THANK YOU to everyone who joined us at the State House!

If you would like to check our 2025 policy priorities we worked on during Public Housing Day, click here.
Join us for a day of Workshops, Meetings, Civic Engagement and Education

Featuring Keynote Remarks from Secretary Ed Augustus, Senator Adam Gomez, Representative Carole Fiola, Tenant Leaders, and More!

Civic Engagement Workshop with Commonwealth Seminar

Meetings with Policy-Makers

Make your voice heard to support fair funding for public housing, Access to Counsel for tenants facing eviction, protection for tenants undergoing redevelopment, and more. Join public housing tenants and their allies from across the state at Public Housing Day at the Massachusetts State House!

Parking information below.

CLICK HERE TO PAY ONLINE FOR YOUR REGISTRATION

$100 per tenant is requested to cover the costs of Breakfast, Lunch, T-shirts and Interpretation
$125 per non-tenant

Buses will be provided from certain locations for an additional fee. Parking and travel information below!THANK YOU TO OUR PUBLIC HOUSING DAY SPONSORS!

Springfield Sheraton, One Monarch Place, Springfield MA, 01144
Saturday, October 19, 2024, 11AM – 4PM

THANK YOU TO OUR ATTENDEES- SEE YOU IN THE NEW YEAR!
Please fill out this evaluation for our Convention!

Breakfast and lunch provided
Spanish interpretation provided
Hotel rooms available on Friday night for an additional fee

CONVENTION AGENDA AND WORKSHOPS

PROPOSED BYLAWS AMENDMENTS

Join us for Mass Union’s one-day Fall Convention! As always we will provide learning and networking opportunities. Additional agenda items include:

• • Remarks from Springfield’s State Senator Adam Gomez and State Representative Carlos González, pictured below
  • Remarks from EOHLC Secretary Ed Augustus, by recorded video, pictured below
  • Updates to Mass Union’s Bylaws
  • Raffles!
  • Group Photo!
  • Workshops! Topics will include Reasonable Accommodations, featuring Harvard Law Students from TAP; LTO Compliance and Officer Roles; Radical Inclusion; Advocacy 101; and Working with Your Housing Authority Board

Transportation

Vans/buses are heading to the Convention from Fall River, Brockton, Cambridge and Salem. A limited number of seats are available on some of the vans/buses. Contact us for details and to reserve a spot! lilith@massunion.org, 617.825.9750

Parking

OFFICER ELECTION
Nominees

At the Convention on May 19, there will be an Officer election to fill the five Officer positions: Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and Assistant Treasurer. The Officer election is open only to the current members of the board. Officer nominations are posted here and were sent to affiliates in the snail mail April, along with the Director nominations.

DIRECTOR ELECTION
Nominees

The Mass Union Board of Officers and Directors has decided to hold a special election to fill four open Director seats on the board. The election will be held at the Spring Convention on May 19, 2024. Please see information about eligibility on page 6 of our bylaws.

Mass Union List of Affiliates (Eligible to Vote)

Election Rules & Procedures

As adopted by the Election/Nominating Committee, May 10, 2024, 1pm

COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Nicole Beckles, Chair and Board Member, Boston; Bret Perkins, Board Member, Quincy; Jessica Quinonez, Board Member, Springfield; Ellen Jacobson, Affiliate, Lenox; Susan Lanzikos, Affiliate, Bridgewater. Also present: Lilith Dyke and Sarah Byrnes, Mass Union staff.

ELECTION RULES

BYLAWS ARTICLE VI SECTION 4

“Elections: The affiliates to the Mass Union shall elect the members of the board. At the Spring Convention, held in odd numbered years, the affiliates shall elect at least nine members and a maximum of thirteen board members. At the Spring Convention, held in even numbered years, affiliates shall elect five officers from the current membership of the Board. Officers are elected by the affiliates from current board members. If the Board has the minimum number of nine Board members, there is no need to have a special election in the even numbered years to expand the Board.”

Please note that because this is an even-numbered year, we are holding an Officer election. Only current board members can run for the Officer seats, which are Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and Assistant Treasurer. The board also decided to hold a Special Election for Directors (non-officers) this year. We have six people running for four open seats.

BYLAWS ARTICLE V SECTION 6

Paragraph 1: “Each city or town from which there are affiliates present and entitled to vote at a Convention shall be entitled to cast six votes. If there are two or more affiliates from any city or town present and entitled to vote at a Convention, said city’s or town’s six votes shall be allocated equally between said affiliates. Votes may be cast as whole or as fractions thereof.”

When it is time for voting, Nicole will call through the eligible cities/towns, such as Belchertown, Boston, or Brockton. An eligible city/town is one where there is at least one paid affiliate. Each eligible city/town will allocate their six votes equally among paid affiliates. For example:

• • • In a city/town with 6 paid affiliates, each gets 1 vote.
    • In a city/town with 3 paid affiliates, each gets 2 votes.
    • In a city/town with 2 paid affiliates, each gets 3 votes.
    • In a city/town with 1 paid affiliate, they get 6 votes.

Paragraph 5: “Nominations for members of the Board may be made by a Nominating Committee or from the floor of the Convention by a member of an affiliate. The Nominating Committee, if any, shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Mass Union, shall consist of three Board Members from different communities and two members of affiliates from other communities and shall report directly to the Convention. The list of recommended candidates proposed by the Nominating Committee shall be sent to affiliates twenty-one days in advance of the Convention. The committee shall make no changes in or additions to its recommendations after they are sent to the affiliates.”

Please note that because we are sent nominations to the affiliates in advance of the Convention, we will not be able to take nomiations from the floor of the Convention.

ADDITIONAL RULES

In addition to the rules listed above from our bylaws, the Committee has created the following two rules for this election.

 1. You must be present at the Convention to run.

If extenuating circumstances arise and a candidate can no longer attend, the candidate can alert a board or staff member at Mass Union. Their circumstances will be explained to the affiliates for a vote, and the affiliates will decide whether to allow the candidate to run.

2. Candidates may distribute materials at the Convention, with three caveats:

1. 1. 1. No negative statements are allowed about the other candidates.
      2. No promotion of business interests.
      3. Endorsements from present or former Mass Union staff are not allowed.

ELECTION PROCEDURE

 I. Call to Order

Chair Dave Underhill will call the meeting to order and pass facilitation to Nicole Beckles, Chair of the Election Committee.

II. Review of Election Procedure

Nicole will name and thank the Election Committee members and explain that we will be holding three rounds of voting. She’ll explain each as we get to it.

III. Uncontested Officer Election: Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and Assistant Treasurer Roles

 1. MOTION TO VOTE AS A SLATE

Nicole will make the following motion and affiliates can vote yes, no or abstain.

“I am making a motion to allow the four uncontested officers to run as a slate. That means that each community will be able to vote for all four officers at once. This is a way we can save time today. Uncontested means no one is running against them. Here are the four uncontested officer races:

• • • Vice Chair: Maryanne Potrzuski
    • Treasurer: Sonia Andujar
    • Secretary: Carol Robers
    • Assistant Treasurer: Danielle Connolly

“We will go through each community and you will vote yes, no or abstain on whether to save time by voting for all four of these at once as a slate. Yes means one round of voting for all four, no means we will go through each office separately.”

Allow for someone to second the motion. Then take a vote (yay, nay, or abstain) from each community.

2. VOTING

Depending upon the outcome of the vote above, Nicole will go through the offices separately or all at once. Each city/town with at least one paid affiliate will allocate their six votes for the slate or the candidate, or they can abstain. (New nominees are not permitted.)

V. DIRECTOR ELECTION

Note that Lori Manzo has withdrawn from Mass Union and is no longer a candidate.

1. CANDIDATE SPEECHES

The six candidates will be invited to sit at the front of the room, and each will be invited to make a two-minute speech.

2. VOTING

1. 1. The staff will list the six names on a flipchart.
   2. Nicole will call through the eligible municipalities. A municipality is a city or town, such as Belchertown, Boston, or Brockton. An eligible municipality is one where there is at least one paid affiliate. Each eligible municipality will allocate their six votes.
   3. As people are voting, staff will tally the votes on the flipchart.
   4. The top vote winner gets SEAT 1. Staff will write their name on the WINNER flipchart.
   5. The staff will list the remaining five names on a new flipchart and repeat Steps A-D until all four seats are filled.

VI. CHAIR RACE

1. 1. CANDIDATE SPEECHES

The two candidates will be invited to sit at the front of the room, and each will be invited to make a two-minute speech.

2. VOTING

1. 1. The staff will list both names on a flipchart.
   2. Nicole will call through the eligible municipalities. A municipality is a city or town, such as Belchertown, Boston, or Brockton. An eligible municipality is one where there is at least one paid affiliate. Each eligible municipality will allocate their six votes.
   3. As people are voting, staff will tally the votes on the flipchart.
   4. The top vote winner wins the Chair office. Both candidates will remain on the board.

May 19 and 20, 2024

Hotel accommodations are not longer available but registration is open for our Lobby Day.

Lobby Day Registration (May 20)

ONLINE PAYMENT: RESIDENTS | NON-RESIDENTS

May 19: Convention at the Marlborough Marriot
75 Felton St, Marlborough, MA 01752
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Provided
Spanish Interpretation Provided

• • 8:00am – Registration and Continental Breakfast open
  • 10:00am – Programming begins – see details here
  • 5:00pm – Day-time Programming Wraps Up
  • 6:30pm – Dinner

May 20: Lobby Day at The Massachusetts State House in Boston
Breakfast and Lunch Provided
Spanish Interpretation Provided

• • 7:00am – Continental Breakfast opens
  • 8:00am – Buses leave for the state house
  • 10:00am – Programming begins at the statehouse
  • 2:30pm – Buses leave for Marlborough, the North Shore and the South Shore (see below)

Please click here to see our Lobby Day info sheet.

Transportation

Buses will transport residents from the Convention to the State House and back to the Marriot in Marlborough. The bus is included in your Convention registration, no need to register!

Mass Union is also organizing a Convention/Lobby Day bus from the North Shore! The bus will leave Salem at 7:45 in the morning of May 19 and take everyone to Marlborough for the Convention. The next day, it will take everyone to the state house for Lobby Day. After Lobby Day, it will  take everyone home to Salem. The bus is included in Convention registration fees. To reserve your spot on the North Shore bus, email info@massunion.org.

Interpretation

Spanish interpretation will be provided.

Thank You to Our Convention Sponsors!

Gold

Silver

And special thanks to the Housing Authorities who sponsored multiple residents for our Spring Convention!

LOBBY DAY SPONSOR

PATRONS

SUSTAINER

SPONSORS

Convention Registration (May 19)
Lobby Day Registration (May 20)

ONLINE PAYMENT: RESIDENTS | NON-RESIDENTS

Sponsored by
 

October 28, 2023
Best Western, Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center
181 Boston Post Road, Marlborough, MA

Registration and Continental Breakfast will begin at 8am
Programming will begin at 10am and wrap up at 5pm

Spanish Interpretation will be provided

Convention Flyer

Spanish Convention Flyer

• Meet other tenants from across the state and celebrate Spaghetti Power!
• Help advance our goal to improve quality of life in public housing
• Hear from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (formerly DHCD)
• Participate in workshops to gain new knowledge and skills you can bring back to your community
• Full Agenda and Workshop Options

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Gold Sponsor

Bronze Sponsor Resident Patrons
Sending 10+ Residents

Resident Sustainers
Sending 5+ Residents

Resident Sponsors
Sending 2+ Residents

Attleboro Housing Authority
Cambridge Housing Authority
Easthampton Housing Authority
Northampton Housing Authority
Watertown Housing Authority