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Kitchen renovations delayed by contractor problems; authority seeks new contractor
Summary
Cumberland Housing Authority staff reported significant delays and measurement errors from their countertops and cabinet installers, leaving some units under renovation for up to three months. Staff said they will pursue ending the existing installer contract and seek alternatives to speed work.
Cumberland Housing Authority staff told the board that kitchen renovations originally planned as brief, two-week turnovers have stretched to months because of contractor performance problems, measurement errors and scheduling gaps.
The authority arranged a bond and borrowing of about $360,000 to fund a multi-unit kitchen renovation program; the authority bought cabinets and countertops in advance. Staff said the first kitchen installation met the planned two-week timeline, but subsequent installations took progressively longer — three weeks, then a month, and in several instances nearly three months — because contractors measured counters incorrectly, reported staffing shortages and failed to meet scheduled windows.
"So right now, we're really struggling with we have to have a unit empty before we can go in… it took almost three months to get a unit turned around due to problems with the contractors," a housing authority staff member said. The staff member said the authority plans to meet with Tom Burgess and Dean Perry to pursue a plan to exit the current installer contract and hire a different vendor.
When asked by board members how many kitchens are complete, the staff estimated 8 to 10 finished kitchens and "probably another 20 to go," and offered to provide precise counts. The staff also said the current kitchen-related bond carries a roughly $50,000 annual payment and is scheduled to come off the books in 2028, at which point the authority expects to refinance and resume additional capital work.
Board members described the prolonged renovation timeline as unacceptable for tenants and urged a swift transition to a more reliable contractor. Staff said they will prioritize units that are vacant or when tenants temporarily vacate for extended stays to limit resident disruption.
No formal contract-termination vote was recorded at the meeting; staff described the plan as a management-level next step and said they will return with recommended contract actions and a timeline to accelerate remaining renovations.
