SWAMPSCOTT — The Housing Authority selected a candidate to fill the vacant seat on the board at a meeting on Tuesday evening.
The Swampscott Housing Authority (SHA) board members decided to recommend Charles Patsios, a developer who lives in town, to the Select Board to temporarily fill the seat of Naomi Dreeben who resigned from the position in September 2021.
The town announced that the SHA was looking for a new board member on Dec. 6, 2021 and the application process closed on Jan. 5. The SHA received five applications, one of which was submitted too late and had to be excluded from consideration.
The SHA board reviewed the applications and resumes and heard from Patsios and another applicant, Neal DeChillo, during the virtual meeting on Tuesday.
DeChillo, who currently works in academia, started his career as a social worker and devoted his professional life to housing issues. Patsios, 62, is a real-estate developer and has lived in Swampscott for almost 32 years.
“I care and I want to do the best for the citizens of the town of Swampscott by creating, maintaining and sustaining the very best for the tenants at the Housing Authority,” said Patsios. “I would like to make a difference and participate.”
Prior to Tuesday, Patsios visited the SHA properties, talked to the tenants and secured an endorsement from the Swampscott Senior Tenants Association (SSTA).
“We feel that Mr. Patsios has nothing but the best interest of our SHA residents (both family and elderly/disabled), the Town of Swampscott and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at heart,” a letter that SSTA sent in its support to the Select Board stated. “His prior business, philanthropic and development endeavors place him in a unique position to move the SHA to a new level (and) commensurate with what has been accomplished by Executive Director Irma Chez, Chairman (Richard) Callahan and the other current board members.”
Since Dreeben served on the SHA board for a year and a half, Patsios, if approved by the Select Board, will only occupy the seat temporarily until the end of Dreeben’s term in April. At that point, this unpaid position will be up for reelection.
The SHA board consists of five members, who participate in the governance of the Housing Authority, oversee its finances and the performance of the executive director and are responsible for ensuring that the public housing in Swampscott and its maintenance are in line with federal and state policies. The SHA reports to the Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development.
