMENT ALLOWS FOR EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES FOR HEALTH OR SAFETY IS AT RISK DOCUMENTATION OF THE
EMERGENCY AND RAPID PROCUREMENT TO PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY THAT'S IMPLICATED HERE BECAUSE LIFE SAFETY ELEVATOR ACCESS JUSTIFIES ACCELERATED CONTRACTING AND PARALLEL VENDOR MOBILIZATION.
WHAT WE HEARD FROM ADMINISTRATOR BOARD IS THAT WE HAVE THE SAME OLD VENDORS THE SAME TIMELINE THAT KEEPS MOVING AND SHIFTING. THERE ARE NOT PARALLEL
PROCESSES. WE ARE STOPPED WITH JUST THESE TWO AND IF THEY NEED MORE TIME THEY GET MORE TIME. THE 4842 HARRISON ARCHWAY ELEVATORS THE LAST DEADLINE I
HEARD WAS MARCH 24TH. THAT WAS SIX MONTHS AFTER THE INITIAL DEADLINE AND THEY JUST ACTUALLY FINISHED LAST WEEK. SO THIS IS MOVING VERY SLOWLY.
YOU HAVE A DEADLINE OF WE'RE HEARING 2026 IT TOOK ONE YEAR TO GET A CONTRACT ON EMERGENCIES THAT WORK FIRST CAME TO ADMINISTRATOR BOX ATTENTION IN 2023. SO NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A
DEADLINE OF 2026 WHICH HIT IF HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF WILL ALSO MOVE INTO POTENTIALLY 2027 INSTEAD OF EXERCISING THOSE EMERGENCY PROCUREMENTS AND
HAVING PARALLEL PARALLEL TEAMS WORKING ON ALL OF THE ELEVATORS IMMEDIATELY AND THEN THERE'S HOUSING AUTHORITY, YOU KNOW MICHEL 121 B THEY MUST MANAGE
AND MAINTAIN SAFE SANITARY HOUSING, COMPLY WITH CODES AND CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS, PORTFOLIO WIDE MAINTENANCE FAILURES AND OVERSIGHT OF NEGLECT FALLS UNDER THIS AND AND THEN LOCAL
BOSTON LAWS, STATE CODES AND ORDINANCES THE CITY CAN AND SHOULD ISSUE ORDERS DEADLINES AND PENALTIES AND FAILURE TO ENFORCE IT CAN EXPOSE THE CITY TO SCRUTINY.
SO WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE CITY BEING COMPLICIT IN NOT DOING ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS MOVES A LOT SO THAT CAN
EXPOSE THE CITY TO SCRUTINY BUT ALSO POTENTIAL TITLE TO ADA CLAIMS FOR DELIBERATE INDIFFERENCE AND FOR ME TO BE BACK HERE A YEAR LATER HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION AND ASKING THESE RESIDENTS TO COME
BACK AGAIN AND TELL ESSENTIALLY THE SAME STORIES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES YOU HAVE CIVIL RIGHTS FOR HARM WHERE RESIDENTS ARE DENIED EQUAL USE, ENJOYMENT
OF THEIR HOUSING, INCREASED HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS. WHAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM TWO OF THE RESIDENTS SO FAR ISOLATION AND MISSED MEDICAL CARE. THERE'S LEGAL REMEDIES HERE THAT WE HAVE AN EXERCISE YET
BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY ALMOST THERE. ADA SECTION 504 AND FHA CLAIMS A, B AND SANITARY CODE ENFORCEMENTS POTENTIAL HUD AND DOJ COMPLAINTS. I DO HAVE A FAIR HOUSING
COMPLAINT THAT I INITIATED IN THE SUMMERTIME AND I'M IN CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND SUPPLYING THEM WITH INFORMATION AND THEY'RE INVESTIGATING THE CLAIM THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS HERE
WHICH WE DO NOT HAVE DESPITE THAT 19 WAS COMPLETED AND THAT 42 WAS JUST COMPLETED AND IS STILL EXPERIENCING OUTAGES EVEN THOUGH WE'RE CALLING IT
COMPLETED WE NEED RELIABLE ELEVATOR ACCESS OR WE NEED ALTERNATIVES IMMEDIATELY. WE NEED TRANS PARENT TIMELINES, WE NEED EMERGENCY EGRESS PLANS BECAUSE YOU HAVE A SITUATION ON
YOUR HANDS THAT IF A FIRE BROKE OUT IN ANY OF THESE BUILDINGS YOU HAVE NO WAY OF GETTING DISABLED RESIDENTS OUT OF THAT BUILDING. NO WAY AT ALL AND NOBODY'S THINKING ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE JUST HOPING THAT A FIRE DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAPPEN. AND IN FACT I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE INSIDE THE VHA AND INSIDE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT NOTED THAT I WALKED ACROSS WASHINGTON
STREET ONE DAY AND I COULD HEAR THE FIRE ALARM GOING OFF AT 19 WHEN I GOT IN I COULD HEAR THE ALARM ON TWO FLOORS. THE FLASHERS WEREN'T WORKING. BY THE TIME I GOT UP TO THE THIRD FLOOR I COULDN'T HEAR THE ALARM BUT IT WAS STILL GOING
ON. I HAD TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MYSELF 11 MINUTES LATER FOR THEM TO RESPOND. SOME DISCONNECT IN THE ALARM PANEL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS BUT THEY SHOWED UP AND THEY DID NOT
TREAT IT LIKE IT WAS REALLY THAT BIG OF A DEAL BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF SO GOD FORBID A FIRE ACTUALLY BREAK OUT IN ANY ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS. EVERYONE'S THERE IS NO
EMERGENCY PLAN. THE RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW THE PLAN. I DON'T KNOW THE PLAN. NO ONE'S EVER DISCUSSED WHAT HAPPENS IN A REAL EMERGENCY EVEN THOUGH EVERY DAY GETTING IN AND OUT OF YOUR HOUSE IS AN EMERGENCY FOR THE VA
OPERATIONAL RISK, LEGAL EXPOSURE, GOVERNANCE RISK YOU KNOW WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE THEY'RE STATE OR OVERSIGHT AND FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT IF NONCOMPLIANCE PERSISTS.
I'M JUST GOING TO LEAVE THAT ONE RIGHT THERE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON YOU HAVE A DUTY ADA TITLE TWO IS YOUR OBLIGATION TO ENSURE THAT CITY ADMINISTERED PROGRAMS INCLUDING PUBLIC HOUSING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT
ARE ACCESSIBLE. THE RISK IS LEGAL AND POLITICAL EXPOSURE IF YOU KNOW THAT THE VIOLATIONS ARE THERE AND YOU FAIL TO ACT AND YOU CAN COMPEL COMPLIANCE THROUGH ENFORCEMENT
ORDERS, DEADLINES AND PUBLIC REPORTING AND SUPPORT EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT SO I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT BEHIND EVERY CITATION IS A PERSON AND YOU'RE
GONNA HEAR FROM THOSE PEOPLE. OKAY. I WANT TO MENTION ONE MORE THING BEFORE I WRAP UP AND THAT IS THAT I ASKED FOR PUBLIC RECORDS.
I ASKED YOU KNOW WHY WHY IS THIS MOVING SO SLOWLY? WHY WHY CAN'T WE GET VENDORS AND IF YOU HAVE $8 MILLION NOW THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE THIS CAMPAIGN STARTED TO FIX THE ELEVATORS, WHAT IS GOING
ON? WHY IS THIS BEING TREATED LIKE OH, IT'S GOING TO BE NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER OR THE YEAR AFTER? AND THEN I STARTED ASKING AROUND. I HEARD OH WELL WE'RE VHA DOESN'T PAY THEIR BILLS SO
NOBODY WANTS TO WORK WITH THE VA. SO I FOLLOWED UP ON THAT WITH PUBLIC RECORDS AND I JUST REQUESTED LAST TWO YEARS FROM THE TWO VENDORS VHA WORKED WITH THEM AND WHAT I FOUND THAT WAS
THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS AN RFP TO FIX 42 THERE WERE NO BIDDERS AND I WENT HUH, MAYBE THEY DON'T PAY THEIR BILLS. I GOT THAT PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST TWO YEARS OF UNPAID
INVOICES REASONS FOR NON PAYMENT PROOF OF PAYMENT FOR THOSE THAT WERE PAID AND INSTEAD OF TRANSPARENCY I GOT ANOTHER ROUND OF DELAY TACTICS AND WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED I
WAS TOLD ON RECORD BY EMAIL THAT JOEY THE ONSITE MANAGER PERSONALLY THE ELEVATOR VENDORS TO ARRANGE HAND DELIVERY OF OLD
INVOICE AS TO EVADE A PAPER TRAIL POTENTIALLY IT LOOKED LIKE AN ATTEMPT TO BYPASS THE THE PUBLIC RECORD. THOSE INVOICES WERE PAID YOU GUESSED IT IN LATE JANUARY RIGHT AROUND THE TIME OF THE
HUD LETTER AND ADMINISTRATOR BOX A LETTER TO ME WHERE I WAS TOLD THERE ARE NO OUTSTANDING INVOICES. BUT WHEN I REVIEWED THE DOCUMENTATION DOZENS OF INVOICES IS UP TO TWO YEARS
OVERDUE ALL CLEARED THAT MONTH THE CHAIN CLEANED UP THE PAPER TRAIL BUT NOT THE PROBLEM. SO NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT A TWO YEAR ELEVATOR MODERNIZATION PLAN WITH TWO VENDORS SAME PLAYERS.
IT'S JUST YOU HAVE FOUR REMAINING MODERNIZATIONS PROJECTED FOR A MINIMUM MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS FROM NOW AND MINIMUM IS DOING A LOT OF WORK IN THAT SENTENCE.
IF THIS ARE TRULY AN EMERGENCY AND IT IS WHY AREN'T MULTIPLE VENDORS WORKING SIMULTANEOUSLY? WHY NO TEMPORARY EXTERNAL ELEVATORS OR EMERGENCY PROCEDURES PROCUREMENT
PROTOCOLS WHICH STATE LAW ALLOWS FOR LIFE SAFETY LIFE SAFETY EMERGENCIES WHY AREN'T THOSE BEING EXPLORED? COULD THIS DRAGGING OUT ALSO BE BUDGET MANIPULATION TO AVOID THE 30% CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
TRUST THRESHOLD THAT WOULD TRIGGER HUD'S 30% RULE OVERSIGHT? AND AS SOMEONE WHO MANAGED RESIDENTIAL DORMITORIES FOR NEARLY A DECADE, I UNDERSTAND WHAT COMPETENT PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE I WALKED NIGHTLY I WROTE THE WORK ORDERS. I'VE OVERSEEN ALL OF THIS AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY.
RUTH BARCLAY RESIDENTS ARE WAITING NOW 2 TO 4 YEARS FOR EQUAL ACCESS. THE EXCUSES HAVE I'M OVER THE EXCUSES THE PATTERN IS CLEAR
I'M LOOKING AT IS A FISCAL GYMNASTICS TO DEFLECT RESPONSIBILITY AND PROTECT IMAGE OVER RESIDENTS SAFETY AND SECURITY. I DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT IT
COULD BE MULTIFACTORIAL BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THIS IS A BIPOC COMMUNITY WHO HAS STRUGGLED FOR TOO LONG AND THEIR RENT REMAINS THE SAME. THEY'RE LIVING IN SUBSTANDARD
CONDITIONS AND YOU'VE JUST HEARD TODAY FROM ADMINISTRATOR BOK THAT SO MUCH HAS CHANGED AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM AND HAVE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS SAYING NO IT DOESN'T.
SO WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? TREAT IT LIKE AN EMERGENCY NOW INVOKE THE EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT TO MOBILIZE WORK ORDERS WORK EXCUSE ME THE WORK ON THE ELEVATORS IMMEDIATELY AND RUN MULTIPLE VENDORS IN
PARALLEL DEPLOY TEMPORARY ACCESSIBILITY IF YOU NEED TO. THEY DO THIS AT INDYCAR RACES. YOU CAN PUT AN ELEVATOR UP. I MEAN I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S THE BEST SOLUTION. I'M BRAINSTORMING IDEAS BECAUSE
IT SEEMS LIKE NOBODY IS REALLY LOOKING INTO WHAT IS THE SHORT TERM. WE CAN'T WAIT TWO YEARS TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE HOUSE AND PUBLISHED BUILDING SPECIFIC EVALUATION EXCUSE ME EVACUATION
PLANS FOR RESIDENTS WITH MOBILITY IMPAIRMENTS I WOULD LIKE YOU TO MAKE ACCESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY VISIBLE CREATE A PUBLIC ELEVATOR OUTAGE DASHBOARD WITH START AND STOP
TIMES CAUSES VENDORS INFO AND REPAIR TIMELINES. I SAY THIS BECAUSE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROTOCOL LAST YEAR AS A RESULT OF THE ACCESS BOARD HEARING THAT
PROTOCOL IS NOT BEING FOLLOWED. THAT PROTOCOL IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE RESIDENTS SEE AND EXPERIENCE. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU SEEK DETAILED INFORMATION
OF HOW MANY TIMES BESIDES THE ONE TIME I KNOW OF WAS THERE ACTUALLY A AN EMPLOYED RESIDENT STATIONED AT THE DOORS OF ANY BUILDING WHEN AN ELEVATOR WENT DOWN?
THEY'RE READY WILLING AND ABLE TO HELP RESIDENTS TO GET THEIR MAIL THEY GET THEIR PACKAGES INSTEAD THEY'RE TOLD CALL THE OFFICE WELL AND ELEVATORS ARE DOWN AND PEOPLE ARE UPSET THE OFFICE DOESN'T ANSWER THE PHONE
SO HOW CAN THEY GET HELP? HOW THE WORK OR LIVE OAK WORK WATER LINE GETS CALLED AND THEN THEY THERE ISN'T A WORK ORDER ALWAYS GENERATED FOR AN ELEVATOR OUTAGE.
AGAIN IT LOOKS LIKE AN ATTEMPT TO MANIPULATE THE DATA. INSTEAD SOMEBODY FROM THE OFFICE WILL COME OVER AND ATTEMPT TO RESET IT AND THAT'S NOT CAPTURED IN ANYWHERE THAT
THAT I CAN SAY WE'VE GOT TO FIX THAT COMPLIANCE BACKBONE AND DESIGNATE. I'D LIKE TO SEE AN ADA COORDINATOR OVER THERE. I'D LIKE TO SEE ALL THE VENDOR
RELATIONS REPAIRED AND A PAPER TRAIL FOR THAT PAYING EVERYBODY NOT JUST THE TWO TWO YEARS THAT I WENT BACK YOU KNOW LOOKING PRE QUALIFYING ADDITIONAL ELEVATOR CONTRACTS TO EXPAND
CAPACITY USING ESCROW OR MILESTONE BASED PAYMENTS TO ATTRACT QUALIFIED BIDDERS I'D LIKE TO SEE INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT WITH RESIDENTS AT THE TABLE. I BELIEVE ONE OF THE COUNCILORS
TALKED ABOUT THAT WHETHER IT'S A RESIDENT SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY OVERSIGHT PANEL OR MONTHLY PUBLIC MEETINGS UNTIL THIS ELEVATOR PERFORMANCE STABILIZES. BUT KEEPING RESIDENTS IN THE
LOOP BECAUSE THEY ALL THEY HEAR IS OH, IT'S HAPPENING, WE'RE WORKING ON IT, WE'RE WORKING ON IT AND THAT DOESN'T FLY ANYMORE . AND THEN I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS COUNCIL BIND IT WITH ENFORCEABLE TIMELINES WHETHER THAT'S A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
WITH SPECIFIC DATES FOR INTERIM ACCESS, PROCUREMENT AND MODERNIZATION OR SOME PLAN SOMETHING THAT TIES CITY SUPPORTS AND AWARDS ON TIME PERFORMANCE AND IMPOSES
PENALTIES FOR MISSED MILESTONE AND THEN ESCALATION IF THE DEADLINES KEEP SLIPPING LIKE THEY DID WITH 42. IF BHP MISSES MILESTONES THE CITY SHOULD INVOLVE HUD AND DOJ
AND CONSIDER STATE INTERVENTION . LIKE I SAID I REPORTED A FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINT AND I'M RESPONDING TO THE REQUESTS BUT I'M ALSO INVESTIGATING POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CONSTRUCTIVE EVICTIONS
OF SEVERAL RUTH BERKELEY RESIDENTS WHO WERE WHO WERE FORCED OUT. SO EACH DAY OF INACTION IS CONTINUING ADA IN SECTION FIVE OR FOUR VIOLATIONS AT THE VERY
LEAST THE REALITY CHECK HERE IS ADMINISTRATOR BOX DAC WHILE IT DID HAVE MANY THINGS THAT I'M SURE ARE VERY USEFUL TO SUMMARIZE IT, IT'S THE MOST PRESSING CONCERNS FOR THE
RESIDENTS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU TODAY. WE'LL LOOK AT THAT DAC AND SEE THAT IT PAINTS AN UPBEAT PORTFOLIO WIDE PICTURE AND IT OMITS AN AWFUL LOT AND THAT IS
THEIR TRUE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF WHAT THEY DO AND WHAT THEY SEE EVERY SINGLE DAY AND A HUGE GAP BETWEEN THE TEXT MESSAGE AND THEIR LIVED REALITY. THEY CAN'T RELY ON THESE
PROTOCOLS OR HOTEL VOUCHERS AS SUBSTITUTES TO ACCESS THEIR OWN HOMES AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IS IT'S NOT MISFORTUNATE AND IT'S
NOT OH THE PANDEMIC OR OH, THE LONG PROCESS FOR PROCUREMENT OR ALL THE PARTS AND THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT MADAM CHAIR, YOU ASKED KENSI SOME NICE QUESTIONS THAT
ENABLED HER TO ANSWER VERY EASILY. BUT THE REALITY IS ADMINISTRATOR BOK KNEW OF THIS SIX WEEKS INTO I BELIEVE SIX WEEKS INTO TAKING THE POSITION
I WAS PRESENT IN HER LIFE AND FIRST IT WAS WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AND NOW IT'S ALL THESE OTHER EXCUSES. THIS IS A PATTERN AND IT APPEARS NOW TO BE BORDERING ON
MALADMINISTRATION AND PROMISES MADE, DEADLINES MISSED, TRUTH WITHHELD VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL STATE LAW BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY VIOLATIONS OF BASIC HUMAN DIGNITY. THANK YOU, MISSILES. THANK YOU.
TIME'S UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, MADAM CHAIR?
WE'LL BE GOING TO DO PUBLIC TESTIMONY OF YEAH, WE CAN GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. YEAH, WILL BE WELL, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT YOUR SUGGESTION. THAT'S FINE.
I CAN DO NO, MADAM CHAIR, I WAS JUST ASKING A QUESTION. OH, I THOUGHT YOUR REQUEST. SORRY. NO, NO, I'M JUST I JUST WANTED TO WE HAVE SEVERAL FOLKS WHO ARE IN ATTENDANCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WE CAN TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY
OF THAT MAY BE HELPFUL. THANK YOU FOR I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD ACTUALLY BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WAITING LIKE OKAY, SO DENISE CAMPBELL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME DOWN?
THANK YOU. THANKS FOR BEING HERE, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. YOU GOT 2 MINUTES. GOOD MORNING TO YOU, KELSEY. MY NAME DENISE CAMPBELL. YES, I BRING IT UP PLUS I LIVE
OUR 47 HABITS AND ACTUALLY I LIVE ON A FLOOR. THE ELEVATOR BREAKS DOWN CONSTANTLY AND I'M IT'S THE OTHER DAY THE ELEVATOR BROKE DOWN FOR TWO DAYS.
HAD TO STAY IN A HOUSE BECAUSE I COULDN'T GET OUT YOU CALL THEY DON'T ANSWER BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE CALLING FOR THE ELEVATORS. OKAY JUST LIKE THE METS THE
PLAN SAID SHE'S A SCENE. ROSIE IT'S NOT ROSIE. I MEAN I WAS THE ONE WHO HAD MY APARTMENT FLOODED.
I LIVE ON THE EIGHTH FLOOR. MY APARTMENT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE FLOODED. I GOT VIDEOTAPE OF THE FLOOD. MY APARTMENT FLOODED 4:00 IN THE MORNING, 2:00 IN THE MORNING.
WHAT DO I SUPPOSED TO DO? I'M NOT GOING TO CALL NO MAN TO COME INTO MY HOUSE WHEN I'M BY MYSELF BUT I DO CALL. THEY DON'T COME. THE ELEVATOR ISSUE IS IS TOO
MUCH. I WAS IN THE ELEVATOR FOR A WHOLE HOUR WHEN THE FIREMEN CAME AND GOT ME. I WAS ON THE FLOOR, CAME OUT
THE ELEVATOR DRENCHED WITH SWEAT. DON HAS THE VIDEO IF Y'ALL NEED ANY VIDEO I HAVE THEM, YOU KNOW, AND SHE'S TALKING ABOUT
THEY DO THE FLOORS. THEY CHECK THE FLOORS ONLY ON THE FIRST FLOOR. THEY ONLY PAINTED THE FIRST FLOOR WALL. THEY ONLY DID THE FLOORS ON THE FIRST FLOOR. SO FROM THE FROM THE SECOND
FLOOR UP IT'S THE SAME IT'S DIRTY, IT'S NASTY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND AND THE FIREMEN ISSUE WHEN WE CALL THEM AND SAY OH, WE CAN'T GET UPSTAIRS.
THEY SAY THAT'S NOT THEIR PROBLEM. THEY CAN'T COME GET US. SO WHAT IF I LEFT WENT SHOPPING AND CAME BACK HOME? HOW WOULD I GET MY FOOD
UPSTAIRS SO I WOULD HAVE TO STAY OUTSIDE AND WAIT FOR THE ELEVATOR THE PEOPLE TO COME AND FIX IT. THEY DON'T COME ALL THE TIME. THANK YOU. THANK THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. BUT I RENT IT SO RENTERS NO
ANYBODY FRANK BAKER CONSIDER FORMER COUNCILOR FRANK BAKER AND THANK YOU.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR FOR FOR ALLOWING ME TO TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS FRANK BAKER. I LIVE I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE IN DORCHESTER COUNCIL FILLING IN. COUNCILOR MURPHY, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED. WE HEAR A LOT AND WE HEAR A LOT FROM PEOPLE THAT SAY THEY GREW UP IN IN HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS.
I THINK THE BIGGEST THE GLARING FACT THAT I'M SEEING HERE THAT THERE'S ONLY THREE COUNCILS HERE ADVOCATING FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE IN DIRE NEED. IF THIS WERE A PRIVATE OWNER,
THE PITCHFORKS WOULD BE OUT. BUT BECAUSE IT'S POLITICIZED AND BECAUSE WE OWN IT AS THE CITY PEOPLE ARE NOT HERE TO TO TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE HAD A HARD REPORT THAT'S ALARMING AND PEOPLE ON HERE RAISING THAT THAT QUESTION I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY WE SHOULD REALLY QUESTION SOME OF THE COUNCILORS
THAT THAT THAT TALK A GOOD TALK YOU KNOW WE NEED WE NEED TO REAL ACTION HERE ARE A COUPLE COUPLE THINGS ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK BASICALLY SAID NO WHEN
THERE WAS ANY OVERSIGHT ON THE BUDGET WE JUST HEARD DONALD'S TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET HOW HOW SOMETHING'S HAPPENING ALL THE BILLS ARE NOT BEING PAID SO THAT SHOULD HAPPEN EVEN THOUGH
THE FEDS DON'T GIVE THEM MONEY ON THE SAME SCHEDULE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY CAN'T COME IN AND ANSWER QUESTIONS TO THIS PARTY BECAUSE REMEMBER AS THE COUNCIL YOU ARE THE BALANCE
TO THE THE THE POWERS THAT BE IN THIS CITY. SO IT'S INCUMBENT ON THIS COUNCIL TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND AND THE OTHER
THE OTHER THING IS I THINK IT'S TIME TO BRING IN WHETHER IT'S MONTHLY, BI MONTHLY OR AT LEAST QUARTERLY A REPORT THAT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMES IN AND
REPORTS OUT TO THIS COUNCIL SO AND THERE SHOULD BE 13 PEOPLE HERE TO ONLY HAVE THREE PEOPLE HERE AND ONE PERSON TO SHOW UP FOR 5 MINUTES AND LEAVE THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE FOR THIS COUNCIL SO SHOW UP AND DO YOUR
JOB. THANK YOU BRIAN. NEXT UP IS ALAN CHAMBERLAIN'S
ALAN CHAMBERLAIN AND I GOT YOUR NAME RIGHT? YEAH. YOU NEED TO BRING THE
MICROPHONE DOWN SO YOU CAN REACH IT. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. WELCOME. HI, MADAME CHAIRMAN. COUNCILOR FLYNN. I'M SORRY I CAN'T SEE YOU.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY AND TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO US. NO ONE LISTENS. WE CALL THIS PERSON.
WE CALL THAT PERSON. WE CALL THIS OFFICE. WE CALL THAT ADMINISTRATOR. WE CALL THIS MANAGER AND NOT TO BE REPEATING WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID IS OH, WE'RE WORKING
ON IT. THERE'S NO MONEY. IT'S IN THE PROCESS. THE CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN LET OUT .
I WAS AT A MEETING YESTERDAY THAT FOR SPECIFIC FOR THE ELEVATORS AND YESTERDAY WAS JUST START DATE THE OFFICIAL START DATE AND IT'S GOING TO
TAKE SIX MONTHS MINIMUM FOR THE EQUIPMENT TO BE DELIVERED SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY START WORK ON
14 AND 16 THAT DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT 47 AND 27 I BELIEVE IT IS NOW THERE WAS NO
MENTION ABOUT THOSE TWO BUILDINGS AND I WAS INVITED JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE THIS EVENT HAPPENED SO I SHOEHORNED
IT IN AND I REALLY WASN'T PREPARED FOR WHAT WAS GOING TO BE GOING ON AND IT WAS ALL LIKE EVERYBODY KNEW EVERYBODY ELSE AND WHAT WAS GOING ON AND I WAS
CLOSED SO I WAS NOT ABLE TO ASK TWO QUESTIONS WHY WEREN'T YOU KNEW IT WAS COMING YOU THE DESIGNS WERE IN PLACE. WHY WASN'T THE EQUIPMENT
ORDERED MONTHS AGO SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT YET ANOTHER SIX MONTHS? THERE IS I LIVE IN A TWO ELEVATOR BUILDING. I MOVED FROM A ONE ELEVATED BUILDING TO A TWO ELEVATOR
BUILDING BUT IT MIGHT AS WELL BE A ONE ELEVATOR BUILDING BECAUSE THE OTHER ONE HASN'T WORKED IN YEARS YEARS AND AGAIN IT'S AN EQUIPMENT ISSUE. OH, WE CAN'T GET PARTS WE CAN'T
GET THIS WELL IF YOU KNOW THERE ARE A CERTAIN PARTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED, WHY NOT GET A COUPLE OF THEM AND HAVE THEM WAITING? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANKS FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE TASK FORCE THAT YOU RUTH BARCLAY AND PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF BEING IGNORED.
THEY DON'T PARTICIPATE BECAUSE THEY HEAR THE SAME THINGS ALL THE TIME AND IT'S ALWAYS OH WELL THIS IS BEING WORKED ON THAT'S GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. WE'RE DOING THIS. WE'RE DOING THAT.
WE HAD A HUGE MEETING WHERE THEY EXPLAINED HOW ALL THESE WORK ORDERS WERE TAKING CARE OF AND THEY BUT THE FACT OF THE
MATTER IS THAT A LOT OF THOSE WORK ORDERS WERE SO OLD THAT THE PEOPLE HAD MOVED OR PASSED
AND THE APARTMENTS WERE BASICALLY RENOVATED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I WISH I HAD MUCH MORE TIME BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH THAT I
WANT TO SAY THANK YOU CONSUL FLYNN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD YOUR FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS FOR THE SECOND PANEL? YEAH. AND THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO FIRST OF ALL SAY THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS FOR TESTIFYING THE STORY YOU TOLD WERE
HEARTBREAKING AND DIFFICULT TO HEAR BUT IT WAS THE HONEST TRUTH AND NOW GOVERNMENT KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON AND
WILL GOVERNMENT STAND UP AND SUPPORT RESIDENTS IS THE QUESTION OR WILL WE CONTINUE THE STATUS QUO BY IGNORING THINGS?
THAT'S THE CHOICE WE HAVE TO MAKE IS IGNORE RESIDENTS OR SUPPORT RESIDENTS. BUT I TAKE IT TAKE ISSUES
IMPACTING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND SENIORS VERY SERIOUSLY. I THINK MANY PEOPLE HERE HIGHLIGHTED AND QUOTING DON VIOLATIONS IN MY OPINION
VIOLATIONS OF STATE LAW AND VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL LAW THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION I THINK IS THE ADA AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
I THINK WE ARE IN VIOLATION OF THE AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT . YES. WHEN WHEN I HEARD THE STORY FOR
A SECOND TIME ABOUT A MOTHER THAT COULDN'T GET TO HER SON'S FUNERAL BECAUSE OF THE ELEVATOR ,WE CAN'T IGNORE THAT.
IMAGINE BURYING YOUR SON. YOUR SON, YOUR CHILD IS HAS DIED AND YOU NOT BEING ABLE TO GO THERE BECAUSE OF THE ELEVATOR BROKE DOWN AS BROKEN
DOWN. THAT'S THAT'S INHUMANE. THERE'S NOTHING MORE DISRESPECTFUL IN IN MY LIFE
THAN I HEARD WHAT THAT STORY WAS SO I WANT I WANT US TO GO FORWARD TODAY WHAT THE PLAN AND
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A PLAN ON HOW WE GO FORWARD BUT THE STATUS QUO FOR ME JUST CAN'T CONTINUE AND WHETHER IT'S A STATE INVESTIGATION, WHETHER
IT'S A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION OR ASKING VHA TO DO THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION ABOUT THE COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF QUALITY
OF LIFE ISSUES OF PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES IN RUTH I THINK HAS TO TAKE PLACE WE CAN'T IGNORE IT. I THINK THERE HAS TO BE A WRITTEN REPORT ON THE COMPLETE
BREAKDOWN AND A WRITTEN REPORT AS WELL HOW WE GO FORWARD IN WRITING WHEN THINGS ARE GOING TO BE ACCOMPLISHED AND IN FIXED
. SO MY QUESTIONS I'M GOING TO ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS TO TO DON AT THIS TIME. DON, YOU HIGHLIGHTED A LOT
OF ISSUES IMPACTING RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY ON ELEVATORS AND IN RATS AND QUALITY OF LIFE AND MOLD. AND I'VE MET WITH YOU, DON, HALF A DOZEN TIMES AND WITH
RESIDENTS. BUT DON, DO YOU HAVE THIS INFORMATION IN DOCUMENTED IN TERMS OF IS THIS IN WRITING OR IS THIS JUST STORIES THAT YOU
HAVE HEARD OR DO YOU HAVE THE EVIDENCE OF OF OF ALL OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED? YEAH. SO ACTUALLY THIS IS A BINDER WITH THE ARCHITECT ACCESS BOARD
COMPLAINTS IN IT I HAVE NOTES ON MY PHONE OF MANY MANY GOING BACK A FEW YEARS IF YOU'RE ASKING DO I HAVE A FORMAL CRM SOFTWARE THAT I'M TRACKING
EVERYTHING NO I HAVE MY PERSONAL NOTES ON IT. I KNOW WHO I TALK TO WHEN I TALK TO THEM AND THEN AT THE POINT THAT I STARTED FILING THE ACCESS BOARD COMPLAINTS THAT HAS JUST BEEN THE MOST OF THE
DOCUMENT ATION. SO I INVESTIGATED THIS ABOUT I HAVE ABOUT TWO YEARS OF DATA BEFORE I STARTED DOING A FORMAL ORGANIZING CAMPAIGN BUT THE
ANSWER IS THIS ISN'T JUST MADE UP STORIES. THIS ISN'T JUST YOU KNOW I CAN GO FIND ANY RESIDENT IN ANY BUILDING AND AND HAVE THEY KNOW WHAT THE LIVED EXPERIENCE IS
AND WE HAVE TIMELINES DOCUMENTED FOR IF YOU SAID TALK TO ME ABOUT SUPER BOWL SUNDAY FOUR YEARS AGO ABSOLUTELY I'D BE ABLE TO GO AND TELL YOU OKAY, IT WAS SNOWING THAT DAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FOUR YEARS AGO BUT IT WAS SNOWING THAT DAY. THE ELEVATOR WENT DOWN. A RESIDENT WAS TRAPPED OUTSIDE AFTER MIDNIGHT AND COULDN'T GET BACK IN AND MISS THE SUPER BOWL WAS IN THE SNOW, HAD TO GO TO
WHOLE FOODS TO USE THE BATHROOM. YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER ALL OF THESE STORIES AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU IF YOU ASK ME TO QUANTIFY EVERYTHING AND BUILD A
DATABASE, I COULD ABSOLUTELY DO THAT ESPECIALLY IN PLACES WHERE FOR EXAMPLE, I PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO WHEN THE ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD
ASKED RUTH ASKED VHA TO PROVIDE MONTHLY REPORTS ON ELEVATOR OUTAGES FOR 19 MONTHS IN A REYNOLDS WAY AND THEY DID NOT
PROVIDE THOSE ELEVATOR REPORTS AND THEN FOUR MONTHS LATER SAID FOR REASONS BEYOND OUR CONTROL WE COULD NOT PROVIDE DETAILS OF THE REPORTS. WELL, I CAN GET DETAILS OF HOW HOW OFTEN THE ELEVATORS WERE
DOWN SIMPLY BY GOING THROUGH TEXT MESSAGES OF ALL THE RESIDENTS WHO TEXTED ME WHEN THE ELEVATORS WERE DOWN. YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST HOWEVER MANY MONTHS OR MONTHS. SO SO DON, ARE YOU SAYING THAT
THE ARCHITECTURE ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD MANDATED BOSTON TO KEEP TRACK OF WHEN THE ELEVATORS ARE DOWN AT ROUTE
BERKELEY AND WE DIDN'T KEEP TRACK OF THAT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO THEY WERE MANDATED TO PROVIDE THEIR LAWYER WROTE A LETTER RECENTLY THEY WERE MANDATED I WAS AT THE HEARING
THEY WERE TOLD THEY MUST PROVIDE EVERY 30 DAYS REPORTS ON HOW MANY ELEVATOR HOW WHEN THE ELEVATOR WENT DOWN, HOW LONG IT WAS OFFLINE THEY
DEFINED OFFLINE ANY TIME IT WAS NOT IN GOOD WORKING ORDER, NOT IF IT, YOU KNOW, HAD A TEMPORARY DISRUPTION THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE A WORK ORDER THAT STILL COUNTS AS OFFLINE
AND AND OTHER DETAILS AND THEY PROVIDED INITIALLY THEY THEY REPORTED AND THEN THEY MISSED FOR FOUR MONTHS OF REPORTING AND THEN THE WEEK THAT THE
ATTORNEY WROTE A LETTER SAYING SHE WAS RETIRING AND SENT IT TO THE ACCESS BOARD, SHE SAID FOR REASONS BEYOND MY CONTROL I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THE THE REPORTS AND THEN IT
LOOKED LIKE THE REPORT THE FINAL REPORT SOME OF THE REPORTING THAT THE ACCESS BOARD HAS BEEN GETTING FROM VHA WAS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE REPORTING THAT THE RESIDENTS
HAVE GIVEN TO ME AND THE REPORTING THAT AND WHAT I'VE OBSERVED FIRSTHAND ABOUT ELEVATORS FOR EXAMPLE, 19 MONTHS SENIOR RENTALS WAY THERE
VHA HAS REQUESTED TO CLOSE OUT THAT COMPLAINT WELL, 19 MONTHS IN A RENTAL WAY REYNOLDS WAY STILL HAS HAD WHAT APPEAR TO BE NOW UNDOCUMENTED ELEVATOR OUTAGES GIVEN THAT THE WORK
ORDER DOESN'T EXIST, THE ELEVATOR WILL STOP WORKING THE WAY IT SHOULD BE TEMPORARILY OR FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. SOMETIMES A CALL GOES OVER TO THE HOUSING OFFICE. THEY COME OVER, THEY DO
SOMETHING AND RESET THE ELEVATOR AND THEN THE FIXES AND THAT EVADES DOCUMENTATION. MAYBE IT'S IN THAT NEW SYSTEM THAT ADMINISTRATOR BOK MENTIONED BUT I DON'T KNOW IT'S NOT COME IT'S NOT BEEN DOCUMENTED.
IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN DARK. IT'S BEEN TOLD TO THE ACCESS BOARD THAT EVERYTHING IS FINE AT 19 AND I KNOW FROM SPEAKING TO RESIDENTS AT 19 THAT THERE HAVE BEEN HICCUPS ALBEIT IT ALBEIT NOT AS SEVERE AS WHAT
LED TO THIS WHOLE THING STARTING AND THE WHOLE KICK OFF OF THE CAMPAIGN BUT STILL HICCUPS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE ONE CALL SYSTEM WAS SEND OUT A MESSAGE I MIGHT BE SAYING THE NAME OF THE
SYSTEM WRONG I'M SORRY I ALWAYS GET THAT FLIPPED IN MY HEAD BUT SENT OUT A MESSAGE TO RESIDENTS SAYING WE HAVE TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY REPAIR IN YOUR BUILDING IN THE UP IN THE ELEVATOR WILL BE DOWN FOR AN
HOUR AND THEY DON'T SAY WHAT DAY OR WHAT HOUR IT'S GOING TO BE DOWN AND THAT'S A DISRUPTION AND YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT HAVING TO PRESS AN ELEVATOR
BUTTON ON THE THIRD FLOOR AT 19 MONTHS REYNOLDS WAY TO BE ABLE TO GO TO HAVE TO PRESS THE DOWN BUTTON IN ORDER TO CATCH AN ELEVATOR TO GO UP WHEN I REPORTED THAT IN THIS BINDER
WITH THE VERY FIRST ACCESS BOARD IN JULY 2023, I THINK I REPORTED THAT TO THE MASSACHUSETTS ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD WAS PART AS PART OF THAT OF OF PROBLEM OF BEING
OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE MAYBES REGULATIONS. SO THANK YOU. I JUST LEARNED THAT YOUR TIME'S UP NOW I UNDERSTAND, MADAM
CHAIR, I'M NOT GOING TO ASK A QUESTION BUT BUT WOULD WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK VHA WHY THEY'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH
ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD MANDATES SINCE THEY'RE HERE? BUT AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TIME AWAY FROM MY COLLEAGUES EITHER. NO, I THINK COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE SOME TIME.
YOUR QUESTION I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ANOTHER LEAD SPONSOR COMES FROM HE HAS JUST JOINED US AND I WAS UNAWARE THAT COUNTRY WHERE I WAS SITTING BEHIND ME.
SO HE'S BEEN IN CONTACT. WELCOME TO MEJIA COUNTRY MURPHY SURE. OH SO I'LL USE MY FIRST FEW SECONDS THEN TO ASK THAT
QUESTION THAT COUNCILOR FLYNN WANTED TO SO IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HAVE THEM THE ADMINISTRATION ANSWER IT HERE. I'D LIKE TO PUT IT ON THE RECORD WHY THE MANDATES FOR THE
ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD MANDATES HAVE NOT BEEN SUBMITTED. IF I COULD ASSERT THROUGH THE CHAIR YEAH, WE CERTAINLY WE CAN ASK THAT QUESTION.
DOES THAT JUST BE SHOW IN WRITING? YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU OR WE COULD GET IT BEFORE WE LEAVE. SO THANK YOU DON, FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW WHEN WE WERE HERE PROBABLY A YEAR AGO I SAID THE
SAME THING THE RESIDENTS AT RUTH BARCLAY AND THE RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY ARE LUCKY TO HAVE SOMEONE LIKE YOU WHO IS WILLING TO HAVE THE
UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS AND I KNOW THAT THE YEARS THAT OUR COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR BOK THEN AND NOW ADMINISTRATOR BOK KNOWS
THIS IS IN PERSONAL THIS IS THE QUESTIONS WE NEED TO ASK. THESE ARE IN SOME INSTANCES LIFE AND DEATH AND NOT JUST UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATIONS THAT OUR RESIDENTS IN THE CITY
OF BOSTON ARE LIVING IN AND WE DO TALK ABOUT IT. IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP AND THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BAKER, FOR CALLING THIS OUT LIKE WE DO SAY OFTENTIMES ON OTHER ISSUES THAT
WE NEED TO CALL OUT THE BAD ACTORS. WE NEED TO GO AFTER THOSE WHO ARE NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING. WE NEED TO USE OUR POLITICAL
WILL AND AS A BODY, AS A COUNCIL TO USE THAT POWER TO ENFORCE RULES AND REFORMS VIOLATIONS AND MAKE SURE THE RESIDENTS ARE GETTING EXACTLY
WHAT THEY NEED. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS LIKE VIPS OR WHEN IT'S IN THIS CASE VHA, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS BODY DOESN'T
WANT TO WORK TOGETHER AND REALLY DEMAND. MAY I INTERJECT CONTROVERSY IS THERE I KNOW I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE HAD A HEARING ON THIS
ISSUE LAST NOVEMBER. THIS ISSUE WAS ADDRESSED DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS AGAIN THIS YEAR AND I THINK WE'VE WE'VE WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME DISCUSSING THIS AND ARE YOU ANSWERING THE QUESTION I WAS
GOING TO ASK? NO, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION IN CHAIR SO IF YOU DON'T WANT ME TO SPEAK NO IT'S CLEAR SO YOU CAN GO ON TO THAT'S FINE.
I WANT YOU TO SPEAK BUT I REALLY DO SAY I THINK THERE'S OFTEN TIMES YOU SAY THINGS I DON'T AGREE WITH. I ALWAYS AM RESPECTFUL, ALWAYS .
AND SO I THINK IT'S I DON'T THINK MOVE ON AS THE CHAIR YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT AND INTERRUPTING COLLEAGUES IS WHAT YOU CHOSE SO YOU PARDON I'M GOING TO END CONTROVERSY. NO WAIT A MINUTE NO YOU DON'T
HAVE TO SPEAK I DON'T THINK I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD INSINUATE THAT THERE ARE BAD ACTORS ARE BAD ACTORS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THEY'RE A BAD OKAY WELL IN THIS IN THIS HEARING ON HERE SAYING
ANY PERSONAL WORDS AND IN THIS ROOM, YOU KNOW WHEN THIS THIS BODY USES THAT WORD OFTEN WHEN WHEN I REFERENCED OTHER THINGS LIKE RODENTS IN TRASH PICKUP
AND CONTRACTORS AND WHEN WE'RE FIGHTING FOR THINGS SO FOR FOR YOU TO INTERJECT AND MAKE AN ASSUMPTION IS UNPROFESSIONAL BUT I'M ASKING FOR MY TIME TO END. ABSOLUTELY.
I WILL ADD TIME TO YOUR THING BUT I REALLY DO. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE INSINUATING THAT IN THIS CONTEXT OF THIS HEARING THAT THERE ARE BAD ACTORS. I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT YOU
THINK I MEANT. WELL, SO MAYBE OFFLINE WE CAN BE OR MAY BE ONLINE SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE REFERENCING. WHO IS IT YOU THINK I'M CALLING A BAD ACTOR? YOU USED THE TERM BAD ACTOR SO
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NO MOTIVATION. WHO DO YOU THINK I'M SPEAKING ABOUT? I DON'T KNOW BUT YOU INTERRUPTED WHICH IS SO WILDLY UNPROFESSIONAL SO I WANT TO KNOW I BEG YOU BECAUSE I AM
LUTELY ISN'T A PERSON I'M REFERENCING. OH OKAY. I NEVER WAS NO I'M GOING TO ADD TO YOUR TIME BUT I REALLY JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THERE'S NO BAD ACTORS IN THIS
CONVERSATION TODAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM. THAT'S RIGHT. I'VE ADDED TWO EXTRA MINUTES. I'M SORRY I KEEP ASKING YOU NOT
TO GIVE ME MORE TIME JUST TO GIVE RESPECT BUT I HOPE I'M AT A LOSS. YOU SAY THAT ONE NOW. I'M SORRY TO THE RESIDENTS TO THE CITY.
I'M JUST GOING TO LET MY COLLEAGUES GO. I SAY IT'S A CONCERN TO ME.
YOU'RE A LEAD SPONSOR. DO YOU HAVE YOU HAVE 8 MINUTES . THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE
FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS HEARING ORDER. I JUST WANT TO SAY A NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE
RESIDENTS NOW FOR TWO YEARS REGARDING ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING ON VHA AND WE DID A TOUR HOLD ON. LET ME TELL YOU WE DID A TOUR CALLED DYING TO LIVE WHERE WE
INVESTIGATED WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND BHP PEOPLE WERE LIVING IN ROW AND INFESTING APARTMENTS THINGS THAT WERE CRUMBLING DOWN APARTMENT REQUESTS THAT HAD
BEEN GONE NEGLECTED. THIS WAS TWO YEARS AGO AND HERE WE ARE HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION AGAIN. RIGHT. AND PEOPLE STILL DEMANDING JUST
US RIGHT AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE WHETHER VHA FIXES YOUR CASE CONCERNS THEY STILL WANT TO GET PAID AND THAT'S WHAT WE
HAVE COME TO REALIZE WITH A LOT OF THE CASES THAT WE'VE HAD TO HELP RIGHT IS THAT THERE WAS A MOM AT VHA AT BROMLEY HEATH,
MILDRED HAYLEY WHO WHOSE HOME WAS RAT FILLED AND ROACHES THAT THE ROACHES AND THE MICE WERE EATING HER DAUGHTER'S FOOD AND
SHE WOULD GO FOOD SHOPPING A LOW WAGE WORKER AND EVERY SINGLE THING THAT SHE BOUGHT WAS SPOILED. THEY LITERALLY WERE EATING HER
OUT OF HER HOME BUT YET SHE STILL HAD TO PAY HER RENT. YEAH. AND SO THAT'S FOR ME WHY I DECIDED TO BE A CO-SPONSOR FOR
THIS PARTICULAR HEARING ORDER BECAUSE THE WORLD IS UPSIDE DOWN RIGHT NOW AND IT'S NOT ABOUT CALLING PEOPLE OUT FOR THE SAKE OF CALLING PEOPLE OUT BECAUSE NOBODY WINS WHEN WE PLAY THOSE GAMES.
THAT IS NOT WHAT MY MISSION IS . MY HOPE IS IN THIS HEARING IS FOR US TO GET THINGS ON THE RECORD TO UNDERSTAND THE
DISCREPANCIES SO THAT WE HAVE A PLACE TO START WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE IT IT'S VERY EASY FOR PEOPLE TO COME HERE AND SPEND 45 MINUTES TALKING ABOUT ALL
THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING. THEN WE HEAR ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT HAPPENING AND THERE'S A CONTRADICTION THERE.
AND SO FOR ME RIGHT, MY HOPE IS IN OUR TIME TOGETHER THAT WE CAN MOVE TO A PLACE OF RESOLUTION AND NOT ABOUT POINTING FINGERS BECAUSE
ACCOUNTABILITY IS EVERYBODY AND HERE ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL WE UTILIZE OUR PLATFORM AND OUR MICROPHONE TO PUSH FOR MORE MONEY FOR INSPECTORS AND
FOR TICKETS TO GET PROCESSED SOONER. BUT THERE'S STILL SEEMS TO BE A BOTTLENECK WHEN IT COMES TO PRODUCING RESULTS AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TO DISCOVER
TODAY IS FIGURING OUT WHAT THOSE ROADBLOCKS ARE SO THAT WE CAN GET A TOW TRUCK TO MOVE THEM RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO GET TO YES OR NO.
OKAY. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TOGETHER, RIGHT? AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ADVERSARIAL. RIGHT. BUT IT'S CALLED IN MY HOUSE IT'S CALLED I DON'T KNOW I
DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE GROUND RULES BUT NORMALLY YOU HAVE TO Y'ALL GOT TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK. THEY DID THAT. OKAY. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO ENGAGE BECAUSE NORMALLY THEY HAVE A LITTLE GAVEL. SO LET ME FINISH MY PART AND
THEN YOU CAN COME BACK IF THEY LET YOU. BUT LET ME FINISH MY PART BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE HERE SO I'M GOING TO ASK A QUESTION. GIVE ME WHO YOU'RE DIRECTING THE QUESTION WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY HERE FROM THE
DEMONSTRATION. IT'S IT'S THEY'RE LISTENING. YOU WOULD IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS WE'D LIKE TO PUT THEM ON THE RECORD. YES. I'M GOING TO PUT MY QUESTION FOLLOW UP WITH ANSWERS. OKAY. SO NOW THAT I'VE DONE MY
DISSERTATION AND THE TIME THAT I HAVE LET ME FINISH MY THOUGHT AND THEN I WILL ASK MY QUESTIONS ON THE RECORD. I I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE
TO WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND APOLOGIZE FOR THE CONDITIONS WHICH YOU'RE LIVING IN. AND IF NOBODY HAS DONE THAT YET, ALLOW ME TO SAY I AM SORRY. OKAY.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO MY QUESTION IS FOR THE RECORD ARE THE HUD OFFICE
OF INSPECTOR GENERAL AUDIT REVEALED MAJOR INSPECTION AND DOCUMENTATION FAILURES THAT LEFT RESIDENTS LIVING IN UNSAFE CONDITIONS FOR YEARS? WHY WE KNOW THE AUDIT HAS BEEN CLOSED AND VHA HAS IMPLEMENTED
REFORMS. HOW ARE YOU REBUILDING TRUST WITH RESIDENTS WHO LIVED THROUGH THAT NEGLECT AND HOW CAN TENANTS NOW SEE IN REAL TIME THAT INSPECTIONS AND REPAIRS ARE ACTUALLY BEING
COMPLETED? SECOND, MANY RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY ELDERLY AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE SHARED THAT THE ELEVATOR OUT POWER OUTAGES LEAVE THEM FEELING
TRAPPED AND ISOLATED EVEN WITH THE MODERNIZATION PROJECTS UNDERWAY, REPAIR CAN TAKE MONTHS. WHAT SHORT TERM SUPPORTS ARE IN PLACE FOR RESIDENTS WHEN THE ELEVATOR GOES DOWN AND WE
ALREADY KNOW IF YOU LIVE ON THE FIFTH FLOOR AND YOU GOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF GROCERIES IT IS NOT EASY TO GO UP AND DOWN. SO WHAT IS THE SHORT TERM PLAN FOR THAT? ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE SOME YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO WAIT FOR YOU AT THE HALL, YOU
KNOW, TO BRING YOUR FOOD UP LIKE SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE? THE PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS COMMUNITY ROOM UPGRADES AND NEW SYSTEMS. BUT HOW ARE RESIDENTS INCLUDED IN THIS DECISION MAKING? ARE THERE STRUCTURED
OPPORTUNITIES FOR TENANTS TO SHARE FEEDBACK AND HELP SHAPE OUT? MAINTENANCE AND MODERNIZATION ARE CARRIED OUT IN THEIR BUILDINGS BECAUSE AFTER ALL THEY'RE YOUR BUILDINGS RIGHT? YOU ARE PAYING RENT AND PEOPLE
ARE LIVING OFF OF YOUR BACK. SO JUST SO YOU KNOW WHILE REPORTED TURNAROUND TIMES FOR WORK ORDERS HAVE IMPROVED, RESIDENTS SAY THAT SOME ISSUES ARE MARKED QUOTE UNQUOTE RESOLVED BUT THEY ARE NOT.
HOW IS VHA ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY, QUALITY CONTROL AND FOLLOW UP AFTER A WORK ORDER IS CLOSED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MANY TENANTS STILL DON'T KNOW WHEN REPAIRS ARE SCHEDULED WHO
TO CONTACT OR WHY PROJECTS ARE STILL DELAYED. WHAT STEPS IS BEING TAKEN TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS? NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS AND
WORKING FAMILIES WHO MAY NOT KNOW HOW TO USE ONLINE SYSTEMS . HELLO. NOT EVERYBODY GOT A SMARTPHONE WHEN WE HOSTED THE DYING TO LIVE TOUR WHICH I MENTIONED EARLIER, RESIDENTS SHOWED US
SEVERE NEGLECT OF RODENTS OVERFLOWING TRASH, OUTDATED COMMON SPACES AND FOUL ORDERS THAT MADE HOMES UNLIVABLE. WHAT NEW ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS ARE IN PLACE TO ENSURE
RESIDENTS NEVER HAVE TO REACH THAT LEVEL OF DESPERATION AGAIN JUST TO BE HEARD? LIKE LITERALLY WE HAD TO BRING THE NEWS IN TO EXPOSE THIS OC
AND SO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO GO ALL OUT JUST TO BE HEARD DEMONSTRATES HOW MUCH WORK WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE ARE HEARING WE'RE ACTUALLY ACTING ON AND SO EVEN
THOUGH I'M LATE I'M SORRY I HAD A PRIOR ENGAGEMENT THIS MORNING I WANTED TO SHOW UP HERE BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SEE THAT WE ARE HERE NOT JUST TO LISTEN BUT TO ADVOCATE ON YOUR BEHALF AND IT IS MY
HOPE THAT THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE ASKED GET ANSWERED AND THAT THOSE ANSWERS COME TO THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE HERE TODAY WHO ARE TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE WITH US. AND I'M SAD THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION IS NOT HERE AND THAT I MISS THE 45 MINUTE DISSERTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CONSIDER MEJIA.
YOU HAVE 20 SECONDS LEFT OF ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENT AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE RECORD. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE MADE AND I KNOW THAT BUDGET SEASON IS AROUND THE CORNER AND AS A
COUNCIL BODY MY HOPE IS IS THAT EVERYONE HERE WHO IS ADVOCATING FOR IMPROVEMENTS WHEN IT'S TIME FOR US TO LOOK AT THAT BUDGET THAT WE ARE PUTTING MONEY INTO BE SO THAT THEY CAN DELIVER
BECAUSE WE CAN EXPECT PEOPLE TO DO THINGS WITHOUT THE RESOURCES. SO IF YOU WANT TO BE SET UP FOR SUCCESS THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS. NO MORE COMPLAINING UNLESS WE'RE PROVIDING THE MONEY FOR IT.
PERIOD. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA COUNCILMAN MURPHY, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENT? CAN I ASK THE QUESTION PLEASE?
HOLD ON. I'M UP. I SON OF A I HAVE A WHOLE LOT WHO'S THAT PERSON? SOME PEOPLE THAT WE DON'T KNOW DON'T I HAVE IT HERE? DO YOU LIVE IN LA?
DENISE IS AND SHE'S BEEN HERE. SHE'S BEEN SHE'S BEEN THERE. I CAN PUT CLARISSA. I KNOW THAT IT'S LIKE RENTERS
RENTERS BUT I HAVE YOUR NAME HERE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND AND THEN THERE WAS SOMEBODY IS LORRAINE IS IT LARISSA? ONE THING I DO WANT TO YOU WANT TO ADD YOUR NAME.
OKAY, WELL HAVE A HOLD ON WILL SEND THE LIST STARTED AGAIN YOU CAN SIGN UP WITH ME. YEAH I RAN TO SEE YOU'RE GOOD. COME ON UP TO THE MICROPHONE. OKAY, COME ON UP TO THE
MICROPHONE. SO HOLD ME. YEAH. OH, I THOUGHT TOO. YEAH. YOU'RE GOING TO JUST COME ON UP AND MAKE SURE THAT THE MIC IS CLOSE TO YOUR YOUR MOUTH SO YOU CAN HEAR YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
CAN YOU HEAR ME? IT'S YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD. OKAY. MY NAME IS LISA SMITH AND I HAVE A QUESTION. MY QUESTION IS HOW DOES SOMEBODY GO ABOUT MOVING
SOMEBODY OUT OF THE APARTMENT AND PUTTING THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE ? I DON'T WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION BUT WE CERTAINLY SUBMITTED BECAUSE I
WAS MOVED OUT OF BOSTON HOUSING I MEAN I MOVED BACK TO THE STATE BECAUSE I LIVED IN 23 OH POOR APARTMENT AND NOW SHE MOVED ME ALL THE WAY OVER TO
THE SLOUGH. DOUGLAS BUT I DIDN'T GO TO 20 THIS AND I DON'T REMEMBER GOING TO COURT FOR ANY OF THIS BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE'S TRYING TO SAY THAT SHE HAD THE RIGHT TO
MOVE ME AND I LEFT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU EVERYBODY COME ON DOWN.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF. DON'T GO AHEAD. YES. HELLO, STATE. HELLO. HOW ARE YOU DOING?
MY NAME IS ANITA. CAN YOU SPEAK CLOSE TO THE MICROPHONE? IT'S A LITTLE IT'S VERY AWKWARD THERE BUT YES. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? THAT'S LOVELY. THANK YOU SO AS I WAS SAYING, MY NAME IS 22 DEGREES BUT YOU
CAN COMMISSION I, I BEEN LIVING NOW AND WITH BERKELEY FOR TWO YEARS. THE FIRST YEAR WAS REALLY ROUGH FOR ME BECAUSE I THE ELEVATOR WAS LIKE STOP WORKING AT FIRST
ONCE A WEEK THEN IT STARTED EVERY OTHER DAY AND I WAS STUCK IN IT FOR AT LEAST 5 MINUTES MYSELF WHICH WAS NOT REALLY GOOD AT ALL.
IT I LIVE ON A NINTH FLOOR AND I HAVE A FEW. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AFIB BECAUSE OF ALL YOU KNOW MY HEALTH GOING UP AND DOWN STAIRS PREVIOUSLY BEFORE I WAS
BERKELEY. OKAY THANK YOU AND MY FIRST TIME GOING UP THE STAIRS I LITERALLY FELT LIKE I WAS ABOUT TO HAVE AN HEART ATTACK LIKE AT MY DOOR BECAUSE I COULDN'T MAKE
IT THAT FAR. I WAS ONLY USED TO GOING UP THREE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS SO NOW I HAD TO GO UP SIX MORE. SO IT WAS REALLY ROUGH ON ME AND I KNOW IF IT WAS ROUGH
FOR ME IT'S A ROUGH ONE ON OTHER ELDERLY PEOPLE AT TIMES WHAT ELEVATOR WOULD GET STUCK STONE FLOORS WE WOULD RUN TO THAT FLOOR TRYING TO, YOU KNOW,
PUSH THE BUTTON SO FIX IT, TRY TO DO ANYTHING TO TRY TO MAKE IT WORK AGAIN SOMETIME IT WORKS SOMETIME IT DIDN'T. BUT AGAIN EVERY TIME WE TRIED TO CALL EVERY TIME THAT WE
TRIED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT ,IT WASN'T REALLY IT WASN'T TAKEN CARE OF IMMEDIATELY. THEY TOOK THE TIME THANK YOU. AND YES THEY DID FIX THE
ELEVATOR ON YOU KNOW NOW BUT BEFORE THEY FIXED IT THEY TOOK AWAY THEY COVERED WHERE WE COULD SEE WHICH FLOOR THE
ELEVATOR WAS ON AND THE LITTLE HEARING THAT THEY HAVE NOW WE DON'T HAVE NO WAY TO SEE WHICH ELEVATOR IS COMING DOWN. WE DON'T HAVE NO OTHER SYSTEM TO PRESS WHICH ELEVATOR WE
GOING TO NEED BECAUSE THE BIG ELEVATOR IS GOOD FOR WHEN YOU HAVE BRINGING STUFF FROM BRINGING DOWN TRASH, BRINGING UP GROCERIES THE SMART ELEVATOR
ON A GOOD DAY FITS MAYBE FOUR PEOPLE IF NOT FIVE SQUEEZING IN AND IT DON'T REALLY FIT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN THERE'S THAT WHEN THERE IS A CART THAT SOMEONE HAVE IN IT IT DON'T FIT
A LOT OF PEOPLE IF THEY HAVE SOMEONE WITH A WHEELCHAIR. SO HOW IS IT THAT THEY FIXING A PROBLEM BUT IT'S STILL ANOTHER ISSUE YEAH THANK YOU THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. WE HAVE A COMMON PROBLEM AND THEN THE NEXT ONE ON THE LIST IS SETH. IF SETH WOULD GET READY TO COME DOWN, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I SEE YOU THERE IN THE FRONT
ROW. SO WE'LL START WITH COMMON. I JUST WANTED TO BE NUMBER
COMING UP ON THE STORY. WELL AND THIS IS A THAT I PROCLAIM MY NAME IS COMING UP FROM SO I'M HERE DO YOU WANT TO
GO UP BESIDE OR MAYBE OH YEAH I'M SORRY. YOU'RE MY SIMILARITY. OKAY. I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT. THANK YOU. CONSIDER MEJIA COMES FROM MEJIA
WILL HELP YOU THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WITH ME OKAY. AND MY NAME IS CARMEN. I HAPPENED UPON THE BIBLE.
I JUST TO SAY THAT I I I LIVE IN 16 EAST BROOKLYN, THE SOUTH AND IN THE SOUTH THEN A REASON SAID TO BE SO I LIVE IN THE
SIXTH FLOOR AND IT WAS ALL THE REMODELING AND WE HAVE TWO ELEVATORS IT WAS UP AGAIN THE
SMALLEST ELEVATOR IN LURAY LONG TODD THE OTHER DFA I THEN THEY THEY FIX IT AND THEN TWO DAYS LATER IS BROKEN AGAIN DANA
LEOPOLD AND IS SAID TO SO THAT VENDOR I SAID RUN OKAY THE GARMENT THAT WE WRAPPED THE WEDDING THE THE SMALLER ELEVATOR NO NOT ANY OF THE
SMALLER LOWER IT ELEVATOR MAKES A REALLY AWFUL NOISE AND THEN SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY HARD TO CLOSE THE DOOR A LOT OF OTHER KICK IT APPARENTLY REFER TO THE OTHER ELEVATOR THAT IS IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE OF FOUR OF MY DOOR.
THERE ARE CARS IN MY THEN WERE MET SAID THAT NOW IT'S BEEN BROKEN FOR MORE THAN NINE MONTHS IN THE REGULAR AND THEY HAVEN'T FIXED IT YET THIS AND
SAY GET MY CAR BECAUSE THE THE PIECE THAT NEEDS TO FIX IT IS NOT OFFENSIVE IN A LOT OF THE AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT AND TOYS AND BECAUSE OF THAT OBVIOUSLY SHE'S AN AND
SO SHE'S BUT SHE'S STAYED STUCK TWICE IN THE ELEVATOR ROLL BACK DOWN ARE REALLY GOT THAT MAKE IT OH MY GOD IT'S BEEN SO DIFFICULT THAT SHE'S GOT AN ANXIETY THAT SHE'S BECAUSE WHAT
SHE'S BEEN LOCKED INSIDE THAT SHE'S TAKING EVEN OFF HER CLOTHES THAT IS THAT SCARY GONE THOUGH IT'S A LITTLE SIT UP IT THEN IS OKAY GUNS HELENA BONHAM
FOUND MAHALIA CLARA WOW BUT IT'S IMPORTANT IT'S GOTTEN SO BAD THAT SOMETIMES WHEN SHE HAS A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT OR ANY TYPE OF APPOINTMENT THAT SHE CAN'T EVEN GO TO THEM BECAUSE SHE CAN'T GO DOWN ALL THOSE
NINTH FLIGHTS OF STAIRS. BUT HER LIFE BECAUSE TO GO DOWN IS EASY. BUT SO WE HAD VISITS ON THIS IS IT GOT ALL SET BASED ON CALERA
RIGHT BUT TO GO UP 14 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS TO COME BACK UP OR GET UP PIECE FOR EVERY STAIRS FOR EVERY FLOOR IS 14 STEPS SO SHE WOULD RATHER JUST NOT GO IS
YOUR ORDINARY RELAXING ENERGY AND TO IT AND CAME TO LIVE HERE IN 1987 AS I WOULD THINK IN THE SOUTH THEN YEAH TO ME SO AND
SHE LOVES HER THEN SEE YES YES YES THANK YOU YES WITH ALL WE WE AND THANK YOU CARMEN THANK YOU. YOU KNOW I USED TO BE THE OFFICIAL TRANSLATOR FROM MY MOM
AND I FEEL THIS BROUGHT ME BACK TO THAT. I APPRECIATE YOU IN THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO GO GO GAMES. GOOD AFTERNOON, STEPH. WELCOME. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. YOU HAVE UH UH BOTTOMED OUT AND
PEOPLE OKAY, MY NAME IS RFK ROBERTS. I CAME INTO BERKELEY IN 2009 SO I'VE BEEN IN LIKE 1016 YEARS OR
MORE. MY ISSUE IS WITH THE UH IN SIX THAT IN PERMEATING THE
APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND AND UH, THEY THEY THEY THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE NON RETURN TO TELL ME THE REASON WHY THEY MOVED
ME IS BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT EXTERMINATE IN MY APARTMENT CORRECTLY UH IT'S NOT THAT I HAD STUFF POWERED UP EVERYWHERE
IT'S JUST A I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS BUT UM, THE WHOLE THING IS IS HERE, UH
THE THOSE ELEVATORS THAT DOES ISSUE BECAUSE I'M ON A 13TH FLOOR AS YOU CAN SEE I AM I STRUGGLE WITH MY MY MY LEGS
BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON I'M IN MY THIRD QUARTER OF LIFE 74 AND IT'S GETTING TOUGH AND ANYHOW I
HAD TO WALK UP AND DOWN THOSE STEPS TEN TIMES THAT FROM A 13 FLOOR BECAUSE THE ELEVATOR WASN'T WORKING.
I MEAN IT FELT GOOD GOING DOWN BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL GOOD GOING AND TRUST ME THE OTHER THING IS IS THAT THE MOVE WITH THE BUGS NO, IT'S NOT LIKE I BROUGHT THE
BUGS HERE WHEN I CAME THE DAY I HAD I WAS BUG FREE THOSE BUGS IN THAT BUILDING. I BELIEVE THEY'RE ALL IN THE BUILDING BECAUSE WHO BRINGS
BUGS WITH THEM IF IF YOU KNOW IF THEY DIDN'T IF I HAD BROUGHT THE BUG WITH ME THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE FROM THE BEGINNING. THAT WOULD BE THREE YEARS AND IT JUST STARTED HAPPENING THIS
YEAR SO UH, IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING AND YOU KNOW IT'S IT'S IT'S FRUSTRATING TO SEE THAT THAT UH, YOU HAVE SO MUCH
EXCESS SO MANY RESOURCES TO GET THINGS DONE AND UH, ONLY THINGS GET DONE WHEN THEY WANT THEM DONE. THAT'S MY TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, CHEF. CONSUL FLYNN. UM, IT SEEMS WE'VE HAD A PUBLIC
TESTIMONY. UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO WRAP UP AT THIS POINT FOR COUNCILOR FLYNN WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A CLOSING STATEMENT? AND A LOT OF OUR OTHER COLLEAGUES AN OPPORTUNITY TO
CLOSE UP AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR HOSTING THIS IMPORTANT HEARING . THANK YOU TO THE BHO ADMINISTRATOR KENZIE FOR BEING
HERE. THANK YOU FOR THE RESIDENTS OF RUTH BARCLAY ESPECIALLY FOR BEING HERE AND TO DINE OATES WHO'S A DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATE FOR TESTIFYING MORE
IMPORTANTLY FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT AND SPEAKING FOR PEOPLE AT TIMES THAT DON'T HAVE A VOICE. AND THAT'S WHAT IN MY OPINION IS WHAT GOVERNMENT IS ALL ABOUT
IS BEING THERE FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT A VOICE AND THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE IN PUBLIC HOUSING IN COUNCIL MI HERE WAS
HELPING A WOMAN TRANSLATE. SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE ABLE NOT TO THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET HERE TODAY BECAUSE THEY THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THEIR WHAT THEIR WHEELCHAIR BUT
IT'S OUR JOB AS CITY COUNCIL IS TO SPEAK FOR THEM TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM TO WORK WITHIN CITY GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SOLVE
THEIR PROBLEMS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY. WE UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THAT THERE'S SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS AT BOTH BERKELEY. WE WE ADMIT THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE GO FORWARD IN PROVIDING SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS IN LONG TERM SOLUTIONS? BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THE STATUS
QUO IS NOT AN OPTION. I'M FOCUSED ON THIS ISSUE. I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS ISSUE. I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO MEET WITH RESIDENTS, WORK WITH VHA, WORK WITH DISABILITY RIGHTS
ADVOCATES. BUT I DO EXPECT ANSWERS. I DO WANT SOLUTIONS. I WANT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS NOW NOT IN A YEAR FROM NOW, NOT TWO YEARS FROM
NOW. I WANT THEM DONE NOW AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER AND AS LONG AS I'M A CITY COUNCILOR I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT AND ADVOCATE FOR MY CONSTITUENTS AND THAT'S
MY JOB. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNTRY ASSISTANT ANSWER MEJIA. YOU'RE THE SECOND CO-SPONSOR. SHE'S THE LEAD CO-SPONSOR AND
THEN COUNCILOR MURPHY. OKAY, COUNCILWOMAN HERE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT COUNCILOR AND FORMER COUNCILOR IS THAT YOU?
BECAUSE I GLAD MY GLASS IS THAT ADMINISTRATOR BOX STILL UP IN THE BUILDING. SO SORRY I WAS LIKE WITHOUT YOU BUT I'M HAPPY NOW THAT I AM GOING TO RETURN. WE TAKE SOME OF MY STUFF BACK
BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATION IS HERE. THEY'RE JUST NOT THERE SO I'M HAPPY TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE STILL HERE LISTENING AND SO THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE THAT ARE HERE. SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE HERE.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT YOU WEREN'T UNTIL I WAS TRYING TO SQUINT BUT THANK YOU FOR US FOR STAYING AS LONG AS YOU DID AND FOR LISTENING TO THE
CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE I THINK YOU KNOW, I FOR ME RIGHT LIKE I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO NOT HAVE A VOICE AND NOT TO BE HEARD AND
I KNOW HOW DISEMPOWERING IT IS WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE POWER OVER YOU AND LITERALLY IT'S OUR LIVELIHOOD RIGHT? PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS EVERY SINGLE DAY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO GET TO EAT OR IF WE'RE EVEN GOING TO GET TO
SLEEP. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS VERY SCARY ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO GREW UP IN SPACES THAT RELY ON PUBLIC SUPPORT. AND I THINK BECAUSE OF THOSE
THINGS AND BECAUSE OF THE WAY I GREW UP, I KNOW THAT NO MATTER HOW AFRAID I AM I'M STILL GOING TO SPEAK UP AND I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU ALL HERE DOING JUST THAT BECAUSE IT IS NOT EASY TO
SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU THINK THAT IT CAN CAUSE YOU HARM. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP THE WAY THAT YOU DID AND FOR PUTTING EVERYTHING
ON THE RECORD AND I AM ALSO GOING TO SAY THAT OUR JOB AS CITY COUNCILORS IS NOT TO JUST LISTEN, IT IS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT WE HEAR.
AND SO IF WE REALLY WANT TO IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS THAT YOU'RE LIVING IN THEN WHAT WE NEED TO DO WHEN IT'S TIME FOR A BUDGET SEASON IS WE NEED TO GO REALLY HARD AND FIGHT FOR THOSE LINE ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO
TRICKLE DOWN INTO OUR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF THE EQUATION, THAT IS PART OF ACCOUNTABILITY. SO I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT FOR THE RECORD FOR AS MUCH AS I AM OUT HERE BARKING ABOUT EVERYTHING, TRUST ME THAT I'M
ALSO GOING TO BE BARKING WHEN IT'S TIME FOR YOU ALL FOR US TO FIGHT FOR THE DOLLARS THAT YOU NEED TO REPAIR THE HARM SO THOSE TWO THINGS GO HAND IN HAND AND SO THAT'S MY COMMITMENT IS TO HOLD MYSELF
ACCOUNTABLE. BUT INTERNAL AND PANEL BUT I WILL MAINTAIN THAT WHAT YOU SAID GAVE ME THAT LUCKY SOUND A
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA COSA CONTRA 10% THE BOOK BEING IMPORTANT THEY CAN ALSO TELL US WHAT I MEANT TO ASK YOU CHAIRMAN BUT A SIMILAR ARTICLE OR EVEN MORE IT DID AND THEY HAD A CIRCUIT THAT THEY WERE
LAMENTING AND A LA RESULTADOS THAT EMBRACING WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE IN PROGRESS. SO YOU KNOW IF I SAY I REALLY LOVE L.A. AND I THINK IT'S BEEN IMPORTANT SO TO NOT SORT THROUGH BUT IT
FEELS ALIEN TO THE BALANCE OF RENTER BELLA YOU KNOW TELEMEDICINE BE WILL BE LIKE THE ALPACA CAMP BEING SO THE CONDO AS IS THE TRIBAL COMMITMENT THEY SIEMPRE OKAY
IGLESIA THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR OFFLINE AND HERE FOR FILING THIS IMPORTANT
HEARING ORDER. THIS CHAMBER IS ONE WAY TO GET OUR VOICES HEARD. I KNOW THAT YOU'VE INCLUDED ME AND MANY OF YOUR ROUNDTABLES WHEN YOU MEET WITH RESIDENTS AT
THEIR PLACES AND LET THEM SPEAK AND SHARE THEIR STORIES AND IF WE DON'T HEAR FROM YOU AND LISTEN DIRECTLY ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH, THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN ADVOCATE EFFECTIVELY
AND I THINK IT'S CLEAR AND I HOPE PEOPLE ARE LISTENING THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT LIKE CHANGING THE COLOR PAINT IN YOUR LIVING ROOM HERE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RATS,
INSECTS, FLOODING, BROKEN ELEVATORS WHICH LEAD TO SO MANY OTHER HEALTH AND JUST QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES. AND LIKE I WAS TRYING TO SAY EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WE ADVOCATE
AND TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND WE CAN SAY THAT BUT AS POLITICIAN AND SOMETIMES WE JUST LIKE TO SAY THINGS BUT IF WE'RE NOT REALLY LISTENING AND ADVOCATING AND
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THROUGH, IT'S ALL FOR NOTHING SO THANK YOU FOR BEING BRAVE. THANK YOU, CARMEN. I KNOW WHEN I WENT OVER TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE DID WANT TO
SPEAK YOU SAID TO ME THAT YOU DID BUT YOU NEEDED HELP AND I KNEW THAT COUNCILMEMBER HERE WOULD HELP YOU. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING BRAVE BUT ALSO FOR COUNCILOR MEJIA FOR MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE'S
VOICES ARE HEARD. SO IT MATTERS TO ME THAT WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR YOU. IT'S WHAT IS THE POINT OF BEING ELECTED? WE WORK SO HARD SOME OF IT YOU KNOW, WORK SO HARD TO GET
ELECTED AND FOR ME IT'S TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN CONTINUE TO LIFT UP YOUR NEEDS AND YOUR VOICES AND THEN TRY MY HARDEST TO GET YOU THE BASIC WHAT YOU DESERVE RIGHT? WE'RE PUTTING IN BEAUTIFUL
PARKS AND SPEED HUMPS AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT DO MATTER BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU KNOW WE'RE GIVING OUT $50,000 FREE MONEY FOR DOWN PAYMENTS ON HOMES AND THAT'S GREAT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE CAN'T
BE DOING THAT IF WE HAVE YEARS OF BROKEN ELEVATORS AND JUST REALLY UNHEALTHY UNSAFE LIVING CONDITIONS FOR OTHER RESIDENTS. WE HAVE TO FIND A BALANCE AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'LL CONTINUE
TO ADVOCATE FOR. SO THANK YOU AND KNOW THAT I'LL CONTINUE TO BE OUT THERE WITH YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MURPHY, I WANT TO THANK ALL FOR COMING IN THIS
MORNING AND THANK YOU CARMEN ESPECIALLY AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR MEJIA FOR HELPING WITH YOUR TRANSLATION. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOUR VOICES ARE HEARD IN THIS
CONVERSATION THIS IS YOUR LIVED EXPERIENCE AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR ABOUT IT. WE WILL BE SENDING A FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS TO BE HERE TODAY TO
ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET TO THIS MORNING AND VHA AND PUBLIC HOUSING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON
PROVIDES AN INCREDIBLE IT'S A VERY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF OUR HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE CITY AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ENSURE THAT
WE ACT ADEQUATELY FUNDED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE FROM THE CITY BUDGET AND FROM AND WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO GET MONEY AND ALSO AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT MANY
OF THE VHA PROPERTIES ARE OLD OLD BUILDINGS THAT WERE BUILT 70 YEARS AGO. THEY NEED REPAIR, THEY NEED UPGRADES SOMETIMES THEY NEED REPLACEMENT COMPLETELY AND
THAT'S AN ONGOING PROJECT THAT WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT FOR DECADES TO COME BECAUSE YOU CAN'T KNOCK EVERY HOUSE ALL THE PLACES DOWN AT ONCE AND REPLACE THEM. BUT THAT'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION AND A PLAN THAT
NEEDS TO BE ROLLED OUT OVER TIME. BUT IN THE MEANTIME YOU FOLKS ARE LIVING THERE AND WE HAVE TO TRY AND HELP YOU ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW. SO I THANK YOU FOR COMING IN
AND THANKING YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY THIS MORNING. I ALSO YES. THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR ATTENDING THIS MORNING AND
FOR THE LEAD SPONSORS COMMENTS FROM A FRIEND AND COUNCILWOMAN HERE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CENTRAL STAFF THERE'S CORA BACK HERE WHO'S BEEN HELPING BUT ALSO BEHIND THE SCENES IS ETHAN
WHO'S BEEN DOING THE HE'S BEEN DOING THAT THE LINK UP AND DOING THE TELEVISED PIECE ON THE OTHER SIDE SO THERE ARE SOMETIMES BEHIND THE SCENES BUT THEY'RE ALWAYS WORKING. SO THANK YOU TO OUR CENTRAL
STAFF THAT SAID LET ME SEE WHERE MY NOTES ARE. WELL THE NOTES WITH THAT SAID
GO TO THE END THIS HEARING ON DOCKET 0259 AND 0769 IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU ALL. HAVE A GOOD DAY