Elected Housing Authority Position will Become a 5-year Tenant Appointment, per Year-Old Statute

Bedford’s March 12, 2022, local election ballot will be missing a familiar office.

According to Charlie Tickotsky of the Town Manager’s office, a state law that became effective almost a year ago requires each town to appoint a tenant member to its Housing Authority board. That means in Bedford there will now be three elected members, a gubernatorial appointee (currently William Moonan), and the tenant member.

Jane Puffer, whose term expires in March, has served 3 five-year terms and endorses the new statute. Prior to her election to the Housing Authority, Puffer served multiple terms on Bedford’s School Committee.

The Bedford Housing Authority, actually a hybrid state and local arm of government, administers various state-sponsored programs providing subsidized rental housing for residents who qualify.

The Select Board will appoint the new representative to a five-year term from a list of volunteers from the authority’s tenant population. The law requires the Housing Authority to notify residents about the opportunity if there is no tenants organization to do that.

The appointed board member “may be a tenant or an authorized adult household member residing in public housing in the town or an authorized adult member of a household participating in a rental assistance program administered by the housing authority in the town,” according to the state law.

If there is no eligible and willing candidate from among the tenants, “then the Authority may request a waiver from the state Department of Housing and Community Development. If granted, the waiver would permit the Select Board to appoint any resident to a one-year term.

Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763