SWAMPSCOTT — Local developer Charlie Patsios is running for a seat on the Swampscott Housing Authority Board.
In January, Patsios was selected unanimously to serve as an interim member by the Housing Authority and the Senior Tenants Association.
As a Swampscott resident of 32 years, Patsios has many years of experience as a Town Meeting member and Water and Sewer Advisory Committee member.
Patsios would bring a unique perspective and continue to be an asset to the Swampscott Housing Authority with his decades of experience as a real-estate developer and property manager and experience navigating state offices, advocating for housing policy and assistance for local communities.
Patsios is running on behalf of the most vulnerable members of the community — seniors, families in need and those with disabilities — to work to improve the conditions of public housing. He recognizes that these groups have faced even further challenges in the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. These residents are further impacted by the rising costs of food, clothing, and other necessities, especially in recent weeks and months.
When asked why he wants to serve, Patsios said: “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.”
His long-term goal is to increase the availability and affordability of housing in Swampscott. In the near term, Patsios believes it is imperative to work with local, state, and federal partners and capitalize on these relationships on behalf of the community.
Patsios believes in leading based on trust, and he strives for an open and transparent government. He wants all voices to be heard regarding the town’s housing issues, the greatest being the absence of any new low-income units and only modest gains in affordable senior housing. He will work to solve these issues with the community by making Swampscott Housing Authority Board meetings as accessible as possible to include residents in the process of reform.
Patsios was endorsed by the Swampscott Senior Tenants Association (SSTA) after he visited the Swampscott Housing Authority properties and met with tenants to hear their perspectives.
The SSTA wrote: “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.”
The SSTA especially appreciates his prior business, philanthropic, and development endeavors, which they suggest will “place him in a unique position to move the SHA to a new level.”
In addition to unanimous support from the Swampscott Housing Authority, Patsios has been endorsed by current Select Board members Don Hause and David Grishman. Past Select Board members Glenn Kessler, David Van Dam, Danny Santanello and Rich Malagrifa have also supported Patsios due to his experience and passion to advocate on behalf of the residents of Swampscott.
The town election is Tuesday, April 26.
