2006-03-01-HSC-rpt - Laserfiche WebLink

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a unit becomes available, the applicant is interviewed by two LAHB board members, the full board reviews the resulting data, implements a credit check and sets a rental rate. The resulting tenant signs a one year lease and pays a rent and security deposit. LHAB advertises through the town email list to schools and Metco. Ads are also placed in the Bay State Banner, El Mundo, other newspapers, and the Hanscom Bulletin. According to The director, Lexington needs more housing availability, particularly more one and three bedroom units. Town officials and LHAB board members need to encourage new housing developers to include affordable housing stock in their projects. 4) Lexington Housing Authority (LHA). This agency provides public housing and federally funded Section 8 vouchers to low income residents of Lexington and adjacent towns. Lexington residents are given preferences. LHA deals solely with housing issues, but people often call or come into request help with other things, including house cleaning, meals, help in getting to medical appointments, and the payment of bills. These requests are referred most often to the Council on Aging. LHA manages 330 housing units. Because there is a waiting list and very low turnover, they cannot help everyone who needs help with housing. The waiting list at the close of 2004 included 66 individuals and couples seeking state-based elderly housing assistance, 54 federal elderly housing seekers, 32 federal family assistance seekers, and 12 applicants for state rental vouchers, a list that was nearly half as large as the total number of already occupied units. Out of the 177 people who applied for public housing in 2004, LHA was able to house 34 houesholds in units that turned over. In the same year, 68 obtained Section 8 application forms. There were also about 100 residents on the Section 8 waiting list during the year. The waiting list for the surrounding region was 37,000 families. LHA was able to secure four new vouchers for the year.