The Lowell Housing Authority and the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust teamed up this Earth Day to bring family-friendly “green” programming to children living in the Lowell Housing Authority’s North Common Village and Highland Parkway family properties. The children participated in a nature scavenger hunt, planted seeds, and were introduced to the EnviroScape to learn about environmental issues affecting the environment. Children and mothers were also provided with gift bags distributed by our resident services teams, courtesy of the The Wish Project of Chelmsford, and their generous donors.

Thank you to Katie Sadlier, the LHA’s JobsPLUS Director and her team–Madeline Colon-Rivera, Heather Barker, Kiss Quick, and newest member Liliane Kaitare, as well as Kelsey Tauer, our Family Self-Sufficiency Coordinator for their efforts in orchestrating such a memorable day. We are so proud of all that you do to support our families. On behalf of the Lowell Housing Authority and our Lowell Housing Authority: Jobs PLUS Program, we would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincerest thanks to the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust. We look forward to next year. Until next year…keep it green!

The Lowell Housing Authority was pleased to join our community partners last Saturday to host an Adult Health and Wellness Fair for residents of the agency’s Federal Public Housing Programs. This event was month’s of planning and spearheaded by Lowell General Hospital and Paula Gouveia, our Resident Health Advisor. Providing support assistance, Mary Alice McParlane, Outreach Specialist, Mary Ann Maciejewski, Special Projects Coordinator and Kelsey Tauer, Family Self-Sufficiency Coordinator, as well as our maintenance staff helped make this event visible and welcoming to our residents. We are grateful for their hard work and celebrate their success.

The event was held at the Mercier Community Center, and this truly was a fitting venue for a community-based effort. Eighty-Two families, and over 200 people walked through the doors to find supportive services. We received positive feedback from participants and partners alike. This event would not have been possible without their support.

The Housing Authority would like to express our sincerest thanks to our dedicated community partners, who provided a breadth of care–everything from Covid-19 vaccinations and booster shots, nutrition and dental guidance, blood pressure and oral cancer screenings, and smoking cessation outreach, among other critical services for healthier lifestyles. Thank you to Lowell General Hospital, UMass Lowell, Greater Lowell Health Alliance, City of Lowell, MA – Government, Lowell Community Health Center, Middlesex Community College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Hannaford Supermarkets the Lowell Senior Center, and all of the volunteers who helped make this year’s fair a success. Your expertise across the healthcare spectrum offered an informative, and unmatched experience for our residents. We appreciate all of your efforts in inspiring a healthier US!

1. Breast Cancer Screening
2. Prostate Cancer Screening
3. Oral Cancer Screening
4. Colorectal Cancer Screening
5. Blood Pressure Screening
6. Diabetes Education
7. Oral Health Educaton
8. Smoking/Vaping Education
9. Eye Health Education
10. Mental & Behavioral Health/Substance Abuse Prevention Education
11. Nutrition/ Meal Preparation and Education
12. COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Clinic
13. Pharmacy & Medication Education
14. AgeSpan (Formerly Elder Services)
15. Lowell Senior Center
16. Greater Lowell Health Alliance Survey Booth
17. Healthy Homes Initiative Information Booth

The Lowell Youth Activities Program, Inc. (LYAP) is pleased to announce that it will once again be hosting its annual Philip L. Shea Scholarship Awards Reception. The Lowell Youth Activities Program is 501(c3) tax exempt 509(a)(1) public charity with the mission to educate, mentor and advance children within the Lowell Housing Authority’s Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs. In most cases, it is very difficult for the families of these children to afford extracurricular activities, after-school programming and the pursuit of higher education. Through ongoing donor support, the organization is able to award over $20,000 in academic scholarships annually to High School graduates pursuing higher education. Charitable contributions are also used to fund an academic-based After-School Program and Summer Youth Recreation Program which serves low-income youth within the Acre and Highlands neighborhoods.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION

The scholarship application deadline is Friday, May 27th at 4:00 PM. 

The 2022 Philip L. Shea Scholarship Awards Reception will be hosted on

Thursday, June 16th  5:00-7:00pm

The Allen House at University of Massachusetts Lowell

2 Solomont Street

Lowell, MA 01854

We’re Honoring Robert J. McMahon!

The Lowell Housing Authority’s nonprofit affiliate, the Lowell Youth Activities Program is pleased to announce that the organization will be honoring Robert J. McMahon!

Robert J. McMahon has been a long-time friend and dedicated public servant for the Authority. Commissioner McMahon served as the Labor Commissioner on the Board from 2001 to 2006. During his term, he was ardent supporter for the demolition of the Julian D. Steele development to pave the way for the development of new single and duplex homes, which has since revitalized the neighborhood.

In his early years, upon honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, Bob and his wife Audrey had lived in the Julian D. Steele development for 6 years and 4 of their 5 children were born there. Having once been a resident of Lowell Housing, Commissioner McMahon has a strong aptitude for the inner workings of public housing administration, and is a strong proponent of union labor, who, brick-by-brick, set the foundation for new possibilities for low-income families.

McMahon had the opportunity to serve again on the Board, being appointed for a 5-year term by Governor Charles Baker as the State appointed Board member in 2015. He had been an active member of the Executive and Personnel Subcommittees during his tenure and was instrumental in supporting resident initiatives and guiding budget priorities for capital projects until 2021.Thank you, Commissioner McMahon, for your dedicated service to the residents of Lowell, who had, and will continue to call Lowell Housing Authority home.

Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be available for the evening, as we celebrate the future of Lowell youth.

This year, we hope that we can count upon your support through either a ticket purchase, tax-deductible monetary contribution or a sponsorship placement in our Scholarship Event Program Book.

SPONSORED ADVERTISING

• • • • • • • • • FULL PAGE $300
                • HALF PAGE $200
                • QUARTER PAGE $100
                • BUSINESS CARD $50

Not only will your generosity benefit the youth that we serve, but also will provide the opportunity for exposure for your business. We thank you greatly for your consideration of our request.

Advertising purchases and donations may be made by check and payable to Lowell Youth Activities Program, Inc., PO Box 1103, Lowell, MA 01853. You may also purchase tickets, advertising, or donate online by visiting https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lowell-youth-activities-program-scholarship-awards-reception-tickets-59109381752. (Each $100 spent through ad sponsorship or donation receives one event ticket). If purchasing a sponsored advertisement online, simply select your ad value through Eventbrite, and please submit your ad electronically at the appropriate size in pdf, jpeg, or png formats to [email protected].

The advertising deadline is Tuesday,  May 31st. 

For additional questions, please contact [email protected]

Sincerely,

Lowell Youth Activities Program, Inc.

The Lowell Housing Authority’s Division of Leased Housing and Admissions office is in the process of moving its office from 350 Moody Street to 89 Appleton Street. This has been an ongoing project for the last few months to provide a more efficient office space for the leased housing staff to improve customer experiences. The time is finally here– moving week!

Housed in the former Lowell Juvenile Courthouse, our new office will feature staff parking and more accessible on-street and public parking for our customers. Additionally, modular and independent office space will provide for more comfortable, and personal customer interactions.

Here are some important details for our customers, vendors, and community stakeholders:

• • • • • Staff will be moving on Wednesday, March 2nd, and Thursday March 3rd. During this time, there may be a brief disruption in service. Please excuse any delays in service during this time. Please leave our staff a voicemail or email us and we’ll respond to you as soon as possible.

• • • • • The Division of Leased Housing Office will be fully operational as of Monday, March 7th at the new location. Please note that our offices will still be CLOSED to the public, but we’re available to provide service by email, phone and appointment.

• • • • • The Division of Leased Housing and Admissions Departments’ new address is:

Lowell Housing Authority
89 Appleton Street
PO Box 60
Lowell, MA 01853

• • • • • There will be two mailboxes accessible to the public open during normal business hours to drop paperwork for the Division of Leased Housing and Admissions Department. One will be located at the new office, and the other will remain at 350 Moody Street for the foreseeable future.

For questions or concerns regarding this relocation, please contact our main office at 978-364-5311. We look forward to continuing to provide the highest quality housing and supportive services from our new home!

ESPANOL         KHMER

It’s that time of year! Applications for the NAHRO Merit Scholarship and the NAHRO-LDG Scholarship program are open! Take advantage of this special opportunity to award eight scholars who live in NAHRO agency member-provided housing a scholarship to continue their studies after graduating high school.

Applications are due to National NAHRO by July 8, 2022. Please review the application in detail as some changes have been made from years prior.

NAHRO Merit and NAHRO-LDG College Scholarship Rules – The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO)

Dear Friends,

Season’s Greetings,

As the Lowell Housing Authority approaches another year, we reflect upon all that we’ve accomplished and look towards the future to make next year even better than the last. Despite another year of challenges presented by the pandemic, the agency plowed ahead and is proud of its accomplishments. The safety and wellbeing of our residents were of critical concern in 2021 as we continue navigating another year of these unsettling times together. A lot has happened in 2021, and we’re excited to share our experiences!

In 2021, the Housing Authority balanced the need to improve community spaces for residents, while ensuring resident safety. South Common Village, City View Towers, and Centralville Gardens all received a fresh coat of paint, and new modern furnishings. We are currently working on also giving Belvidere Heights a little TLC. Social gathering had been limited due to the pandemic, but we hope these spaces will be fully utilized in the future, including our plan to bring engaging activities and resident services to these properties.

We have high hopes for 2022, but this past year, we were attentive to ensuring every resident had the opportunity to receive free COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. We would like to thank our administrative office team for their coordination of these services. We offer special thanks to the City of Lowell, Lowell General Hospital, Trinity Medical, and Cataldo Ambulance Services, who were instrumental in providing COVID-19 testing and vaccinations to our residents and staff. Our success would not have been possible without your support.

Increasing the available affordable housing in the City of Lowell has always been a priority for the Housing Authority. This year, the agency made considerable strides to ensure that in just a few short years, our efforts to improve the Acre Neighborhood could become a reality. The Lowell Housing Authority has dispositioned all 87 scattered sites and is in the process of relocating families to their new homes. The agency’s nonprofit arm, the Revitalization Effort Towards New Urbanism, has also acquired two new properties for the future development of affordable housing, which is anticipated to include veterans housing with supportive services.

While we only held one event this year, it was a memorable one for the agency. In June, the LHA was pleased to honor former State Senator and current chairman of the Lowell Housing Authority, Philip L. Shea with the dedication of the Market Street bridge in his honor. That afternoon was particularly special; the agency was able to bring Chairman Shea back to the North Common Village Property, where he grew up on Lewis Street, to present scholarship awards to the next generation of deserving, Lowell youth.

The Lowell Housing Authority’s success would not be possible without the efforts of our dedicated team, and we recognize and appreciate their contributions.

Our JobsPLUS self-sufficiency program hit the ground running this year under the leadership of Katie Sadlier, our new JobsPLUS Director. Katie, along with her team of Case Managers, Heather Barker and Madeline Colon-Rivera, and Community Outreach Specialists, Jennifer Flores and Kiss Quick, were able to enroll 140 participants into the program. Mary Alice McParlane, our new Program Outreach and Compliance Specialist, also contributed her design expertise to implementing very successful program outreach. Participants of JobsPLUS are actively striving to reach their goals of acquiring job skills, seeking educational opportunities, and breaking down barriers to sustained self-improvement and economic security. We are proud of the accomplishments of the JobsPLUS Program, and those of our participants, and we look forward to another year of success.

The Housing Authority had the pleasure of welcoming new employees to our Facilities Management team. Through heat, rain, and snow, our Facilities Management department keeps our properties looking their best. In 2021, we hired Rafael Santana, Pedro Febo, and Rayan Vimsoleng, who have been reliable hardworking additions to our conscientious maintenance crew.
In November, the Executive Office team was reinvented to facilitate changes in human resources administration and resident services through two newly created positions. The agency hired Donna Toohey, as our Human Resource Generalist, and Paula Gouveia as the LHA’s Resident Health Advisor.

Our new employees come to the Authority with diverse backgrounds and experience, and have brought with them new ideas. Most importantly, our team brings with them a daily commitment to those we serve. We are excited for them to grow with the agency, and for the many contributions they will make to the LHA in 2022.

There is a lot to be grateful for in 2021, and we are blessed to have been presented with the prospects, and the fruitful community partnerships to continue to provide the highest quality housing and support services for our residents. Thank you to our residents, Chairman Philip L. Shea, and our Board of Commissioners, and our community partners for your continued support. On behalf of the Lowell Housing Authority, and the Board of Commissioners, we wish you a safe, and happy holiday season.

Sincerely,

Gary K. Wallace