Council wish: Hold the Mayo plan

LYNN – City councilors took the Mayo Group to task Tuesday for “making side deals” by moving 30 homeless families into a downtown building that councilors envisioned being part of a downtown renewal effort.?This isn?t about compassion for the homeless. You don?t seem to get that you made a commitment to the council and to the neighbors. The idea was to have new businesses, residents and neighbors come into the downtown,” said Ward 6 Councilor Peter Capano, his voice rising.?You already had a terrible reputation, but you made a commitment and you broke that commitment. What we don?t need is to have you making side deals behind our back and come here and lecture us about caring for the homeless. I think you?re in it to make money,” Ward 6 Councilor Peter Capano told Mayo property manager Jody Harrah.Harrah acknowledged the property firm finished a $5 million renovation of 137 Broad St. and neighboring buildings on Oct. 15 and signed a two-year “master lease” with Lynn human services agency Centerboard to house 30 families.Centerboard Executive Director Mark DeJoie was not present at Tuesday?s council meeting, but DeJoie told The Item last Friday that Centerboard?s monthly payment on the master lease is roughly $40,000 in state tax dollars provided by the Executive Office of Housing and Community Development.Harrah called Mayo?s agreement with Centerboard “a matter of timing.”?Centerboard came to us with a program that really fit their needs. I?m impressed with what they do. The building is a really good fit for them,” he said.Councilors disagreed and said giving homeless families a place to live in a section of downtown envisioned as part of the city?s economic revival does not sit well with them.?That area is targeted for folks with disposable incomes. By putting this type of program in there, you are adding to our problems. I can?t trust your employer,” Council President Daniel Cahill told Harrah.Councilor at large Brendan Crighton said that it “hardly seems like an effort was made (by Mayo) to attract the type of tenants we wanted down there.”Cahill expanded council criticism aimed at Mayo, noting councilors received on Tuesday complaints about conditions at 501 Washington St. and asked city inspectors to check on the complaints.?The crux of the problem is we issued a special permit to Mayo in hopes young professionals who work in Boston with disposable incomes would help revitalize downtown. Mayo has worked with us on other buildings – that?s the positive side – the negative is Mayo has problems with buildings brought to our attention,” he said.Harrah would not confirm 501 Washington is managed by Mayo, but Sasha Uribe identified herself as a building tenant and said Mayo has been unresponsive to tenant complaints in the wake of an Oct. 18 fire.After questioning Harrah for 23 minutes, frustrated councilors acknowledged they cannot take specific action against Mayo, but they made it clear to Harrah they consider Mayo?s reputation with the council muddied by the deal with Centerboard.?Tell your boss we?ve bent over backwards to help you do well: When you do well, we do well; but here we?re not doing well,” Cahill said.Harrah, during questioning by councilors, did not acknowledge or respond to councilors? suggestions that Mayo had abandoned any original commitments for its project. Asked after the meeting about the councilors? charges of misrepresentation, Harrah declined to comment.Harrah said he did not think the developer was “treated fairly” by councilors and said Mayo spent millions renovating the Broad Street buildings, adding Mayo representatives see nothing wrong in helping “families in distress.”DeJoie said most of the residents will live on Broad Street from four to seven months before moving on to longer-term housing. He said a family living in 137 Broad St. moved to Lowell last week.?The people there are not meant to stay there. The state tells us, ?You need to get them housing,?” DeJoie said.The City Council on Sep