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Residents complain of poor management at town‑owned Westerly Housing; council pledges follow‑up
Summary
Residents at town‑owned Westerly Housing properties told the council of alleged management failures, misleading statements and the recent firing of a resident‑services coordinator; council members and the town manager committed to schedule a formal presentation by the housing board and to investigate resident claims.
Several residents of town‑owned Westerly Housing developments told the council on Jan. 12 they face persistent issues with property management, lack of resident services and intimidation. Speakers described problems at Chestnut Court and Dixon and urged the council to hold the housing board and management accountable.
"It's almost borders elder abuse," said Helen Clark, a resident who testified about repeated messaging failures, the firing of a resident services coordinator and difficulty obtaining benefits support. Several speakers said board governance and long‑serving board membership — they named a longtime board member by complaint in the meeting — had limited residents’ ability to get timely help.
Town response: Councilors and the town manager committed to convene the housing board and invite its members, the HUD liaison (where applicable), and the housing director to present to the council in public session. The town manager asked residents to preserve documentation of incidents and to report urgent problems to police so there is an official record that staff can use in follow‑up.
Next steps: Councilors said they will put the matter on a near‑term agenda and invited the housing board to answer questions in public. The manager said he would review available records, meet with residents and staff, and return with recommended actions and timelines.
