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Kif Westbrook Housing niżlet lill-ex kap federali tal-HUD tan-nazzjon

Mill-kittieb tal-persunal Robert Lowell

John Concannon, indiġenu ta’ Portland, eks direttur tal-U.S. Dipartiment tad-Djar u l-Iżvilupp Urban, qed joqgħod bħala d-direttur eżekuttiv il-ġdid tal-Awtorità tad-Djar ta’ Westbrook.

Concannon qed jieħu nifs waqt li jfittex fondi biex jespandi n-numru ta’ lokali, unitajiet ta’ akkomodazzjoni affordabbli.

“Qed naraw mill-qrib il-baġit federali,” Concannon qal fil-kamra tal-konferenzi tiegħu f'Westbrook Housing. “Qed naraw biex naraw x'jiġri.”

Concannon għalaq id-doveri tiegħu bħala direttur tal-HUD f'Ġunju u qabad ir-riedni f'Lulju 1 f'Westbrook Housing, wara Chris Laroche, li rtira. Il-bord tal-kummissarji ta’ seba’ membri tal-awtorità tad-djar qabbad lil Concannon wara tfittxija mal-pajjiż kollu.

“Sirna ħafna, xortik tajba ħafna li kisbuh,” Colette Gagnon, president tal-Bord tal-Kummissarji tad-Djar ta’ Westbrook, qal fit-telefonata t-Tnejn.

Gradwat mill-Kulleġġ Kattoliku tal-Ġiżwiti tas-Salib Imqaddes, Concannon offriet bi programm tal-Ġiżwiti biex tassisti lil dawk bla dar fuq Skid Row f’Los Angeles fi 2003, u serva wkoll stint simili f'Chicago sakemm 2006. Wara l-iskola gradwata, applika b’suċċess għal impjieg mal-HUD, it-tnedija ta’ karriera ta’ għajnuna lin-nies li jeħtieġu postijiet fejn jgħixu.

Concannon kien ingaġġat matul il-mandat tal-President Barack Obama, li sussegwentement iltaqa’ f’festa tal-Milied fil-White House.

Huwa ġie promoss għal deputat direttur tal-HUD fi 2018 u sar direttur f’Diċembru 2022. L-uffiċċju ta 'Concannon kien fil-bini HUD ftit 'il barra mill-Mall Nazzjonali fil-kapitali tan-nazzjon. L-uffiċċju tas-segretarju tal-HUD kien fl-aħħar sular.

Concannon serva taħt tliet presidenti. “Irrapportajt lil deputat assistent segretarju tal-HUD,” qal.

Fl-HUD, Concannon iffoka fuq l-iżvilupp ta' politiki innovattivi biex jespandu l-opportunitajiet ta' akkomodazzjoni biex jibbenefikaw aktar nies u ssorvelja persunal mifrux mal-pajjiż kollu. Huwa ħadem magħhom 140 aġenziji tad-djar madwar il-pajjiż kollu, li jservu 600,000 familji. “Sirna nivvjaġġaw ħafna,” qal.

Ħafna qabel l-inżul tal-post Westbrook, reloka l-familja tiegħu hawn erba’ snin ilu. Hu u martu, Ann, għandhom żewġt itfal, etajiet 5 u 2.

Concannon lagħab il-futbol fl-Iskola Għolja ta 'Cheverus f'Portland u huwa a 1998 gradwat. Martu hija gradwata ta’ Deering, imma ltaqgħu f’Philadelphia, fejn darba għex waqt li kien jaħdem għall-HUD.

Huwa applika għall-ftuħ tad-Djar ta 'Westbrook wara li sar jaf dwar id-disponibbiltà tagħha minn konnessjoni tal-gvern fil-Maine. Gagnon iddeskriva lil Concannon bħala żagħżugħ u li għandu sens tajjeb ta' umoriżmu.

Bħala persuna minn ġewwa ta’ Washington, Il-ħatra ta’ Concannon fix-xogħlijiet tad-Djar ta’ Westbrook “favurna,”Qal Gagnon.

Westbrook Djar għandha 14 proprjetajiet ma 1,800 familji u qed jippjana li jsegwi t-trajettorja ta’ tkabbir li Laroche stabbilixxa.

Concannon qal li Westbrook Housing ġiet mistiedna f'Biddeford fejn għandha erba' proġetti fil-pipeline.. Huwa jikkredita lil Laroche u lill-bord tal-kummissarji maħtur tas-sindku “organizzazzjoni mmexxija tajjeb.”

Huwa se jissorvelja persunal ta 50 impjegati u ltaqa’ magħhom.

Jieħu gost jimxi bil-mod wara li jħalli warajh jiġri biex jaqbad 6 a.m. titjiriet minn Portland għal Washington u verifika fil-lukandi.

Issa lura d-dar, kiseb ħin biex iqatta’ mal-familja tiegħu u kemm hu kif ukoll martu għandhom qraba fl-inħawi ta’ Portland.

Laroche jirtira mill-pożizzjoni tad-djar ta 'Westbrook

Mill-kittieb tal-persunal Robert Lowell

Chris Laroche se jirtira nhar it-Tnejn, ġunju 30, bħala direttur eżekuttiv ta 'Westbrook Housing wara aktar minn għaxar snin. John Concannon, Nattiv ta 'Portland, ġie msemmi biex jirnexxi LaRoche. Concannon jasal Westbrook mill-pożizzjoni tad-direttur fl-Istati Uniti. Dipartiment tad-Djar u Żvilupp Urban f'Washington, D.C..

“Qed nagħti ċ-ċwievet,” Laroche qal f'intervista f'Ġunju 20 fl-uffiċċju tiegħu ta 'Westbrook.

LaRoche kien id-Direttur Eżekuttiv għal aktar minn 12 snin. “Jien ftit għajjien,” qal. “Se nieħu s-sajf biex nirrilassa.”

Huwa qed jippjana li jqatta 'ħin mal-familja tiegħu u jipprotesta għad-demokrazija. Laroche jgħix fil-Kontea ta 'York u qed jippjana li jagħmel xogħol volontarju, protesta, u ħu korsijiet fl-Università ta 'New England u s-Sistema UMaine. “Qed nistenna bil-ħerqa li nkun membru tal-komunità,” qal. “L-akbar ħaġa hija li nagħti lura lill-komunità - irrid nagħti s-sandwiches.”

Westbrook Djar, stabbilita fl 1969 u sorveljat minn bord ta 'kummissarji maħtura tas-sindku, jipprovdi opportunitajiet ta 'akkomodazzjoni bi prezz raġonevoli bi 793 unitajiet fi 14 żviluppi. “Aħna kibru madwar 40%,” Huwa qal f'referenza għall-mandat tiegħu.

L - aġenzija tamministra wkoll iktar minn 1,000 Vouchers f'sezzjoni 8 Programm Residenti bi dħul baxx jistgħu jgħixu f'appartamenti privati fil-belt.

It-total tal-baġit tad-djar ta 'Westbrook flimkien mal-Westbrook Development Corp tiegħu. għandu infiq operattiv annwali ta ' $20 miljun ma ' $130 miljun f'assi totali.

LaRoche ddeskriviet ix-xogħol tad-direttur eżekuttiv bħala ta 'sodisfazzjon kif qed titlob. LaRoche mexxa persunal ta ' 50 impjegati u huwa ħass ir-responsabbiltà għalihom. “L-istress se jkun mitfi,” qal.

Eks Kappillan Kattoliku, Gwardja tal-Kosta u Veteran Navy, LaRoche beda s-servizz pubbliku tiegħu fil-Komunità tal-Kontea ta 'York. Huwa telaq għall-avventura biex itella ' 2,182 Miles of the Appalachian Trail minn MT. Il-jealous tar-reputazzjoni lejn il-Ġeorġja. “Kull mil minnha,” qal.

Huwa ra bosta serħan u waqaf jgħodd in-numru ta 'orsijiet wara 25. One morning at 5a.m. Ors kien dritt barra t-tinda tiegħu, Imma tlaqt. “Dak wieħed ġibed l-attenzjoni tiegħi,” qal.

Tul it-traċċa, Iltaqa 'ma' varjetà ta 'nies; Huwa tela 'ma' nies bla dar kif ukoll ma 'eżekuttiv ta' fuq f'korporazzjoni kbira.

Baby boomer, Laroche kiber f'Gardner, Massachusetts, komunità li ddeskriviet bħal Westbrook. Huwa qal li Westbrook aċċettah bħala wieħed minn tagħhom meta rnexxielu lil John Gallagher fil-Westbrook Housing. 'In-nies li naqdu huma kuljum, Nies regolari li ħadmu ħafna,” qal.”Il-ħtieġa hija kbira … (u) Nispera li n-nies ta 'Westbrook iħossu li servejthom kif ukoll lil John.”

Huwa jfaħħar lil Westbrook għall-volontarjat tiegħu u l-kburija tal-komunità tiegħu. “Ħdimt madwar l-istat ta 'Maine u m'hemm l-ebda komunità bħal Westbrook,” qal.

F'ċerimonja aktar kmieni dan ix-xahar, Is-Sindku David Morse ippreżenta lil Laroche biċ-ċwievet lejn il-belt u faħħar lil Laroche bħala “riżorsa inkredibbli” min ħadem “bla heda.”

06/16/2025

Huwa bi pjaċir kbir li jien kapaċi nintroduċi s-Sur. John Concannon bħala d-Direttur Eżekuttiv tal-Awtorità tad-Djar tal-Belt ta 'Westbrook. Malli l-irtirar tiegħi, effettiv fit-30 ta 'Ġunju, John se jkun qed imexxi l-Awtorità tad-Djar u l-Korporazzjoni tal-Iżvilupp ta 'Westbrook fl-era li jmiss biex tavvanza l-missjoni li teqred il-faqar u żżid l-opportunitajiet ekonomiċi permezz ta' akkomodazzjoni ta 'kwalità affordabbli għall-komunità u r-reġjun. Il-Bord tal-Kummissarji għandu jkun imfaħħar għall-viżjoni u l-impenn tiegħu għall-missjoni tagħna permezz tal-għażla tiegħu ta 'John Concannon u l-viżjoni u l-għarfien espert tiegħu biex imexxi l-organizzazzjoni fil-futur tagħha.

Kif nitlaq, Nixtieq nirrikonoxxi l-impenjat ħafna, professjonali, kura, u kollegi tas-sengħa li kelli tant ixxurtjati li jkolli minn naħa tiegħi. Huwa magħhom li stajna nibqgħu fil-quċċata tal-prestazzjoni u nespandu l-programmi u l-produzzjoni tagħna fl-aħħar tnax-il sena. Jien dejjem grat lill-istaff tal-Westbrook Housing Authority u Westbrook Development Corporation.

Jiena dejjem grat u onorat li servejt il-Bord ta 'Appoġġ u Viżjonarju tal-Kummissarji tad-Djar ta' Westbrook u l-Bord tad-Diretturi ta 'Westbrook Development Corporation. Kien unur u privileġġ li jservu lin-nies tal-belt ta 'Westbrook peress li kien unur li jservu flimkien mal-amministrazzjoni tal-belt iddedikata tagħha u l-uffiċjali eletti li kienu jappoġġjaw b'mod diliġenti l-awtorità tad-djar u r-rwol tiegħi li nipprovdu l-kwalità, sigur, akkomodazzjoni raġonevoli għaż-żona.

B'rispett,

Christopher Laroche
Direttur Ezekuttiv

FY2025 Annual Plan

Abbozz tal-Pjan Annwali FY2026

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, reliġjon, 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. [sors: 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. il 1968 Act expanded on previous acts and prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, kiri, and financing of housing based on race, reliġjon, oriġini nazzjonali, sess, (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. Madankollu, 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. Madankollu, 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. [sors: History of Fair Housing – HUD | HUD.gov / U.S. Dipartiment tad-Djar u l-Iżvilupp Urban (HUD) ]