Category: Uncategorized

Dear affiliates,

Hello from Mass Union! At our Convention on October 19, you will have the opportunity to vote on eleven (11) proposed changes to our bylaws. This information was sent to our affiliates in the snail mail. Contact us if you have not received your packet.

These changes are offered in the spirit of streamlining and improving Mass Union’s operations so that we can do more to serve you and the thousands of tenants we have not yet reached. We estimate that fewer than 10% of tenants are represented by a tenant organization, so there is a lot of room to grow! These proposed changes are designed to give us the stability and flexibility we need for growth. Please note:

• • Voting on these amendments will occur after lunch at the Convention on October 19 in Springfield. See our website or contact us for more information about attending the Convention.
  • Voting will not include discussion.
  • If you would like to discuss the proposals before voting, please attend the bylaws workshop we will hold at the Convention before lunch. You can also contact our staff or board any time!

What are bylaws? Bylaws are a “governance” document. They state our mission and spell out who is involved in Mass Union—i.e., our affiliates, board, and staff. They also spell out who has which “powers”—i.e., who can do what. As examples, the affiliates have the power to participate in committees and elect board members. Board members have the power to adopt policies and budgets and hire the Executive Director. The Executive Director has the power to hire other staff and run the day-to-day operations of the organization. This all flows from our mission statement, which is included in the bylaws. Together, we can accomplish our mission to build power and voice for tenants.

Because it requires a lot of work to change bylaws, they should not include too much detail. They should not make “programming” decisions about how we accomplish our mission. These decisions should be made in policies and planning documents, such as a Strategic Plan.

On September 5, we held a webinar with affiliates about these proposed changes. We got great feedback and want to thank all who attended. The main feedback was to develop policies to address the areas that would be taken out of the bylaws. We heard you! And as such we wish to draw your attention to the following policies and plans, some of which are included herein.

• • Mass Union’s Proposed Mission, Vision, Values, Goals and Plans
  • Mass Union’s Internal Financial Controls Policy – The board is working on a policy to address details previously covered in the bylaws. This will be up for a vote at the September board meeting. Please join our Finance Committee meeting on October 9 at 2pm over Zoom to hear a status update. Contact us for the Zoom link. Treasurer Sonia Andujar and Assistant Treasurer Danielle Connolly warmly welcome any affiliate to attend the Finance Committee meetings.

To make things as clear as possible, we are enclosing the following documents:

1. 1. Summary of Eleven (11) Proposed Bylaws Amendments
   2. PDF “redlined” version that shows the proposed changes in color
   3. Word “clean” version that has all the proposals incorporated

Once again, please contact us with any questions. To ensure an orderly voting process at the Convention, we are striving to address your questions as soon as possible. Our office phone is 617.825.9750 or you can email info@massunion.org. Thank you for your participation in Mass Union and we hope to see you at the Convention!

Sincerely,

Dave Underhill, Chair
Don Hamilton, Vice Chair and Co-Chair, Bylaws Committee
Nicole Beckles, Board Member and Co-Chair, Bylaws Committee
Sarah Byrnes, Executive Director

More Background

Mass Union received the following guidance from our strategic consultants as part of an organizational assessment conducted last fall.

Do you know someone who would make a good board member for your Local Housing Authority? Maybe it’s YOU! Below please see a list of communities where there is a vacancy in the State Appointee seat. If you live in one of these communities, you can apply for the vacant seat at this link.

Here is a quick cheat sheet about Local Housing Authority boards:

IN CITIES

The State Appointee is appointed by the governor

Four board members are appointed by the mayor, including at least one tenant


IN TOWNS

The State Appointee is appointed by the governor

A tenant member is appointed by the selectboard, using the process outlined in this Public Housing Notice

Three board members are elected in a town-wide election

In addition to filling the tenant seats, tenants can run for the board in a town-wide election or be appointed by the governor as the state appointee. There is no limit on how many tenants can serve on the board! Read on below for other updates and most importantly, be sure to enjoy these summer days.

State Appointee Vacancies
Local Housing Authority Boards

The following Local Housing Authorities have an opening for a “State Appointee” on their board. If you live in one of these places, you can apply to join the board! Click here to submit your application, and email info@massunion.org to let us know you have applied. Please also spread the word to others you know in these communities.

1) Amherst

2) Ashburnham

3) Avon

4) Belchertown

5) Brimfield

6) Brookfield

7) Duxbury

8) Franklin County Reg. Housing & Redevelopment II

9) Gardner

10) Great Barrington

11) Hampden

12) Hampshire County Regional

13) Hatfield

14) Holden

15) Holliston

16) Hopkinton

17) Hudson

18) Mattapoisett

19) Maynard

20) Milton

21) Montague

22) Northborough

23) North Brookfield

24) Pepperell

25) Randolph

26) Southbridge

27) Topsfield

28) Templeton

29) Wakefield

30) Ware

31) Wareham

32) Wellfleet

33) Westminster

34) Westwood

35) Williamstown

36) Yarmouth

This page is intended for Network Leaders to access resources specific to their work. However, many of these documents may be of use to residents and outside organizers. Feel free to take our Network Leader Quiz to learn more about LTO regulations in Massachusetts!

Network Leader Quiz

On June 7, 2024 new state regulations went into effect. These new regulations include the increase in Tenant Participation Funds from $6/unit/year to $25! That means that after June 7, you can request additional Tenant Participation Funds.

EOHLC has provided this information in Public Housing Notice 2024-07:

“Amended LTO funding is effective June 7, 2024. To receive an increase in funding, LTOs must submit a revised budget for LHA approval that reflects the increase in LTO funding authorized by the revision of 760 CMR 6.09(3)(c). Once an LTO budget is approved by the LHA, the LHA will then disburse the revised LTO funding. The LHA should account for the LTO increase in any budget revision. No action is required if the LTO’s budget would not increase based upon the new per occupied unit funding.”

For example, if your LTO represents 50 units:

• • You should have already received $500 in Tenant Participation Funds.
  • Your new Tenant Participation Funding amount is $1,250 (50 x 25).
  • With your community, create a new budget showing how you will spend the $1,250. See ideas here.
  • Submit the budget to your Housing Authority. Since you already received $500, you will now request $750 additional funds. USE THIS FORM.
  • If need be, show your Housing Authority PHN 2024-07.

Contact us if you encounter problems with this process.

RESOURCES

LTO Budget Template – Must be presented to your community, then the Housing Authority. Your Housing Authority cannot negotiate the amount down.

LTO Budget Template – Midyear Increase Request – Use this form to request funds between June 7, 2024 and the start of your next fiscal year. 

June 4: Good News! Bond Bill Updates

May 9: Mass Union Letter to Chair Michlewitz about the Affordable Homes Act (PDF)

April 19: Action Alert: Increase Funding for State Public Housing

March 5: Mass Union Letter to Chair Michlewitz about the FY25 State Budget (PDF)

January 26: New Public Housing Notice Gives Tenants More Voice

January 26: Mass Union and Legal Aid’s Comment on proposed changes to 760 CMR 6.00 (PDF)

January 25: Mass Union Statement on the Governor’s FY25 Budget Proposal

January 19: Mass Union Written Testimony on the Affordable Homes Act (PDF)

January 18: Watch Mass Union Testify at the Affordable Homes Act Hearing

January 15, 2024: 760 CMR Update

December 22, 2023: Policy Update: Good Things are Happening

December 1, 2023: Mass Union’s Letter to Governor Healey RE the FY25 Budget (PDF)

October 18, 2023: Mass Union Statement on the Affordable Homes Act

On Monday June 3, the House Ways and Means Committee released its version of the Bond Bill (aka the Affordable Homes Act). The House is expected to pass it on Wednesday, June 5, and then it will move on to the Senate. The House made changes to the bill, three of which impact public housing:

1. 1. The House added $500 million for capital repairs in state housing! This brings their proposal up to a total of TWO BILLION DOLLARS for the backlog of capital needs. Yes, that’s billion with a “b”! While there are still hurdles to get through before we see this money in our communities, it is great news that the House has increased the amount. No one understands the need for capital repairs better than you. Thank you again for making your voices heard.
   2. Stronger tenant protections during Redevelopment. As you may recall, the Bond Bill includes important protections for tenants who are facing redevelopment. The House made these protections even stronger, and ensured that tenants will not need to be rescreened when they come back to their homes after redevelopment.
   3. The LHA merger section has been removed. The original bill included a section that would make it easier for Housing Authorities to merge with each other. This language appears to be gone from the new version. (Mass Union’s board and policy committee had suggested that this section be strengthened to protect tenants.)

We will closely watch all three provisions as the bill is debated in the House and then moves to the Senate. We will let you know how you can take action for tenants soon. Stay tuned!

• • • Check out initial press coverage of our event here. Go Frank! 🙂
    • Reminder to register for Boot Camp! https://massunion.org/lto-election-boot-camp/
    • We will post pics to our Facebook page so please keep an eye out.
    • Thank you again to our Sponsors, below!

Mass Union Affiliate List – May 15, 2024

Groups in bold have attendees at the Convention

* Grace Period

** Dues to be paid at the Convention

[May 16, 2024, Boston, MA] – In a powerful display of grassroots advocacy, public housing tenants from across Massachusetts are gearing up to converge on the State House on Monday, May 20, 2024. Tenants will champion The Affordable Homes Act (aka the Housing Bond Bill), a crucial piece of legislation that begins to address the backlog of capital repairs needed to maintain the 43,000 units of state-aided public housing.

Organized by the Mass Union of Public Housing Tenants, the event is set to draw attention to the urgent needs of public housing residents and highlight the need for the bill aimed at addressing long-standing issues within the public housing system.

“This is about more than just money and policy; it’s about people,” said Sarah Byrnes, Executive Director of Mass Union. “For too long, public housing residents have been overlooked and underserved. It’s time for lawmakers to listen to our voices and take meaningful action to improve tenants’ living conditions.”

Mass Union’s Lobby Day at the State House will feature impacted tenants, community leaders, Lt. Governor Kim Driscol, EOHLC Secretary Ed Augustus, and elected officials. The speaking program will run from 10AM – 11AM in the Great Hall. Attendees will then meet with legislators to discuss the importance of passing the Housing Bond Bill (with minor changes), increasing funding for the Public Housing Operating Subsidy, and funding an Access to Counsel pilot program.

For inquiries please contact: Sarah Byrnes at 617.825.9750 or Sarah@massunion.org.

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