Potholes! Potholes! Potholes!

NEEDHAM, MA -

This is an Open Letter to Cheryl Gosman, the Executive Director of the Needham Housing Authority (NHA) in order to bring attention to the ongoing Safety Hazard suffered by the residents and guests of the Linden/Chambers State Housing Development.  ...ongoing and ignored for years, now.

It is now Spring 2025.  In fact, today is Monday April 14.  And it has been Spring since March 20.  Spring is the time when the Town puts out a notice that the Town Public Works Department wants to hear about any potholes, or other road work, that needs to be done after a Winter of freezing and thawing, and other related damage done to the pavement, from traffic and snow plowing. 

This is a news story, ready to be printed, sort of like a "This Old House," for roads.  I would like to hear the story of the annual pothole and roadwork, written up and published as a community interest story by the local media, the Needham Channel (video at 8PM), the Town newsletter on what we Need, plus the Needham Observer, and the Home Town News, too. 

As I understand things from the Town Highway Department, the owners must respond to a complaint about a Safety Hazard within 48 hours.  And fixed in 72 hours.  Is this true?  The Housing Authority in Needham operates under a special idiosyncratic set of policies that have been written up and interpreted by the Executive Director.  The best NHA Commissioners have been chastised for attempting to do their part, as volunteers in public service, to help direct the NHA.  Instead they have been told their responsibility is to "hire and fire," nothing more.  So, who is in charge?

Since the NHA now has yet another development partner,  can we have a public meet with the NHA, the LCRA and the latest consultants, Peabody?  Does anybody know?   Board package to come....