Leslie Credle v. Boston Housing Authority (SPR 20210848)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records April 16, 2021 SPR21/0848 Roy Laurie Records Access Officer Boston Housing Authority 52 Chauncey Street Boston, MA 02111 Dear Mr. Laurie: I have received the petition of Leslie Credle of Justice For Housing appealing the nonresponse of the Boston Housing Authority (Authority) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On February 16, 2021, Ms. Credle requested the following records for the period of January 2015 through December 2020: 1. … the number of tenants and housing voucher recipients who have had their benefits (participation in the public housing or housing voucher recipients) restricted or terminated due to arrests or felony convictions. This includes, but is not limited to, tenants who may have lost their benefits because a family member was arrested and those whose arrest led to a loss of benefits. Please also indicate in such cases whether the person was arrested/convicted was the name on the voucher/housing certificate. 2. … what steps were taken by Boston Housing Authority to ensure that the participant members had their right to due process in adjudication on their benefits (whether restricted or terminated). 3. … the number of applicants to public housing who had arrests or prior convictions and the number of applicants who had arrests or prior convictions who were accepted. 4. … the number of applicant to the housing voucher program who had arrests or prior convictions and the number of applicants who had arrests or prior convictions who were accepted. 5. … what were the policies of and actions taken by Boston Housing Authority to One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 • (617) 727-2832• Fax: (617) 727-5914 sec.state.ma.us/pre • pre@sec.state.ma.us

Roy Laurie SPR21/0848 Page 2 April 16, 2021 assist housing insecure/low-income people exiting prison, in securing housing. This includes policies of how people exiting prison are treated in the application process, as well as the steps taken to work with other government agencies and nonprofit organizations to assist housing insecure/low-income people exiting the prison system in securing housing. 6. … the number of applicants to public housing and the number of applicants to the housing voucher program with domestic violence incidents and the number of such applicants to both programs who were ultimately accepted according to the respective program. Claiming to not yet have received responsive records, Ms. Credle petitioned this office and SPR21/0848 was opened as a result. Based upon a conversation between a Public Records Division staff attorney and an Authority representative, it is my understanding that the Authority intends on providing a response to Ms. Credle. Accordingly, the Authority is ordered to provide Ms. Credle with a response to her request in a manner consistent with the Public Records Law and its Regulations within 10 business days. It is preferable to send an electronic copy of this response to this office at pre@sec.state.ma.us. Ms. Credle may appeal the substantive nature of the Authority’s response within ninety days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records cc: Leslie Credle