Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Selectmen reach out on Phoenix Court resident complaints

Kerry O'Brien
News Staff Writer

TEMPLETON — The Board of Selectmen recently reached out to the state Department of Housing and Community Development on behalf of several residents of the Phoenix Court housing development at 99 Bridge St. who say ongoing issues of maintenance and responsiveness from staff at the site are not being addressed.

“We’ve gone to (the Templeton Housing Authority) so many times in the past and nothing happens. It’s ridiculous,” said resident Michael Casavant. “If something comes up, it gets swept under the carpet every time.”

Louise Chaffee, director of the housing authority, said the complaints are “invalid.”

“We have done tons of stuff to improve the property, and they’re picking on these little things,” she said.

Phoenix Court is a 37-year-old housing development with 60 low-income apartments operated by the Templeton Housing Authority. The authority is operated by a director and an elected board of commissioners under the oversight of the state Department of Housing and Community Development.

The selectmen do not have authority over the management of Phoenix Court or the housing authority, but allowed several upset residents of Phoenix Court to make their case recently during a meeting.

“It’s my intention to have this discussed here,” said selectmen Chairman Jeffrey Bennett. “I feel it is the responsibility of the board to hear things and listen to them. If we want to support items in town, we can’t ignore residents and then turn around and ask things of them.”

Mr. Casavant, resident Jean Morton and several others who declined to be identified claim that sand from last winter has yet to be swept up, grass and hedges are left to grow uncontrollably, exits aren’t shoveled out in the winter and the facility’s maintenance manager refuses to tend to resident’s concerns.

“It’s shameful,” said Ms. Morton.

“It looks like an abandoned lot,” Mr. Casavant said. “We’re the only two that came forward, but there’s a bunch of other residents behind us.”

Ms. Chaffee said the residents did not take the proper course of action to have their complaints addressed, and that they never brought their issues to the local housing commissioners. She said the housing authority did receive the selectmen’s letter, and indicated that officials will be addressing that document and residents’ concerns at the commissioners’ next meeting, which is likely to be held Sept. 11.

Ms. Chaffee also said she has received confirmation that state officials received the selectmen’s letter, and will be providing a written response.

7 comments:

  1. I certainly hope something is done about all those items for the residents of Pheonix Court. They deserve better.

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    1. It took a lot of courage to come to a Selectmen's meeting, because they have to go home. I think there has been some abuse when people have dared to speak out. Maybe Jeff Bennett should go and check to see how things are doing, but knowing him he already has. Bev.

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  2. Really Bev? That is not a good thing and I was thinking that also while I was sitting there and listening to them. It's sad that they have to go through that, but I had not thought of what would happen after. I was trying to think of ways we could help them out, but it seems that has to happen with the correct process. I hope it all works out or I am going to organize a picket over there to make it happen.

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  3. I was evicted after seven years living there wherein, I basically kept watch, swept the hallways, stairwells and even parking lot every year. Cleaned the public 'common space' building every day of the week...And took care of my own cleaning and cared for everyone there in one way or another...Louise Chaffee is insane! A hypocrite who evicted for a bunch of "little things". I believe she and the maintenance man Gary Whitney are siphoning funds somehow out of the spending they did on the major "tons of stuff" improvements, which were really no improvements at all. Just structural stuff that was shoddily done by amateurs brought in quickly to cover the fact that they had let the building corrode to such an extent that it should have been declared condemned back in 2005 when I first moved in...I was the only young man (40's) living there and the place was just a squatter's den...where seniors reign as kings and queens...They shifted attention for years off of themselves by persecuting me and even fast tracked a new building which is still being built next door? Did this ever come to pass? Did you have a picket? Have things improved? It's basically everyone's fault, but no one wants to take responsibility for it all...I was friendly with a lot of people living there and I hear they recently redid the parking lot! I would love to hear that good things have happened and all are better off these days...I really enjoyed living there, as hard as it was and as corrupt as the authority may be! It was all worth it to me! Miss the town and people I got to know and befriend! May God bless them, even Louise, but maybe not Gary! :P Okay, even Gary! When and if I ever return to Templeton, I'd love to help fix all the chaos construction nonsense that covers a great deal of corruption and abuses many...Good luck to you Diane and First Lady...Don't fall in with the band..."You shall not follow the multitude to do evil."
    (Exodus 23:2)

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