• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Business index
  • Contribute
  • Wellesley Square
  • Private schools
  • Camp
  • Eat
  • Schools
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Kids
  • About us
  • Events
  • Natick Report
  • COVID-19
  • Seniors
  • Letters to the editor
  • Live government meetings
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

How Wellesley has had public housing residents’ backs during COVID-19 crisis

June 10, 2020 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

As the COVID-19 crisis emerged, the Wellesley Housing Authority’s (WHA) first concern—beyond health-related ones—was about residents’ rent calculations.

“We knew that a lot of our residents would be affected by COVID-19 due to loss of hours, or possibly loss of jobs,” said Executive Director Sean Barnicle, sharing his report at the most recent WHA board meeting. “So we took the proactive approach of talking to residents and making changes [to their rents] without specific requirements for backup paperwork… We were able to have them put their requests in writing through us.”

This enabled the authority to adjust rent amounts without having to wait for letters from employers confirming changes in jobs or collecting several pay stubs for proof, said Barnicle, who started his job at WHA in April.

“We wanted to try to give them some solace that we’re trying to work with them through this unprecedented time,” he said.

While a significant number of residents, particularly in family units, have lost jobs or hours during the pandemic, others—including those on the front lines—have gained shifts and hours. Rules put in place by the country, state and WHA have helped to ensure that these residents are able to pocket gains, including stimulus checks. Rents were frozen March 1 and will stay that way through the end of July, and monies such as stimulus checks and enhanced unemployment aren’t being factored into income that rent calculations are based upon.

“The money should go to the residents, it shouldn’t then be portioned back out to the local housing authority, which then goes out to the state and federal coffers,” Barnicle said. Things can be re-evaluated as the new normal presents itself.


Support Swellesley: Here’s how to Advertise and/or Donate to support our independent journalism venture


Working during the COVID-19 crisis


WHA has also taken care of its staff, and as a result its residents, by moving to a work-at-home system early on, and that will largely continue, with some employees trickling back to the office on a rotating basis. It also works closely with the town’s Board of Health, which considers the public housing community in Wellesley one of its priorities.

Facilities workers have largely been kept out of residents’ units, with work focused outside when possible, including landscaping, refurbished flower boxes and other beautification work where employees are able to divide and conquer.

wellesley morton circle apartments near police station
Wellesley Public Housing: Nice view!

 

One way WHA has made sure to stay in close touch with residents even from afar is by launching a new Wellesley Housing Authority website, said Jackie Sullivan, deputy director. Sullivan’s goal had been to get the site up by June, but she launched it earlier when she realized electronic communication was going to be the norm during the pandemic. The site features resources on the new coronavirus, WHA announcements, and fun stuff like a jelly bean counting contest.

River Street public housing
River Street housing looking springy

Looking ahead, as the COVID-19 threat hopefully subsides, WHA has residential improvements planned. These include a $250K window replacement project at its Washington Street units near the police station. The bidding process for that work, which includes the replacement of old crank-out windows that are tough for residents and maintenance to deal with, is getting underway.

Another project in the works is a refurb of the Barton Road complex office. While having two big projects going at the same time will be a handful, Barnicle is also hopeful that this will be a prime time to get good deals out of contractors hungry to get back to work.

Barnicle lamented that he had to be the bearer of bad news to some residents who had rolled out kiddie pools as the weather heated up. They’re too much of a liability concern to allow. But the town has come to the rescue with a good alternative. Through the Wellesley COVID-19 Relief Fund, a few dozen splash pads/sprinkler mats are being supplied to residents and other families in need.

More: Embracing diversity in Wellesley

  • Subscribe to Swellesley’s daily email
  • Please consider contributing to Swellesley to sustain our independent journalism venture

print

Share

Filed Under: COVID-19, Health, Neighbors, Uncategorized

Comments

  1. Sylvia says

    June 11, 2020 at 10:39 am

    Great article. Perhaps I missed it but I’d love an article on Wellesley restaurants who fed the Wellesley residents of low-income housing. I understand Dave Becker (chef & owner of Juniper) made meals for them throughout the pandemic lockdown.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You have to agree to the comment policy.

Linden Square, Wellesley
Wellesley United Soccer
Wonderful Wellesley

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

 

Advertisements

Wellesley Square
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Cheesy Street Grill
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Fay School, Southborough
Wellesley Theatre Project
Volvo
Admit Fit, Wellesley
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Most Read Posts

  • Wellesley is back to being a dry town
  • Restaurants in Wellesley, Mass.: more than 50 dining options
  • Wellesley High holds special August ceremony for grad injured in car crash
  • Congrats to all those sweaty, determined Pan-Mass Challenge riders
  • Wellesley arts news: Davis Museum previews fall exhibits; Abstract art welcomes you to the library

Upcoming Events

Aug 15
1:00 pm

Wellesley Neighbors, Open Lunch

Aug 17
10:00 am - 11:00 am

Tour at Boston Outdoor Preschool Network

Aug 17
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Al Fresco Dinner and Music on the COA Patio

Aug 20
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Code Ninjas JR Workshops

Aug 24
10:00 am - 11:00 am

Tour at Boston Outdoor Preschool Network

View Calendar

Popular pages

  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads

Recent Comments

  • Mark Lavelle on Geese stand their ground at Wellesley Square post office
  • Ellen S on The Underrated Cure: Gardening’s Effect on Mental Health
  • Mary Ann on First taste: Wellesley Square’s new Lockheart Restaurant
  • Mary Ann on First taste: Wellesley Square’s new Lockheart Restaurant
  • Michael Maggard WHS '85 on In remembrance: Martha ‘Martie” Cherry Fiske, award-winning Wellesley teacher who fought for job rights

Links we like

  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Taquitos.net
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (24)
  • Animals (419)
  • Antiques (49)
  • Art (581)
  • Beyond Wellesley (49)
  • Books (368)
  • Business (1,514)
  • Camp (11)
  • Careers/jobs (49)
  • Churches (81)
  • Clubs (229)
  • Construction (296)
  • Dump (127)
  • Education (3,125)
    • Babson College (251)
    • Bates Elementary School (16)
    • Dana Hall School (34)
    • Fiske Elementary School (9)
    • Hardy Elementary School (44)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (43)
    • MassBay (55)
    • Schofield Elementary School (24)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (2)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (11)
    • Upham Elementary School (35)
    • Wellesley College (610)
    • Wellesley High School (970)
    • Wellesley Middle School (204)
  • Embracing diversity (70)
  • Entertainment (792)
  • Environment (755)
  • Fashion (141)
  • Finance (14)
  • Fire (164)
  • Food (347)
  • Fundraising (615)
  • Gardens (161)
  • Government (565)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
    • 2022 Town Election (14)
  • Health (853)
    • COVID-19 (200)
  • Hikes (4)
  • History (389)
  • Holidays (406)
  • Houses (157)
  • Humor (47)
  • Kids (854)
  • Law (8)
  • Legal notices (6)
  • Letters to the Editor (63)
  • Media (70)
  • METCO (4)
  • Military (11)
  • Morses Pond (108)
  • Music (571)
  • Natick Report (30)
  • Neighbors (273)
  • Obituaries & remembrances (76)
  • Outdoors (643)
  • Parenting (63)
  • Police (758)
    • Crime (386)
  • Politics (551)
  • POPS Senior Profile (10)
  • RDF (6)
  • Real estate (334)
  • Religion (132)
  • Restaurants (335)
  • Safety (151)
  • Scouts (2)
  • Seniors (123)
  • Shopping (148)
  • Sponsored (6)
  • Sports (986)
    • Athlete of the Week (6)
  • STEM (107)
  • Technology (164)
  • Theatre (395)
  • Town Meeting (23)
  • Transportation (232)
  • Travel (17)
  • Uncategorized (1,231)
  • Volunteering (347)
  • Weather (178)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (277)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (19)
Deland, Gibson Insurance, Wellesley

© 2022 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login