Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Appointments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select Board interviews tenant candidates for Brookline Housing Authority trustee openings
Summary
The Select Board interviewed multiple candidates for an open Brookline Housing Authority trustee seat, with tenant leaders emphasizing tenant perspectives, organizing, and lived experience; board plans to make selections after April 29.
The Select Board held interviews on April 15 for candidates seeking appointment to the Brookline Housing Authority (BHA) trustees. The session included tenant leaders who described tenant outreach, community organizing and experience serving vulnerable populations.
Erica Puribia, a current resident at a BHA property and a board member of the Brookline Community Development Corporation (BCDC), said she would bring a tenant perspective and hands‑on experience with tenant services, including holiday drives, wellness programming, and a first‑time homebuyer course the BCDC runs in partnership with BHA. She said she had attended BHA meetings in person and on Zoom and welcomed learning more about regulations governing housing authorities.
Arlene Hill, a 20‑year resident of a veterans’ building, described personal experience organizing tenants, engaging with GBIO (Greater Boston Interfaith Organization) and advocating for rule changes that would allow tenants to unionize or otherwise influence in‑development governance. Hill noted the barriers tenants face when materials and forms are drafted in legalese and emphasized tenant education and outreach as priorities.
The board said it expects to make selections after its April 29 meeting and to continue interviews for candidates who were not present on April 15.
Members thanked candidates for applying and said the board would weigh experience, tenant representation and committee fit when making appointments to the Housing Authority trustee position.
