DeLeo named housing association’s legislator of the year

REVERE – State Rep. Robert DeLeo is “keenly aware of the deteriorating state” of Massachusetts’ public housing, according to a national housing organization honoring him as legislator of the year.”His record speaks for itself,” said the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO).The organization credited DeLeo, one of the top budget crafters in the state Legislature, with steadily increasing state spending for local housing authorities, including Revere.After colleague Robert Fennell and other legislators toured the state documenting public housing stock in need of repairs, DeLeo and fellow Ways and Means members boosted state assistance to authorities from $34 million in 2005 to $66.5 million allocated for the upcoming spending year.”As documented by State Auditor (Joseph) DeNucci, local housing authorities suffered through four years of zero budget growth that almost bankrupted some agencies,” NAHRO said in its statement.The organization also praised DeLeo for pushing for the largest long-term public housing spending plan in state history. Nearly half of the $1.3 billion bond authorization will be spent on fixing up public housing over the next five years.The state funding commitment coincides with the Revere Housing Authority’s efforts to fix up local housing. The Authority is hiring a modernization coordinator to oversee state funded renovation and new construction projects.The coordinator will be paid $49,000 to $55,000 a year. Qualifications for the job include five years of housing authority or real estate development and related experience including a promotion history. An applicable college degree or additional years of experience are also required.The Authority is also seeking proposals for contractors interested in providing information technology and management information systems services for one year with an option to extend the contract.Revere’s was one of the few authorities last month to receive federal money to pay for housing renovation work. The Authority plans to spend $800,000 to fix up two and three family-residences on Hichborn and Dana streets. The buildings are in such bad shape that leaking roofs forced Authority workers to relocate residents to a hotel last winter.Authority Director Linda Shaw has sought approval for two years to tear some of the properties down and sell the land to pay for renovations to other Authority properties.The Authority manages 899 public housing apartments in Revere including family-sized units paid for with federal tax dollars and family, elderly and veterans apartments paid for by the state.