Residents push NHA on rodenticide, safety and service access during public comment

During the public comment portion of the Jan. 26 meeting several residents and LTO leaders raised health, safety and dignity concerns that they want the Northampton Housing Authority to address.

Cahill LTO secretary Lisa Morales described a sequence of resident complaints, an upcoming computer giveaway, a planned talk with Detective Bridal about safety following an attempted murder, and said tenants are pursuing security cameras. Multiple speakers — including a Cahill resident and an Savo House resident — urged the board to reconsider use of certain rodenticides, saying raticides have been found in predators (hawks, owls) and that alternatives are being adopted in over 40 Massachusetts communities. They referenced state bills (S2721, H965) that address bans on certain raticides and asked that NHA discuss alternatives.

Residents also raised an incident at a Martin Luther King Day awards event where attendees said they received leftover dog food; a resident described that as demeaning. Chair Healy asked staff to follow up and recommended residents submit written grievances to Sharon Kimball so issues could be addressed through formal channels.

Sharon Kimball responded on process: grievances should come to her office and she said the housing authority uses a local contractor (Minute Man) for exterior baiting designed to limit non‑target exposure. She did not commit to immediate policy changes but offered to meet with LTOs and follow up on alternatives and requests to present on the topic. Staff also acknowledged limitations for immediate remediation and promised to circulate more detailed responses after internal follow‑up.

Next steps: staff to follow up with LTO leaders about the Martin Luther King Day event, provide information on pest‑control materials and alternatives, and discuss tenant‑driven involvement in hiring and other decisions as required by public‑housing guidance.