NEWS & UPDATES FROM METRO HOUSING| HOME

Homelessness Prevention Housing Stability Economic Security WINTER 2019

METRO HOUSING|BOSTON helps families and individuals address their housing needs across the continuum toward economic security.

OUR MISSION Metro Housing|Boston mobilizes wide-ranging resources to provide innovative and personalized services that lead families and individuals to housing stability, economic security, and an improved quality of life.

MEET LANAII TOLENTINO

Lanaii Tolentino leads her colleagues to deliver winter coats to Metro Housing families. (L-R): Keith Williams, Latawnda Brown, Lanaii, Lacynda Lawton, Sasha Clements.

In a booming economy where helping families “Finding permanent homes for these families who are homeless transition out of motels to a is the most important part of the job we do, home can be challenging, Lanaii Tolentino takes a yet it is also the most challenging. But once a different approach. family is housed, it is vital that they become stable. Families need employment and child “The worst part of the job is when you care options. They need beds and clothing for In 2012, can’t help someone as quickly as you Metro Housing themselves and their children. And during the want to,” says Lanaii, a seven-year worked with holiday season that we just concluded, with the veteran of Metro Housing. help of many local corporations, we help families 572 FAMILIES Finding housing for some of the get access to coats and Christmas toys and gifts.” IN MOTEL SHELTERS area’s most vulnerable residents Lanaii’s eternal positive attitude might be the key is a daily activity for the Metro that has been REDUCED TO to her success. Housing Program Manager. Utilizing 35 FAMILIES the HomeBASE program which is “No matter where my life’s journey takes me, it in 2019 designed to get families out of motels will always be something that can have a positive and stably housed, Lanaii and her team influence on someone else’s life. The families I are responsible for working with the 35 work with are people who just need a hand. My families at the Waltham motel shelter, part of the attitude is, I have two hands, so why not use one state’s shelter system. Metro Housing has made to help them get up?” great progress in reducing the number of families housed in motels; Metro Housing was working with 572 families in August 2012.

1411 Tremont Street | Boston, MA 02120-3401 | 617.859.0400 | toll free: 800.272.0990 (MA only) | MetroHousingBoston.org A CLOSE LOOK AT INSPECTIONS THESE TIPS Joe Palange, Metro Housing inspector, ARE GOOD PRACTICES checks out the electrical FOR ALL OWNERS: wiring during a recent home inspection. • Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to be sure they are working.

• Verify that doors and windows are weather-tight and insulated.

• Make sure that windows open and shut without being propped up and that there are locks and screens on all windows.

• Handrails are required where there are four or more steps, both inside and outside.

• Bathrooms must have a window or a The eight inspectors who perform 19,000 sure that an apartment is safe for tenants, working ventilation fan. inspections each year to ensure that the apartment must meet both federal homes are safe and habitable for our and state standards. • Doors cannot have locks that prevent Section 8 participants are among the a person from exiting a room. Apartments are inspected either once a unsung heroes of Metro Housing. Using year or every other year depending on the • Floors must be free of trip hazards. their knowledge of the latest building owner’s maintenance history. Inspections Bathroom and kitchen floors must be codes and regulations, the inspectors also occur any time a tenant moves into waterproof. work closely with property owners to a new apartment, or when a tenant or ensure the safety of thousands of family property owner has made a complaint. • The heating system must be working members across the region. and available between September 15 Tenants are advised to prepare for their “The job of our inspectors is to make and June 15 at a minimum of 68°F. Hot inspection by checking the items on the water must be available at all times sure people are safe in their homes,” says list at right. and heated to not less than 110°F and Kevin Donaher, Director of Inspectional not more than 130°F. and Property Owner Services. “Families For more information about Metro deserve to feel secure where they live.” Housing’s inspection process, contact • Plumbing should not leak. Howard Wensley, Inspections Manager, at Inspections play a critical role in the well- howard.wensley@metrohousingboston. being of families who rely upon rental • The stove should be clean and all org or visit http://bit.ly/MetroInspection. burners and the oven must work assistance to lease apartments. To make properly.

• Lights should be present and working on the exterior of the building, both front and rear. LONG TIME PROPERTY OWNER PUTS TENANTS FIRST

accommodate them. I’ve Inspections are a very homeless. “I had one available had one tenant (non- Metro important part of Gerry’s unit in another building and Housing) that has been with business. “If you don’t keep Kevin and Carlos at Metro me for nearly 40 years.” up with maintenance, you’ll Housing sprang into action never get fair value for your to help me house a mother Gerry grew up in Chelsea and has been unit. I think Metro Housing and her ten-year-old daughter Gerry Snierson has chosen the city to be the renting his apartments to Metro does a very thorough job with who were Section 8 voucher home of his company – New Housing families for 25 years – their inspections and their holders,” says Gerry. “They Chelsea Realty. He is proud of and some have been tenants of team there – including Kevin conducted an inspection the the fact that he rents mostly his for that long. He currently Donaher, Howard Wensley and same day and completed all to voucher holders, helping rents to 32 families through Carlos Hoffens- have always of the paperwork necessary. families remain in safe and Metro Housing. been responsive.” Within 48 hours after the fire, affordable homes. “Renting my tenants were back in a safe What’s his secret? to voucher holders through A few years ago, a four-family home. It brings me to tears Metro Housing means that I home that Gerry owned in “I know all of my tenants well when I think about it and it was am assured of a fair rent and Chelsea suffered a devastating and make sure I have all due to the inspections team my apartments are inspected fire and the building was a personal contact with all of at Metro Housing.” every year, which I think is very total loss. No one was injured them,” says Gerry. “If there valuable.” but four families were now is ever a problem, I work to

Metro Housing|Boston @HOME | Winter 2019 | page 2 GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY Volunteering Highlights from Metro Housing

Metro Housing staff donated Volunteers from Plymouth more than 3,000 individual food Rock Assurance and United items during the holidays to Way helped to prepare Action Boston for Community an apartment for move-in Development’s (ABCD) Parker for a single mother with Hill/Fenway Neighborhood three children. Services Center.

Gerson Lehrman Group and United Way volunteered to help prepare “Welcome Home” baskets for Metro Housing families moving into affordable and stable homes.

DONOR PROFILE: JOE RETTMAN Managing Partner, NEI General Contracting

Founded in 1998, NEI provides Why did you first decide to support general contracting and construction Metro Housing? management services. In addition to “The mission of keeping people in their NEI’s role as general contractor of the homes who are experiencing hard times building that Metro Housing now calls and providing supportive services for home, Joe has been a long-time friend, families that are one step away from NEI is the donor for one of the conference rooms partner, and donor. He served as co-chair homelessness is truly God’s work. Metro at Metro Housing. Pictured here at the ribbon of the 2018 Champions of Housing event. Housing not only helps those in need, cutting are (L-R) Chris Norris of Metro Housing, Brandt Wajda and Joe Rettman of NEI, and Anne Joe recently spoke about his interest in they help them find a path back to more Rousseau of Metro Housing. affordable housing and Metro Housing’s stable housing. For me, supporting Metro work. Housing’s mission was a no-brainer.” the last affordable housing project NEI Why does affordable housing and What do you find most challenging completed, there were 3,200 applicants homelessness prevention matter to you? about the housing situation for low- for only 28 units. If that doesn’t income families in Boston? “Some people are spending close represent the crux of the issue, I don’t to 100% of their income to house “Housing costs in Boston continue to know what does.” themselves and their families. Without rise at a meteoric rate and the cost of Metro Housing thanks Joe and NEI a stable home, families don’t have a construction is through the roof. The for their continued support. For more chance to advance their dreams and financial resources needed to make a information on donor recognition goals and build the fabric of family.” true dent in the situation simply are not opportunities, please contact Carla available in the amounts needed. High Beaudoin at carla.beaudoin@ rents and barriers to entry continue to metrohousingboston.org. be a major concern for families. On

Metro Housing|Boston @HOME | Winter 2019 | page 3 Metro Housing’s CHAMPIONS OF HOUSING 35th Anniversary Celebration Thursday, November 1, 2018

Champions of Housing honorees (L-R): Bertha Frazier, a Metro Housing participant, is Auctioneer John Terrio prepares attendees Eric Shupin, Leslie Reid, Patricia Flaherty, flanked by employees Darnell Williams (L) and for our live auction. and Donald Conover. Cody Tracey (R).

Katy O’Neil, Vice-President, Business NEI served as Platinum Sponsors. Thank Park Development Corporation, Patricia Development & Client Relations, you to all of our sponsors and auction Flaherty of Mission Hill Neighborhood Northeast of Suffolk, and Josef Rettman, donors for your generous support Housing Services, and Donald Conover, Managing Principal of NEI General of Conover & Associates, LLC . We honored the accomplishments Contracting, were co-chairs of the event. of leaders who share our passion Champions of Housing raised more than Bank of America was the presenting and commitment to ensuring that $350,000, a new record for this annual sponsor of the event, which was held everyone in Greater Boston has a event. The funds raised help support at John Hancock Financial’s building place to call home. Honorees were Eric case management for the thousands in the Boston Seaport. Eastern Bank Shupin of Citizens’ Housing & Planning of families facing a housing crisis that and The Peabody Companies served as Association, Leslie Reid of Madison Metro Housing works with every year. Gold Sponsors while State Street and

$75,000 GRANT AWARDED Metro Housing & Boston Medical Center receive data capacity-building grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Foundation

Building upon several exciting organizational changes, Metro Pediatrician at BMC. “This grant addresses another fundamental Housing has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Blue aspect of our collaboration—how to gather, share, and use Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation to support the data across sectors and silos in a way that makes our service collection of real-time data in a new partnership with Boston provision more effective and meaningful.” Medical Center (BMC). “We greatly appreciate the support of the Blue Cross Blue Known as Metro Housing at BMC, this cross-sector initiative Shield of Massachusetts Foundation for this generous grant,” began last year within the Pediatrics Department at BMC and said Chris Norris, Executive Director of Metro Housing. “This connects patients at BMC with critical supportive housing grant will help us realize our vision for a data management services at Metro Housing. As part of Metro Housing’s solution that allows all providers to have access to expanding colocation program, a case worker is on site to comprehensive information on all services a patient receives.” receive referrals from BMC medical and social services staff “We all know that the medical care that a person receives is but so that at-risk families can have access to homelessness one factor in their overall health, and that social conditions like prevention resources, crisis intervention services, and long-term housing or food access have a significant impact,” said Audrey stabilization strategies without leaving the hospital. Shelto, President of the BCBSMA Foundation. “We are excited This grant will support the development of cutting edge, two- to continue our work in addressing the social determinants of way, real-time communication to allow for proactive responses health with this new grant program, which will foster cross- to the participants’ current status, ultimately improving health collaboration between human service and health care systems outcomes. This grant is awarded just as Metro Housing is and improve both health and social needs for our populations.” preparing to launch an organization-wide outcomes and data The mission of the BCBSMA Foundation is to expand access upgrade later in 2019. to health care low-income and vulnerable individuals and “As a pediatrician who serves patients and families in our families in the Commonwealth. The Foundation was founded in safety net hospital, I am unfortunately familiar with the adverse 2001 with an initial endowment from Blue Cross Blue Shield of effects of homelessness and housing instability on child and Massachusetts. It operates separately from the company and is parent physical and mental health,” said Dr. Genevieve Preer, governed by its own Board of Directors.

Metro Housing|Boston @HOME | Winter 2019 | page 4 Metro Housing’s COMINGS & GOINGS IN BOSTON AND DC CAPITOL HILL BEACON HILL Welcome & Congratulations Welcome & Congratulations We congratulate Metro Housing is pleased to congratulate eight new legislators in our region as they and welcome newly take their seats in the House chamber on Beacon Hill. We welcome , elected Ayanna , , , , David Robertson, Pressley, the first , and . African-American woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts. Based on our strong working relationship during her time on the Boston City Council, we look forward to working David Michelle Nika Richard Liz David Jon Tommy with her as she takes on a new role in Biele Ciccolo Elugardo Haggerty Miranda Robertson Santiago Vitolo Congress. Thank You Promoted While we say hello to new legislators, mourn the passing of Representative We also congratulate Jim Miceli, and congratulate six other state representatives that have left public Congresswoman service, we thank and appreciate the work of these six individuals for their long- Katherine Clark in term support of affordable housing and homelessness prevention. her new role as the • • Jay Kaufman • Jeffrey Sanchez vice-chair of the • James Dwyer • • House Democratic caucus, making her the fifth-highest- ranking Democrat in the House. During her six years in Washington, D.C., IN MEMORIAM: AMY ANTHONY Congresswoman Clark has proven Metro Housing is deeply saddened by the recent herself to be an adept and capable passing of Amy Anthony, a member of our Board legislator, and a true ally of affordable of Directors from 1993 to 1996. As Secretary of the housing causes. Massachusetts Executive Office of Communities Thank You and Development, Amy worked with former Metro Housing Board Co-Chair Steven Rioff to create Metro Housing Metropolitan Housing, Inc. which later merged wants to thank with the Boston Housing Partnership, Inc. to form recently-departed Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, Inc. Congressman Mike Capuano for his many Amy was considered one of the nation’s foremost experts on housing policy and years of service on finance, and in 2011 was inducted into the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame. Metro the Housing Finance Housing honored Amy in 2015 with our Founders Award. Subcommittee in the Amy was also the founder and former President and CEO of Preservation of House of Representatives. Thank you Affordable Housing, and at the time of her death was on the Board of Directors of for your service and support. the Affordable Housing Institute. Metro Housing sends our deepest condolences to Amy’s family.

MHSA HONORS METRO HOUSING Metro Housing recently With access to permanent tenancy received the Cornerstone supportive services rather than using more Award from the through HHG, formerly costly public systems, Massachusetts Housing & homeless individuals such as emergency Shelter Alliance (MHSA) no longer need to rely shelters and detox – given to 20 agencies on public emergency facilities. across Massachusetts services as their primary Since 2006, HHG has who partner with sources of care. Instead, placed 1011 chronically MHSA for its Home tenants are able to utilize homeless adults into & Healthy for Good mainstream systems permanent housing with (HHG) program. HHG of preventative and Receiving the Cornerstone Award on behalf of supportive services, Metro Housing was Yanick Denis, Case Management is a supportive housing primary health care, including 196 veterans. Specialist (center). Joining Yanik above is Sylvia Kelly, program that prioritizes better coordinate with SIPS Manager (L) and Susan Smith, HMIS Program housing first as a solution mental health providers, Coordinator (R). to homelessness. and maintain consistent

Metro Housing|Boston @HOME | Winter 2019 | page 5 1411 TREMONT STREET, BOSTON MA 02120-3401 617-859-0400 | METROHOUSINGBOSTON.ORG

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CO-CHAIRS TEAM METRO HOUSING TAKES THE CHALLENGE Elizabeth Gruber Cynthia Lacasse It is 5 a.m. on an early February Wednesday morning. With nine weeks to go before the big race, your training guide says you are due for a seven mile run before work. That grim – and cold – VICE CHAIR reality is what these five athletes are willingly embracing to help ensure that everyone in Greater Robert Kaplan Boston will always have a place to call home. Each runner has their own personal reason for CLERK accepting such an enormous challenge. And we honor their drive and motivation! Terry Saunders Lane Team Metro Housing has been running the Boston Marathon and raising money since 2006 thanks TREASURER to the John Hancock Nonprofit Program. Over the past 12 years, volunteer runners have raised a Anne Rousseau combined $431,000 to prevent homelessness for thousands of families and individuals throughout Nader Acevedo Greater Boston. The impact made by Team Metro Housing is enhanced by the thousands of Stephen Adamo donors who have contributed over the years, thereby increasing awareness of our work and the Kevin Boyle need for ongoing support. Cassandra Clay Philip Dorman You can support an individual runner or donate to the team this year by visiting the team page Janet Frazier at http://bit.ly/MetroHousingmarathon Langley Keyes Joseph Kriesberg Mary-Anne Morrison Peter Munkenbeck Richard Muraida Jeffrey H. Packard Esther Schlorholtz Darryl Settles Geoffrey Sherman Charles M. Smith Donald E. Vaughan Michael Widmer

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Christopher T. Norris Team Metro Housing, 2019 (L-R): Cece Baggott, Andrew Haas, Kate Keaney, Venice Touze, and Dina Vargo 1411 Tremont Street | Boston, MA 02120-3401 | 617.859.0400 | toll free: 800.272.0990 (MA only) | MetroHousingBoston.org