Elderly/Disabled Residents of Linden/Chambers Community Housing Meet to Organize, Plan Recognition, and Participate

- NEEDHAM, MA -  The Board Members of the Linden Chambers Residents Association (LCRA) and one additional neighbor, Fitzroy Danglad, met, last Thursday May 30, 2024, with tenants of Needham's other housing project, and Ben Echevarria, the Mass Union of Public Housing Tenants organizer, at the Needham Free Public Library. 

Needham's "other housing project" is at Captain Cook Drive and Seabeds Way.  Sue Biasizzo and Jessica Reese are active residents there and were present to discuss how to work together and help each other.  

FYI:  A Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued in May 2023 for Design Modernization with subsequent ideas to develop a $20.- million project for families, elderly and disabled housing, with construction to start in December 2024 and run for 54 Months.  This story deserves a separate article, with a question about the status of the Cambridge Housing Authority, which was named a year ago as a development consultant.

The L/C residents wanted to thank the library for reserving the upstairs, glass walled Youth Room.  The tenants have had no community space at 5 Chambers Street, since Needham Housing Authority (NHA) started in on a surprise renovation, two weeks prior.  The residents of Linden/Chambers are searching for meeting space, usually provided by the developer, or the Landlord, in apartment buildings and in community housing.   A tent has been raised at Chambers Street, which is perfect, except when it rains. 

A community building sits at 164 Linden Street, in the middle of the 72 unit cluster housing, but that building is currently used for maintenance, in violation of the zoning use variance granted in 1961.  NHA is storing fixtures, cabinets, and supplies there.  This story needs to be updated.   The Building Inspector took no action to order any correction of the violation, except to send an email saying that even though 164 Linden was not available as a community room, the nearby community room at 5 Chambers Street was.   Something like that.  Of course, even that is no longer true.  

As things stand, if residents hope to use 164 Linden Street, it will require the LCRA or another party to file an appeal with the Zoning Board of Appeal, with $200.- and an agreement to time limits.

LCRA was at the library to review and modify the By-laws.  The plan is to meet with the residents, in early June, for their support, before going to the NHA Regular Meeting on Thursday June 20, 2024 for recognition.  Once certified, the LCRA, will be provided office space and a budget.  

The By-laws state that a seven-day notification period could be met with notices delivered by posters, flyers, hand-outs, and email.  With a quorum of 14 (10 percent units occupied) a vote can be held by the residents to approve and support the By-laws.  LCRA expects to request, ten days before the NHA Meeting, that the Chair and the Director add the recognition of LCRA as an LTO to the Agenda.