Pinakabagong Balita

Mga Publikong Paunawa

How Westbrook Housing landed the nation’s former federal HUD chief

By Robert Lowell Staff Writer

Portland native John Concannon, former director of the U.S. Kagawaran ng Pabahay at Pagpapaunlad ng Kalunsuran, is settling in as the new executive director of Westbrook Housing Authority.

Concannon is taking a breather while seeking funds to expand the number of local, affordable housing units.

“We’re watching closely the federal budget,” Concannon said in his conference room at Westbrook Housing. “We’re watching to see what happens.”

Concannon wrapped up his duties as HUD director in June and picked up the reins July 1 at Westbrook Housing, succeeding Chris Laroche, who retired. The housing authority’s seven-member board of commissioners hired Concannon after a nationwide search.

“We got very, very lucky to get him,” Colette Gagnon, chair of the Westbrook Housing Board of Commissioners, said in a phone call Monday.

A graduate of the Catholic Jesuit College of Holy Cross, Concannon volunteered with a Jesuit program to assist the homeless on Skid Row in Los Angeles in 2003, and also served a similar stint in Chicago until 2006. Following graduate school, he applied successfully for a job with HUD, launching a career of assisting people needing places to live.

Concannon was hired during the tenure of President Barack Obama, who he subsequently met at a Christmas party at the White House.

He was promoted to deputy HUD director in 2018 and became director in December 2022. Concannon’s office was in the HUD building just off the National Mall in the nation’s capital. The HUD secretary’s office was on the top floor.

Concannon served under three presidents. “I reported to a deputy assistant HUD secretary,” he said.

At HUD, Concannon focused on developing innovative policies to expand housing opportunities to benefit more people and he oversaw staff spread all over the country. He worked with 140 housing agencies nationwide, serving 600,000 families. “We got to travel a lot,” he said.

Well in advance of landing the Westbrook post, he relocated his family here four years ago. He and his wife, Ann, have two children, ages 5 at 2.

Concannon played soccer at Cheverus High School in Portland and is a 1998 graduate. His wife is a Deering graduate, but they met in Philadelphia, where he once lived while working for HUD.

He applied for the Westbrook Housing opening after learning about the availability of it from a government connection in Maine. Gagnon described Concannon as youthful and as having a good sense of humor.

As a Washington insider, Concannon’s appointment at Westbrook Housing works “in our favor,”Gagnon said.

Westbrook Housing ay may 14 properties with 1,800 households and he plans to follow the growth trajectory Laroche established.

Concannon said Westbrook Housing has been invited to Biddeford where it has four projects in the pipeline. He credits Laroche and the mayoral appointed board of commissioners with “a well-run organization.”

He will oversee a staff of 50 employees and has met with them.

He enjoys leisurely walks after leaving behind running to catch 6 a.m. flights from Portland to Washington and checking into hotels.

Now back at home, he has gained time to spend with his family and both he and his wife have relatives in the Portland area.

LaRoche retiring from Westbrook Housing position

By Robert Lowell Staff Writer

Chris LaRoche will retire Monday, Hunyo 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,” he said. “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,” he said. “The biggest thing is to give back to the community — I want to hand out the sandwiches.”

Westbrook Pabahay, itinatag sa 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,” he said.

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,” he said.

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,” he said.

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 … (at) 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,” he said.

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
Executive Director

FY2025 Annual Plan

FY2026 Taunang Draft ng Plano

Ang Westbrook Housing Authority ay ipinagmamalaki sa pagdiriwang, Pagsusulong, at sumunod sa Patas na Pabahay ng Batas ng Karapatang Sibil ng 1968 Habang kinikilala natin ang Fair Housing Act at ang tugon ni Pangulong Lyndon Johnson sa pangangailangan ng mga tao ng Estados Unidos ng Amerika. '... Kapag ang rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ay pinatay noong Abril 4, 1968, Ginamit ni Pangulong Lyndon Johnson ang pambansang trahedya na ito upang himukin ang mabilis na pag -apruba ng Bill ng Bill. Dahil ang 1966 Buksan ang mga martsa sa pabahay sa Chicago, Dr. Ang pangalan ni King ay malapit na nauugnay sa patas na batas sa pabahay. Tiningnan ni Pangulong Johnson ang Batas bilang isang angkop na alaala sa gawaing buhay ng lalaki, at nais na maipasa ang Batas bago si Dr. Funeral ng King sa Atlanta. ' Pinirmahan ni Pangulong Lyndon Johnson ang Fair Housing Act ng 1968.

Ang Fair Housing Act ng 1968 Ipinagbabawal na diskriminasyon tungkol sa pagbebenta, Rental at financing ng pabahay batay sa lahi, relihiyon, Pambansang pinagmulan o kasarian. Lantad 1964, Ang panukalang batas ay ang paksa ng isang nag -aaway na debate sa Senado, ngunit mabilis na naipasa ng House of Representative noong mga araw pagkatapos ng pagpatay sa pinuno ng karapatang sibil na si Martin Luther King, Jr. Ang Fair Housing Act ay nakatayo bilang pangwakas na mahusay na nakamit na pambatasan ng panahon ng mga karapatang sibil. [Pinagmulan: Fair Housing Act 1968, Pederal & Kahulugan | Kasaysayan ]

Kasaysayan ng patas na pabahay
Sa Abril 11, 1968, Pinirmahan ni Pangulong Lyndon Johnson ang Civil Rights Act of 1968, na sinadya bilang isang follow-up sa Civil Rights Act ng 1964. ang 1968 Ang Batas ay pinalawak sa mga nakaraang kilos at ipinagbabawal na diskriminasyon tungkol sa pagbebenta, upa, at financing ng pabahay batay sa lahi, relihiyon, Pambansang lahi, kasarian, (at bilang susugan) kapansanan at katayuan ng pamilya. Pamagat VIII ng Batas ay kilala rin bilang Fair Housing Act (ng 1968).

Ang pagsasabatas ng Federal Fair Housing Act noong Abril 11, 1968 dumating lamang pagkatapos ng isang mahaba at mahirap na paglalakbay. Mula sa 1966-1967, Regular na isinasaalang -alang ng Kongreso ang patas na panukalang pabahay, ngunit nabigo upang makakuha ng isang malakas na sapat na mayorya para sa pagpasa nito. Gayunman, Kapag ang rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ay pinatay noong Abril 4, 1968, Ginamit ni Pangulong Lyndon Johnson ang pambansang trahedya na ito upang himukin ang mabilis na pag -apruba ng Bill ng Bill. Dahil ang 1966 Buksan ang mga martsa sa pabahay sa Chicago, Dr. Ang pangalan ni King ay malapit na nauugnay sa patas na batas sa pabahay. Tiningnan ni Pangulong Johnson ang Batas bilang isang angkop na alaala sa gawaing buhay ng lalaki, at nais na maipasa ang Batas bago si Dr. Ang libing ni King sa Atlanta.

Ang isa pang makabuluhang isyu sa panahong ito ay ang lumalagong listahan ng kaswalti mula sa Vietnam. Ang mga pagkamatay sa Vietnam ay nahulog sa bata, Mahina African-American at Hispanic infantrymen. Gayunman, sa harap ng bahay, Ang mga pamilya ng mga kalalakihan na ito ay hindi maaaring bumili o magrenta ng mga tahanan sa ilang mga pag -unlad ng tirahan dahil sa kanilang lahi o pambansang pinagmulan. Ang mga dalubhasang organisasyon tulad ng NAACP, Ang GI Forum, Ang National Association of Real Estate Brokers (Nareb) At ang Pambansang Komite laban sa diskriminasyon sa pabahay ay nagbigay ng husto para sa Senado na ipasa ang Fair Housing Act at malunasan ang hindi pagkakapantay -pantay na ito. Sina Senador Edward Brooke at Edward Kennedy ng Massachusetts ay nagtalo nang malalim para sa pagpasa ng batas na ito. Sa partikular, Senador Brooke, Ang unang African-American na nahalal sa Senado sa pamamagitan ng tanyag na boto, Personal na nagsalita ng kanyang pagbabalik mula sa World War II at kawalan ng kakayahan na magbigay ng isang tahanan na pinili niya para sa kanyang bagong pamilya dahil sa kanyang lahi.

Kasama ang mga lungsod na nag -aalsa pagkatapos ng dr. Pagpatay ng hari, at pagkawasak na naka -mount sa bawat bahagi ng Estados Unidos, Ang mga salita ni Pangulong Johnson at mga pinuno ng kongreso ay sumakay sa kampanilya ng dahilan para sa House of Representative, na kasunod na pumasa sa Fair Housing Act. Nang walang debate, Sinundan ng Senado ang bahay sa pagpasa nito ng Batas, na pinirmahan ni Pangulong Johnson sa batas.

Ang kapangyarihang humirang ng mga unang opisyal na nangangasiwa ng Batas ay nahulog sa kahalili ni Pangulong Johnson, Richard Nixon. Tinapik ni Pangulong Nixon noon ang gobernador ng Michigan, George Romney, Para sa post ng Kalihim ng Pabahay at Pag -unlad ng Lungsod. Habang nagsisilbing gobernador, Ang Kalihim Romney ay matagumpay na nagkampanya para sa pagpapatibay sa isang probisyon ng konstitusyon ng estado na nagbabawal sa diskriminasyon sa pabahay. Itinalaga din ni Pangulong Nixon si Samuel Simmons bilang unang katulong na kalihim para sa pantay na pagkakataon sa pabahay.

Kailan Abril 1969 dumating, Hindi makapaghintay si Hud upang ipagdiwang ang 1st anibersaryo ng Batas. Sa loob ng inaugural year na iyon, Nakumpleto ng HUD ang Handbook ng Pamagat na VIII Field Operations, at nagtatag ng isang pormal na proseso ng reklamo. Sa tunay na maligaya na fashion, Nag -host ang HUD ng isang kaganapan sa kalawakan sa Grand Ballroom ng New York's Plaza Hotel. Mula sa buong bansa, Ang mga tagapagtaguyod at mga pulitiko na ibinahagi sa kamangha -manghang gabi, kabilang ang isa sa mga samahan na nagsimula sa lahat — Ang Pambansang Komite laban sa diskriminasyon sa pabahay.

Sa mga kasunod na taon, Ang tradisyon ng pagdiriwang ng patas na buwan ng pabahay ay lumaki nang malaki at mas malaki. Ang mga gobernador ay nagsimulang mag -isyu ng mga proklamasyon na nagtalaga ng Abril bilang “Makatarungang Buwan ng Pabahay,” at mga paaralan sa buong bansa na naka -sponsor na poster at mga paligsahan sa sanaysay na nakatuon sa mga patas na isyu sa pabahay. Ang mga nagwagi sa rehiyon mula sa mga paligsahan na ito ay madalas na nasisiyahan sa mga paglalakbay sa Washington, DC para sa mga kaganapan kasama ang HUD at ang kanilang mga kinatawan ng kongreso.

Sa ilalim ng dating mga kalihim na si James t. Lynn at Carla Hills, kasama ang kooperasyon ng National Association of Homebuilders, Pambansang samahan ng mga realtor, at ang American Advertising Council ang mga pangkat na ito ay nagpatibay ng patas na pabahay bilang kanilang tema at ibinigay “libre” Billboard Space sa buong bansa. Ang mga malalaking 20 talampakan ng 14-paa na mga billboard ay naglagay ng patas na mensahe sa pabahay sa mga kapitbahayan, Mga sentro ng pang -industriya, Mga rehiyon ng agraryo at mga cores ng lunsod. Ang bawat rehiyon ay mayroon ding sariling pagdiriwang, mga pagpupulong, Hapunan, Ang mga paligsahan at radio-telebisyon ay nagpapakita na nagtatampok ng HUD, Estado at pribadong patas na eksperto sa pabahay at mga opisyal. Ang mga pagdiriwang na ito ay nagpapatuloy ng espiritu sa likod ng orihinal na daanan ng Batas, at naaalala ng mga iyon ng mga naroroon mula pa sa simula. [Pinagmulan: Kasaysayan ng patas na pabahay – HUD | Hud.gov / U.S. Kagawaran ng Pabahay at Pagpapaunlad ng Kalunsuran (HUD) ]