Sam Thomas v. Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (SPR 20241913)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records July 18, 2024 SPR24/1913 Adrian Walleigh, Esq. Counsel/Public Records Officer Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities 100 Cambridge Street Boston, MA 02114 Dear Attorney Walleigh: I have received the petition of Sam Thomas, of the Boston Globe, appealing the response of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (Office) to a request for public records. See G. L. c. 66 § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On June 5, 2024, Mr. Thomas requested records regarding the following categories: [1.] All complaints regarding the emergency shelters submitted to the EOLHC hotline either by email or phone from Jan. 1, 2023 to present… as they appear in the spreadsheet kept by EOHLC. [2.] Records pertaining to sex offenders identified at or near each emergency assistance shelter site since September 2022. If a tally of such occurrences is produced, please break out results by individual shelter, type of shelter, and location (e.g., Woburn 1, hotel, Woburn 2, congregate site, Woburn 3, scattered site); [3.] Records Related to Serious Incident Reports from September 2022… [4.] Records pertaining to the number of families removed from each emergency assistance shelter and the reason for each removal since September 2022. On June 24, 2024, the Office provided a response. Unsatisfied with the Office’s response, Mr. Thomas petitioned this office and this appeal, SPR24/1913, was opened as a result. It is my understanding that the Office intends on providing a further response to Mr. Thomas to address the records request. Accordingly, the Office is ordered to provide Mr. Thomas with said response in a manner consistent with this order, the Public Records Law and its Regulations within ten (10) business 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

Adrian Walleigh, Esq. SPR24/1913 Page 2 July 18, 2024 days. A copy of any such response must be provided to this office. It is preferable to send an electronic copy of the response to this office at pre@sec.state.ma.us. Mr. Thomas may appeal the substantive nature of the Office’s response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records cc: Sam Thomas