Budget Amendment ID: FY2019-S4-775

ECO 775

Tenant Elections

Mr. Boncore, Ms. L'Italien and Mr. Cyr moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following new section:-

SECTION XX. Section 5A of Chapter 121B of the Generals Laws, as most recently amended by Chapter 235 of the Acts of 2014, is hereby amended by striking said section in its entirety.

Section 5 of Chapter 121B is hereby amended by striking the third paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

In a town, one member of a housing authority shall be a tenant appointed by the town administrator subject to confirmation by the board of selectman or similar governing body and pursuant to procedures in the town charter and 3 members shall be elected by the town; provided, that of the members originally elected at an annual town meeting, the one receiving the highest number of votes shall serve for five years, the one receiving the next highest number of votes, for four years and the one receiving the next highest number of votes, for two years; provided, that in order to reduce the number of members elected by the town from 4 to 3, the first expiring seat of a member elected by the town shall be left vacant and shall be filled by the appointed tenant member; provided, that upon the initial organization of a housing or redevelopment authority, if a town so votes at an annual or special town meeting called for the purpose, four members of such an authority shall be appointed forthwith by the selectmen to serve only until the qualification of their successors, who shall be elected at the next annual town meeting as provided above.

Section 5 of Chapter 121B is hereby further amended by inserting after the sixth paragraph the following paragraph:-

In a town, the tenant appointed to be a member of the housing authority shall be a tenant in a building owned and operated by or on behalf of the local housing authority. The tenant shall be appointed by the town administer, if there is an administrator, and confirmed by the board of selectman from lists of names submitted by any duly recognized tenants' organization in the town. A tenants' organization may submit a list which contains not less than two nor more than five names to the town administrator or board of selectman who shall make their selection from among the names so submitted; provided that, where no public housing units are owned and operated by the local housing authority and no such units are owned and operated on behalf of the local housing authority, the town administrator or board of selectman shall appoint any tenant of the housing authority from lists submitted in accordance with this section. If no list of names is submitted within sixty days after a vacancy occurs, the town administrator or board of selectman shall appoint any tenant of their choosing to the authority. The town administrator or board of selectman shall notify in writing tenant organizations as specified herein not less than ninety days prior to the expiration of the term of a tenant member. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the term of a tenant member for any reason other than the expiration of a term, the town administrator or board of selectman shall notify in writing the tenant organizations specified herein within ten working days after the vacancy occurs. The town administrator or board of selectman shall make an appointment within a reasonable time after the expiration of sixty days after said notice.