SAUGUS — The Saugus Housing Authority Board of Directors Wednesday discussed changes the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities is making to streamline capital projects.
According to a notice from the office, the value of $10,000 capital projects, the previous threshold at which local housing authorities were allowed to manage them, has been “greatly diminished” by increasing construction costs. As a result, the office has reset the bar at $25,000.
Saugus Housing Authority Executive Director Laura Glynn said at the meeting that the threshold for regional capital assistance teams, which helps local housing authorities manage capital projects, to get involved has also been raised to $100,000 from $50,000.
Glynn said that this will make it easier for the authority to get quotes for projects that are $25,000 or less, and noted that because of inflation, the previous $10,000 threshold does not cover what it used to.
“For example, the washer machines. When we bought them originally, they were about $1,100 apiece, and now they’re $1,900,” Glynn said. “It’s literally within five years, it’s the same machine.”
Glynn said that the timeline for capital projects is very long, requiring the procurement of an architect, a bid, and three months for the project itself.
“I would keep an eye on the RCAT team, as the board, and see if the projects are pushed as fast or not as fast as when DHCD (the Department of Housing and Community Development) ran these projects, because once they assign a work order, it’s still a year out” Glynn said.
After Wednesday’s meeting was adjourned, trays of sandwiches and cookies were brought in as residents celebrated Glynn, who is stepping down as executive director to take care of her parents.
“Laura is, without question, as fine an executive director as you will find,” Board member Bob Palleschi said.
Palleschi said that Glynn is selfless, and has always been there for the people the authority serves first.
