everybody. I haven't seen the final product. I don't know what it So, I don't know what it looks like, but I'm assuming it's going to be nice. I know everybody deserves to have something that recognizes this place for what it is. I know everybody deserves to
to have something that recognizes this place for what it is and what's up there. Um As far as the budget's concerned, you know, I I've commissioned one of the other state agencies as well and we are told about
the funding. In fact, we are actually cut a bit from uh some of our some of our appropriations are going to have to be some things that we would have expected. So, it's it's a tight year
and I'm not expecting I'm not surprised that that that that it's it's a little tight, but it's good to see that at least the operating budget got roughly roughly meeting inflation, but it's not
>> Yeah, it was a 2% increase and uh the the dollar amount, like I said, it was 117 million. >> Yeah. >> Our >> [clears throat] >> Our professional organization uh Mass NAHRO we we asked for 133 million.
>> Yeah. >> Um we ended up getting 117 million. >> Which is a 2% increase. >> Well, then I think we you did well. >> Yeah. And the budgets for the actual housing authority budget, our guidelines should be released right
around Labor Day. So, we'll have an idea. It's it's it's kind of a funky setup. We um You know, for those of you that have been on the board for a while, you already know this, but our our fiscal year starts July 1st. But
our guidelines don't come out until later day. So, the first three or four months or so, we don't have a budget. We're just sort of operating under last year's numbers. That's good and bad. It's good because,
you know, if if there's any unexpected expenses in that time frame, you know, you can incorporate that into a budget that that you will construct later in the year. It's not so good because you don't really have a guideline to go by. But, um
you know, the So, the timeline is the guidelines will be released right around Labor Day. We'll put the budget together in October, around that time frame, and then at the November meeting, um is typically when the fee accountant will be here to to
explain the budget. And then, if there's any questions that anybody has pertaining to it, we'll entertain those at that time. So, the budget will be approved in November. But, all the numbers will be retroactive to July 1. >> The the There
There And there is one more step in the process. The governor gets to review the final proposed budget. And And she she has the authority to line item out things and send it back. So,
you know, but hopefully this is not going to be something that's controversial. >> I don't believe it is. You know, public housing has had a lot of support in the legislature, for the most part. >> Public housing needs are a big priority for every politician from the right side to
the left side these days. >> True. You're right. >> I think we're good. >> That's my report, Mr. Chairman. >> Okay. Is there anything under old business? Hearing none, new business. Nick? >> I just have the next meet The next
formal meeting is going to be on the 16th of of September. I I may need We have our annual plan that it that is being considered. We have a public hearing scheduled in July. Um
what I will do is I will notify the board when that public hearing is going to be. If you wish to if you know if you wish to attend that, that's fine. Otherwise, I'll report to you if there was any if there was any public comment on the annual plan.
And then we can take an email vote on that. >> Okay. Great. All right. Is commissioners comments? >> I I have one question. I I We have We certainly have full occupancy and
that's great. But I also understand there's a waiting there's a significant waiting list as well. Is that right? >> Yes, there is. >> And have we ever you know is there a reason we don't we don't do any do any voucher program here, do we?
>> We don't we don't have any any rental voucher program here at the West Warwick Housing Authority. >> Is there a reason for that? >> Um probably because we're we're too small to you know to even have one. Um
I know smaller agencies such as Seekonk and and Plainville. Um you know Plainville's 40 units, Seekonk is 80 units. Here is 48 units. Uh none of those smaller agencies have a
housing choice voucher program, probably due to the size. >> What what why why is the size a limitation to providing you know additional resources for people who need need public housing? >> That's a good question. You know I could We've We've never been
allocated vouchers here in Westport to my knowledge. Um and you know, like I said, I I think it's due to the the you know, budgetary capability of the agency. That's something that I can follow up on though. >> Cuz it it it it
it seems to me that that if we have a lot of people asking for support and assistance, then we should look into every opportunity to provide that if if it's if it's if it's if it's if it's prohibitive if it's prohibitive either
administratively or uh financially, uh then maybe we should look at whether there's a solution to that. >> I will look into it and I'll have a report for you at the next meeting. >> Okay. Okay. Any other commissioner comments?
My The only comment I have I I would just make better to understand. I know I've asked this before. What is What is the criteria on on somebody coming into the housing?
Is it Is it based on >> [cough and clears throat] >> um is there a financial status? Also, is it based on a um um like if you're in the military, do they get a leg up? Uh do you have to be a resident of Westport? I don't think you do, but
>> You do not have to be a resident of Westport. If you are if you happen to be a resident of Westport, you you know, you get a you get a local preference, which means that you're you know, you're favor you're you're higher you're placed higher on the list than
somebody who is not a resident. If you are a veteran, you you also get a preference. If you are homeless, you get a preference. So, you know, there's there's you know, there's uh there's different preferences. Um
primarily, it's it's you know, based upon application date, usually. Um now, if somebody, you know, if somebody applies, like if somebody applied back in January, and they were and they were a standard applicant. Let's say they lived in
Somerset, so they're they're not a Westport resident. So, they don't get the local preference. Let's say they were not a veteran, and they weren't homeless. So, you're you're, you know, you're a standard applicant. And let's say your your number,
you know, you know, you're number 700 on the list. Somebody else applies, and you know, they happen to be a veteran. They, you know, they live in Somerset, they're not homeless, but they're a veteran. So, they but they want to live in
Westport, so they will get the veteran's preference. So, they will be placed higher up on the list than the standard applicant would be. When we have a vacancy here, we normally pull we pull a list of 25 names.
Okay, and we pull 25 because we have to qualify them, obviously, before they move in. So, when we qualify them, we have to make sure that they they meet the income guidelines. If you if, you know, if you're making six figures,
you you know, you you're not allowed to live in public housing. So, we have to verify income, we have to verify assets, and we have to do a landlord reference check. Obviously, if um and that's usually it's the landlord
checks that either hold us up or, you know, give us pause. Um if we if somebody says that they've um and we usually what they used to do was was we had a 5-year landlord history. So, it's 2026,
we would go back to 2021. Where have you lived between 2021 and now? Um let's say you've had you've had three landlords in that time. We would We would do a mailing out to
the three landlords that you indicate on your application. Unfortunately, what sometimes happens is people sell their buildings, they're So, the landlords change. Um sometimes, if they're a big big operator, um if if they have hundreds of
units, the our landlord check will will wind up in a pile someplace, and it will not be responded to. So, so, so, you know, sometimes we have a hard time getting landlord, you know, reference checks back. Um other times,
we get landlord reference checks back that, you know, they, you know, um they were horrible residents. They never paid their rent. They uh uh you know, whatever it is. You know, whatever it is. So, obviously, if if it's a very very poor landlord
check, um it it you know, it gives us a pause whether or not we want to move them in here. Now, we're all about second chances. Obviously, we also do a background check. >> [clears throat] >> Now, uh and a and a background check
will typically also go back 5 years. So, if somebody had a DUI back in 1994, we're not going to hold that against somebody. Um if somebody, you know, had a breaking and entering charge in 2023,
we're probably not going to move them in here. Uh if someone if someone did did time for something, if someone was incarcerated for a period of time, it would give us pause. It would It would make us do a little bit of further, you know, uh investigatory work.
We don't want to A, we want to house people, yes, but B, you know, we don't we don't want to upset the existing residents that are here with somebody that that may be, you know, rather you know, destructive. So, that's my concern.
>> Great. Any other questions? >> No. >> Okay. I think it's tenants' comments. >> I just want to say one thing before the 10 be be before anybody comments. I think Dawn had a question at the last meeting about um
uh about possibly cleaning the vents in the in the apartment. >> the duct work should be like going from the cellar. If the structure of the house if you have the duct work should start in the cellar and go up. >> Yeah. You don't have to really go in any >> Cuz it's feeded in the attic. >> Yeah.
>> It starts in the attic. >> It feeds in the attic. >> It feeds in the attic. >> Set it up. >> Yeah. >> I did I I did ask the uh the cleaning company um if if they if they if they were willing to do that. >> Yeah. >> And they they said they don't they don't
do duct work. They they are able to clean the the you know, the fans, but not everybody needs that. So, the next time they're out here, they they did tell me that A, they were going to give me a price. >> Well, >> uh but B, um
just to try to get an idea of maybe how many residents would need that. >> Well, but that's but that's the whole point of my thing. They don't have to go in the unit. They can go through the attic or whatever other
source that they can just clean it. Through the They They just shine a wand down there and they just they just clean it right up. They don't a vacuum or something. They don't have to go into everybody's unit. But it does need to be cleaned. It hasn't been cleaned in like years. >> Okay. >> You know, so
>> All right. So, so So, if I'm hearing you, you're saying >> The duct work is going >> they just got to clean it from the basement. >> They can go in the where the entrances uh the plumbing was saying the attic. >> Yeah, yeah. Well, okay. >> Um that. And I also have a question
about your comment about vouchers. What do you mean vouchers on public housing? I Usually a voucher program is like either Section 8 or uh private. >> Well, that's that's what that is. That's that's what that is.
Housing Choice Voucher Program is a federal program. Okay? We we are state public housing here. So >> Well, I was on Section 8. I was on Section 8 when my kids were small, and that was just That was state run. But that you That was a a state voucher
certificate that I had, Section 8 certificate that I had. >> But that changes when you come here, though, right? Yeah, well, yes, because you If you're living here, you wouldn't be able to use a to use a voucher here. >> Usually the places like um up the road here, the department
building for the elderly or the neighborhood, but they they'll take uh voucher voucher program. But you got to already have it. >> Right. >> You know, um yeah. [clears throat] So and that's hard to get. >> Yeah, the waiting list for that are a
lot a lot longer than just a public housing waiting list. You're right, that's a good point. >> And another thing I wanted to say about Tim, uh your questions that you've been asking in the past and today, if you go on the VHCB database um information, even the the training
manual or the training um a lot of your questions about they'll answer your questions. >> I'm 100% sure that they will, and I'm aware of that, but I'd like to hear it from the director. >> Okay. But I'm saying that any information that you want, you usually
can get it You should obtain it from that. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Thanks, Don. >> Yeah. >> Anyone else? >> You know No? >> Yeah. >> Go ahead. Go ahead. >> I just want to know if there's going to
be a um uh like a a rule book like for the housing? >> Oh, yeah. We have a new policy. We have a new policy book. >> Yeah, go ahead. >> I have a question. >> Yeah, that is that is a good question.
And we we do have one, but it it does and again I know this this has been a frequent comment. I know um a couple of residents looked through it already and had some updates
uh that they wanted to see and I'll be incorporating uh those updates in a new version. So, what I'll I'll do uh Lori is um I can probably get that done over the next couple of weeks.
>> Oh, okay. >> Now, does that have to go to the capital for the approval of the board though before you can do it? >> Well, I can I can certain I can certainly bring it to the board's attention if they if they if they wish to look at it and approve it. That's certainly fine with me. >> Yeah.
>> That's fine. Anyone else? >> Well, I just wanted to add to that. I looked on the Attleboro site. >> Yeah. >> The tenants or whoever can go cuz I did. They show the handbook and all the rules and regulations right on the website.
>> Right. >> It'd be nice to see that, too. >> Okay. >> On our website if we have, you know. >> Okay. I think the website that we use here at the housing authority is tied into the town. >> Yes. >> Uh so, that would have to that would have
to be worked out with the town, but I don't think that's >> You've got to ask the town manager. >> Yeah, exactly. >> His office because he needs for his approval. >> Right. >> And all the stuff other >> committees that I sit on we try to tie it in and depending on what it is you know he's they said no, but we do
have a new town manager now. So, we'll see. >> Yeah, cuz I have the old handbook when I moved in and I mean I have a lot of things highlighted that are going on that nobody's doing anything about, so I'm just wondering if we're getting a new one, maybe those things will be
gone. >> It might be. >> Okay. Okay. Anybody else? All right, hearing none is there a motion to adjourn? >> Motion to adjourn. >> Is there a second?
>> Second. >> All in favor, aye. >> Aye. >> Any opposed? Hearing none, so moved. Thank you very much. Keep enjoying your summer. And