Housing Authority Suspected of Raiding Linden/Chambers Tenant Union Office

- NEEDHAM, MA - In the early evening of Thursday August 28, 2025, sometime between 3 PM and 8 PM, the papers, posters, bulletin boards and easels, used by the Linden Chambers Resident Association (LCRA), in their temporary office in the Community Room at 5 Chambers Street, went missing.  

One corner of the Community Room, for a long time, has held a display table for NHA literature and tenant related information, such as, the Residents Handbook, LCRA By-Laws, Grievance Procedures, Tenant Participation Policies, and especially important, now, the Annual Plan proposed for 2026.

The Tenants Union recently received express permission from the Director of Property, Gary Gillis, to leave easels, bulletin boards, and papers out, over night, and on weekends, instead of clearing the hall and putting things away, after hours, into the storage closets.  Gary, himself, suggested that if, and when, the tenants leave things out in the community room, that a sign, saying "DO NOT REMOVE" be placed on the table.  The Tenants were adamant about their need for space, especially this month, due to the Tenant Steering Committee's need to meet, over the Labor Day weekend, with time to talk about 1) the LCRA meeting with Executive Director Cheryl Gosman 2) the General Meeting of Residents, on Thursday 1 PM 9/11/2025, followed by 3) the Annual Plan Hearing at the NHA Commissioners Meeting on 5 PM Thursday 9/18/2025.

After discovering that the equipment, documents and papers of Tenants Union had disappeared on Thursday evening, and that the Tenant Union President (that's me) did not find the missing items safely stored away the next morning.  No, that did not happen, when Greg and I, opened the storage closets, Friday morning, no missing items were found.   At that point the President (that's me) spent the weekend moving the remaining Union papers to a safe location, which was his/my apartment at 25 Chamber Street.  

Janice Bennet, a current Commissioner, is fond of telling us about the good old days when she organized her LTO with meetings in her apartment.  Well, congratulations, we are going backwards.  More space for NHA offices, more space for Springwell, more space for the Property Director.  Nothing for the Resident Association.

A report of larceny has been filed with the Needham Police.  If there was a theft of property, owned by a Tenant, the Union, and/or the Housing Authority, then it could be a criminal matter.  However, if the Housing Authority confiscated the goods, without notice, then there could be a civil complaint.  Laurie, the NHA social service coordinator,  was playing board games Thursday afternoon, and reportedly left at 6 PM.  The President of LCRA (that's me) came to work in our temporary office around 8:30PM.  During that time, things went missing.  I asked everybody for help.  

The Community Room has both an old surveillance camera (part of a $100,000 + contract) plus a brand new camera in the community room.   NHA and the Needham Police have been asked to view the video recordings for their investigations.

Laurie says she didn't see anything.  Greg said he didn't see anything.  Cheryl says she has the right to take anything she sees as clutter or is unapproved by the Lord.  The Residents Association wants a safe and secure space for its private meetings and stuff. 

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