News Summary
Mayoral candidate Josh Kraft has criticized Mayor Michelle Wu’s management of the Boston Housing Authority following a federal audit revealing serious deficiencies in BHA properties. The audit highlighted that out of 36 homes inspected, 31 had significant issues, with about one-third posing life-threatening deficiencies. While the Wu administration defended its record, Kraft emphasized the ongoing problems affecting vulnerable residents, including those in the Ruth Barkley Apartments. The discussion raises concerns about federal funding cuts and their impact on affordable housing in Boston.
Boston – Mayoral candidate Josh Kraft has publicly criticized the administration of current Mayor Michelle Wu, particularly regarding the management of the Boston Housing Authority (BHA), after a recent federal audit by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) revealed alarming deficiencies in BHA properties. The audit found significant problems in 31 out of 36 inspected homes, prompting Kraft to call for accountability from the Wu administration. He described the conditions highlighted in the audit as “deplorable” during a press conference held outside the Mildred Hailey apartments in Jamaica Plain.
The HUD audit, which was released in February, indicated that the BHA had failed to conduct 37 required inspections during the fiscal years 2022 and 2023. Over half of the homes inspected exhibited recurring issues documented in previous audits, indicating inadequate follow-up to address prior concerns. Alarmingly, approximately one-third of the inspected homes had “life-threatening deficiencies” that required immediate resolution within 24 hours. The audit covered inspections from April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2023, and this period was extended partially through August 2023.
In response to Kraft’s allegations, the Wu administration defended its record, emphasizing that the BHA has undergone a significant overhaul in management and maintenance systems under Mayor Wu’s leadership. According to the administration, the BHA has reduced its backlog of open work orders by over 90% within the last nine months. They also pointed out that all maintenance issues highlighted in the audit have been addressed and that recent HUD inspections resulted in an average score of 95 out of 100 for BHA properties.
Kraft contended that issues related to inspections have been ongoing for the past 24 months, citing specific examples such as broken elevators at the Ruth Barkley Apartments. These conditions have forced elderly and disabled residents to sleep in wheelchairs or attempt to navigate seven flights of stairs, which raises significant concerns about the well-being and safety of vulnerable populations within BHA housing.
In terms of future investment and improvements, the Wu campaign touted over $60 million directed towards the Mildred Hailey development, which is expected to introduce hundreds of new housing units and a community center in the near future. Additionally, the city is actively working to modernize ten elevators at the Ruth Barkley Apartments to enhance accessibility and safety for residents.
Kraft also expressed apprehension regarding the implications of a recent announcement from the federal government under the Trump administration, which proposed a 40% cut to federal rental housing funds. He warned that this could effectively dismantle the Section 8 housing program that supports approximately 8,000 households in Boston. City officials have expressed concern about the potential for widespread homelessness should these cuts take effect, linking the discussion of federal underfunding to the challenges in affordable housing.
The BHA is currently implementing cost-saving measures to navigate a potential budget shortfall linked to these anticipated deficits in federal funding. Kraft has proposed initiatives aimed at hiring qualified city staff who can effectively work with disadvantaged communities if he is elected as mayor.
This ongoing discussion highlights the critical intersection of local governance, federal funding, and the urgent need for responsive management within housing authorities, underscoring the complexities faced in addressing housing challenges in Boston.
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Additional Resources
- MassLive: Josh Kraft Calls Out Heartbreaking Conditions at Boston Housing Authority
- Wikipedia: Housing in the United States
- Dorchester Reporter: City Officials Warn Landlords to Brace for Section 8 Cuts
- Google Search: Boston Housing Authority
- Boston Globe: Rent Vouchers Trump
- Google Scholar: Boston Housing Authority Performance
- Housing Finance: WinnCompanies and Boston Housing Authority Launch First Phase of Long-Awaited Project
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Public Housing
- Boston Real Estate Times: Financing Secured to Start Redevelopment of Boston’s Oldest Public Housing Complex
- Google News: Boston Housing Affordability
