HomeMy WebLinkAboutFair Housing Comm Minutes 5/22/1991� IS
TOWN OF MANSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS. fit=
50 West Street, Mansfield, MA 02048
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Fair Housing Committee
Minutes ; S `•,(t il_i>� [
May 22, 1991
Present: Barbara Orlando, Marilyn Powers and Nancy Surdel
1. Meeting was called to order at 6 :15 p.m.
2. Minutes from April 10, 1991 were accepted as printed Powers / Surdel.
3. Speaker: Lucretia Hudzinski, Director of INFO Line. Lucretia began
by telling us that INFO Line was started on 1/11/90 and at that time
they received approximately 50 -60 calls per month. They are now
receiving over 200 call per month. She said most call fall into four
main categories: 1. Crisis situations (abuse, homelessness), 2.
Unemployed with no resources, 3. Tenant /Landlord disputes and 4.
General Information (where to obtain fishing licenses).
INFO Line serves the communities of Attleboro, North Attleboro,
Mansfield and Norton. Most frequent type of calls received are
related to housing issues.
To handle these housing issues INFO Line works with a pool of
landlords. They will explain the eviction process to people, then
check to see if the caller has applied for FEMA funds. They also help
people thru the SELF HELP agency and the.Homeless Coalition. Self
Help acts as a mediator for tenant /landlord disputes and can also help
families to obtain utility assistance. The Homeless Coalition is used
to help single people or married couples without children.
INFO Line has a room at a boarding house that they use to temporarily
house homeless individuals. While the individual is in this boarding
house, INFO Line tries to put them in touch with as many resources as
possible. Boarders must keep their room clean and are strongly
encouraged to seek employment if they are unemployed.
Lucretia said that the INFO Line has received only a few calls that
pertained to discrimination. These individuals were directed to MCAD.
We pointed out that if there were a discrimination case from
Mansfield, that the individual should contact Mansfield's Fair Housing
Director. Lucretia also noted that Gail Ferrugia from the Mansfield
Council on Aging is very well versed abount financial assistance
programs.
It was brought out that Section 8 housing vouchers from outside the
area can be denied by the local housing authority. It is also common
for the housing authority to be viewed as elderly housing only, which
is not the case.
Some additional points of interest were:
1. They are trying to computerized the INFO Line statistics.
2. INFO Line worked very successfully last Christmas with the West
Side Benovolent Circle on the Christmas is for Kids program.
3. Habitat for Humanity is a good resource for housing help.
Habitat is also involved in re- habilitation projects.
Lucretia was thanked by all members for taking the time and effort to
speak at our meeting.
4. It was announced by Shaun Burke that he has been re- appointed as
Mansfield Fair Housing Director.
5. It was voted that a letter be sent to the Board of Selectman to
request that they schedule interviews to fill the vacated seat on the
Fair Housing Committee.
6. A thank -you letter will be sent to Lucretia Hudzinski.
Meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wed., June 26, 1991 at 6:15 pm.