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Hogyan szerezte meg Westbrook Housing az ország korábbi szövetségi HUD-főnökét

Írta: Robert Lowell Staff Writer

John Concannon portlandi születésű, az Egyesült Államok korábbi igazgatója. Department of Housing és Városfejlesztési, a Westbrook Housing Authority új ügyvezető igazgatójaként telepszik le.

Concannon lélegzetet vesz, miközben forrásokat keres a helyiek számának bővítésére, megfizethető lakások.

“Fokozottan figyeljük a szövetségi költségvetést,” – mondta Concannon a Westbrook Housing konferenciatermében. “Figyeljük, mi történik.”

Concannon júniusban fejezte be HUD igazgatói feladatait, és júliusban vette át a gyeplőt 1 a Westbrook háznál, Chris Laroche utódja, aki nyugdíjba ment. A lakásügyi hatóság héttagú biztosi testülete országos kutatás után alkalmazta Concannont.

“Nagyon kaptunk, nagyon szerencsés, hogy megszereztem őt,” Colette Gagnon, a Westbrook Housing Board of Commissioners elnöke, – mondta egy hétfői telefonhívásban.

A Szent Kereszt Katolikus Jezsuita Főiskolán végzett, Concannon önkéntesként jelentkezett egy jezsuita programba, hogy segítsen a Los Angeles-i Skid Row hajléktalanjainak 2003, és Chicagóban is szolgált hasonló feladatot addig 2006. Az érettségi után, sikeresen jelentkezett egy állásra a HUD-nál, életpályára szoruló emberek megsegítésére irányuló karrier elindítása.

Concannont Barack Obama elnök hivatali ideje alatt vették fel, akivel ezt követően egy karácsonyi bulin találkozott a Fehér Házban.

ben a HUD igazgatóhelyettesévé léptették elő 2018 és decemberben igazgató lett 2022. Concannon irodája a HUD épületében volt, közvetlenül a National Mall mellett, az ország fővárosában. A HUD titkári irodája a legfelső emeleten volt.

Concannon három elnök alatt szolgált. “Jelentettem egy helyettes HUD titkárnak,” – mondta.

A HUD-nál, Concannon az innovatív politikák kidolgozására összpontosított a lakhatási lehetőségek bővítése érdekében, hogy több ember javára váljon, és felügyelte a személyzetet az egész országban.. -vel dolgozott 140 lakásügynökségek országszerte, szolgáló 600,000 családok. “Sokat kell utaznunk,” – mondta.

Jóval a Westbrook poszt leszállása előtt, négy éve költöztette ide családját. Ő és a felesége, Ann, két gyermeke van, korok 5 és 2.

Concannon a portlandi Cheverus High Schoolban focizott, és a 1998 diplomás. Felesége Deering végzettségű, de Philadelphiában találkoztak, ahol egykor élt, miközben a HUD-nak dolgozott.

Jelentkezett a Westbrook Housing megnyitására, miután egy maine-i kormányzati kapcsolattól értesült annak elérhetőségéről. Gagnon fiatalosnak és jó humorúnak jellemezte Concannont.

Washingtoni bennfentesként, Concannon kinevezése a Westbrook Housingnál működik “a mi javunkra,”– mondta Gagnon.

Westbrook háznak 14 tulajdonságokkal 1,800 háztartásokat, és azt tervezi, hogy követi a Laroche által megállapított növekedési pályát.

Concannon elmondta, hogy a Westbrook Housing meghívást kapott Biddefordba, ahol négy projektje van folyamatban.. Laroche-t és a polgármester által kinevezett biztosi testületet köszöni “jól működő szervezet.”

Ő fogja felügyelni a személyzetet 50 alkalmazottai, és találkozott velük.

Élvezi a laza sétákat, miután otthagyta a futást, hogy elkapja 6 a.m. járatok Portlandből Washingtonba és bejelentkezés szállodákba.

Most itthon, nyert időt, amit a családjával tölthet, és neki és feleségének is vannak rokonai Portland környékén.

LaRoche retiring from Westbrook Housing position

Írta: Robert Lowell Staff Writer

Chris LaRoche will retire Monday, június 30, as executive director of Westbrook Housing after more than a decade. John Concannon, a Portland native, has been named to succeed LaRoche. Concannon comes to Westbrook from the director’s position at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C.

“I’m handing him the keys,” LaRoche said in an interview June 20 at his Westbrook office.

LaRoche has been the executive director for more than 12 years. “I’m a little tired,” – mondta. “I’m going to take the summer to relax.”

He plans to spend time with his family and protest for democracy. LaRoche lives in York County and plans to do volunteer work, protest, and take courses at the University of New England and the UMaine System. “I’m looking forward to being a member of the community,” – mondta. “The biggest thing is to give back to the community — I want to hand out the sandwiches.”

Westbrook Ház, alapítva 1969 and overseen by a board of mayoral-appointed commissioners, provides affordable housing opportunities with 793 units in 14 developments. “We’ve grown about 40%,” he said in a reference to his tenure.

The agency also administers more than 1,000 vouchers in a Section 8 program so low-income residents can live in privately owned apartments in the city.

The total Westbrook Housing budget coupled with its Westbrook Development Corp. has an annual operational spending of $20 million with $130 million in total assets.

LaRoche described the executive director’s job as rewarding as it is demanding. LaRoche oversaw a staff of 50 employees and he has felt a responsibility to them. “The stress will be off,” – mondta.

A former Catholic priest, Coast Guard and Navy veteran, LaRoche began his public service at York County Community Action Corp. He left for adventure to hike the 2,182 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Mt. Katahdin in Maine to Georgia. “Every mile of it,” – mondta.

He saw numerous rattlesnakes and stopped counting the number of bears after 25. One morning at 5a.m. a bear was right outside his tent, but walked away. “That one got my attention,” – mondta.

Along the trail, he met a variety of people; he hiked with homeless people as well as a top executive at a large corporation.

A baby boomer, LaRoche grew up in Gardner, Massachusetts, a community he described as much like Westbrook. He said Westbrook accepted him as one of their own when he succeeded John Gallagher at Westbrook Housing. ‘The people we serve are everyday, regular people who worked hard,” he said.”The need is great … (és) I hope the people of Westbrook feel I have served them as well as John.”

He praises Westbrook for its volunteerism and its community pride. “I have worked all over the state of Maine and there is no community like Westbrook,” – mondta.

In a ceremony earlier this month, Mayor David Morse presented LaRoche with keys to the city and lauded LaRoche as an “incredible resource” who has worked “tirelessly.”

06/16/2025

It is with great pleasure that I am able to introduce Mr. John Concannon as the Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Westbrook. Upon my retirement, effective June 30th, John will be leading the Housing Authority and its Westbrook Development Corporation into the next era to advance the mission to eradicate poverty and increase economic opportunities through quality affordable housing for the community and the region. The Board of Commissioners is to be commended for its vision and commitment to our mission through its selection of John Concannon and his vision and expertise to lead the organization into its future.

As I depart, I wish to acknowledge the highly committed, professional, caring, and skillful colleagues that I have been so fortunate to have by my side. It is with them that we have been able to remain at the pinnacle of performance and expand our programs and production in the past twelve years. I am forever grateful to the staff of Westbrook Housing Authority and Westbrook Development Corporation.

I am forever grateful and honored to have served the supportive and visionary Board of Commissioners of Westbrook Housing and the Board of Directors of Westbrook Development Corporation. It has been an honor and privilege to serve the people of the City of Westbrook as it has been an honor to serve alongside its dedicated City Administration and elected officials who have diligently been supportive of the Housing Authority and my role to provide quality, safe, affordable housing to the area.

Respectfully,

Christopher LaRoche
Ügyvezető igazgató

FY2025 Annual Plan

FY2026 Annual Plan Draft

Westbrook Housing Authority takes pride in celebrating, promoting, and adhering to the Fair Housing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 as we acknowledge the Fair Housing Act and President Lyndon Johnson’s response to the need of the people of the United States of America. ‘…when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson utilized this national tragedy to urge for the bill’s speedy Congressional approval. Since the 1966 open housing marches in Chicago, Dr. King’s name had been closely associated with the fair housing legislation. President Johnson viewed the Act as a fitting memorial to the man’s life work, and wished to have the Act passed prior to Dr. King’s funeral in Atlanta.’ President Lyndon Johnson signs the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, vallás, national origin or sex. Intended as a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the bill was the subject of a contentious debate in the Senate, but was passed quickly by the House of Representatives in the days after the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. The Fair Housing Act stands as the final great legislative achievement of the civil rights era. [Forrás: Fair Housing Act 1968, Federal & Definition | HISTORY ]

HISTORY OF FAIR HOUSING
On April 11, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which was meant as a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. A 1968 Act expanded on previous acts and prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, bérlet, and financing of housing based on race, vallás, nemzeti hovatartozás, szex, (and as amended) handicap and family status. Title VIII of the Act is also known as the Fair Housing Act (of 1968).

The enactment of the federal Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968 came only after a long and difficult journey. From 1966-1967, Congress regularly considered the fair housing bill, but failed to garner a strong enough majority for its passage. azonban, when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson utilized this national tragedy to urge for the bill’s speedy Congressional approval. Since the 1966 open housing marches in Chicago, Dr. King’s name had been closely associated with the fair housing legislation. President Johnson viewed the Act as a fitting memorial to the man’s life work, and wished to have the Act passed prior to Dr. King’s funeral in Atlanta.

Another significant issue during this time period was the growing casualty list from Vietnam. The deaths in Vietnam fell heaviest upon young, poor African-American and Hispanic infantrymen. azonban, on the home front, these men’s families could not purchase or rent homes in certain residential developments on account of their race or national origin. Specialized organizations like the NAACP, the GI Forum, the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) and the National Committee Against Discrimination In Housing lobbied hard for the Senate to pass the Fair Housing Act and remedy this inequity. Senators Edward Brooke and Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts argued deeply for the passage of this legislation. In particular, Senator Brooke, the first African-American ever to be elected to the Senate by popular vote, spoke personally of his return from World War II and inability to provide a home of his choice for his new family because of his race.

With the cities rioting after Dr. King’s assassination, and destruction mounting in every part of the United States, the words of President Johnson and Congressional leaders rang the Bell of Reason for the House of Representatives, who subsequently passed the Fair Housing Act. Without debate, the Senate followed the House in its passage of the Act, which President Johnson then signed into law.

The power to appoint the first officials administering the Act fell upon President Johnson’s successor, Richard Nixon. President Nixon tapped then Governor of Michigan, George Romney, for the post of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. While serving as Governor, Secretary Romney had successfully campaigned for ratification of a state constitutional provision that prohibited discrimination in housing. President Nixon also appointed Samuel Simmons as the first Assistant Secretary for Equal Housing Opportunity.

When April 1969 arrived, HUD could not wait to celebrate the Act’s 1st Anniversary. Within that inaugural year, HUD completed the Title VIII Field Operations Handbook, and instituted a formalized complaint process. In truly festive fashion, HUD hosted a gala event in the Grand Ballroom of New York’s Plaza Hotel. From across the nation, advocates and politicians shared in this marvelous evening, including one of the organizations that started it all — the National Committee Against Discrimination In Housing.

In subsequent years, the tradition of celebrating Fair Housing Month grew larger and larger. Governors began to issue proclamations that designated April as “Fair Housing Month,” and schools across the country sponsored poster and essay contests that focused upon fair housing issues. Regional winners from these contests often enjoyed trips to Washington, DC for events with HUD and their Congressional representatives.

Under former Secretaries James T. Lynn and Carla Hills, with the cooperation of the National Association of Homebuilders, National Association of Realtors, and the American Advertising Council these groups adopted fair housing as their theme and provided “free” billboard space throughout the nation. These large 20-foot by 14-foot billboards placed the fair housing message in neighborhoods, industrial centers, agrarian regions and urban cores. Every region also had its own celebrations, meetings, dinners, contests and radio-television shows that featured HUD, state and private fair housing experts and officials. These celebrations continue the spirit behind the original passage of the Act, and are remembered fondly by those who were there from the beginning. [Forrás: History of Fair Housing – HUD | HUD.gov / Egyesült Államokon kívül. Department of Housing és Városfejlesztési (HUD) ]