Tenant alleges heating and maintenance failures at Parkview Manor; mayor offers Housing Authority contact

Nancy Cebulski, a Parkview Manor tenant, told the Woonsocket City Council on Monday that her building lacked a written policy on when building heat is turned on and off and that discretionary decisions by the executive director disrupted residents and damaged radiators.

"The issue is that there is no nothing written in my lease when I moved to Parkview Manor ... it is so called at the distress discretion of the executive director, Todd Beauvais," Ms. Cebulski said. She said the heat was turned off on May 16, then turned back on when New England weather cooled, and that maintenance had to dismantle radiators twice, which was disruptive given her physical disabilities.

Ms. Cebulski said she had contacted the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights and the attorney general's office and that she was seeking clarity about who oversees the Woonsocket Housing Authority and how tenants can reach commissioners. The council president directed her to the Woonsocket Housing Authority Commission webpage to find members' names.

Mayor Chris Beauchamp told Ms. Cebulski he would put her in touch with the commission chairman, saying, "I will give you the chairman of the commission's number tomorrow. He will call you. His name is Nick Gassy." The mayor and council said the housing authority director reports to that commission and that the commission meets monthly.

Why it matters: The complaint raises questions about written tenant protections, the timing of heat service, and maintenance response for a congregate housing property. Ms. Cebulski said the situation has aggravated chronic medical conditions and disrupted her life.

Next steps: The mayor said he would provide contact information for the housing authority chairman and the council advised Ms. Cebulski to contact commissioners directly. The council did not take formal action during the meeting; the mayor indicated city staff would follow up.