Housing Authority Moves Forward with Action Plan Despite Criticism

Robert Covelle stood in the function room of one of the Riverside Avenue towers in front of the Medford Housing Authority's commission, residents and Medford citizens and outlined his plan to remedy issues raised in a federal audit report Wednesday night.

There was no talk of resignations or firings among housing authority officials, only discussion of the plan to address issues raised in a federal audit and how it will be carried out.

“The audit has opened our eyes to see that we have to revise our policies and we have to set up new procedures and assign duties and responsibilities to staff so that the staff can be held accountable,” Covelle said.

The housing authority and Covelle -- its executive director -- have been scrutinized since an audit report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development found procurements were agreed upon without a bidding process, and federal money was being used without following proper procedures.

Earlier this week, a Boston Globe report outlined claims that Covelle practiced favoritism by allegedly hiring close friends to full time jobs and for projects, which he has denied. Housing authority commission members have also admitted to being subpoenaed by a grand jury and questioned by state police in recent months, though its unknown what the investigation is looking into.

Covelle stood by a plan to implement new procedures, hire a new staff member and several consultants, which he said would bring the housing authority into compliance with federal guidelines. The new polices and positions would largely be implemented within the next month, he said.

But that isn't enough for some. City Councilor Robert Penta, who has previously called for the commission to fire Covelle, spoke at Wednesday's meeting.

"The everyday is not working at this housing authority," Penta said. "It's not working not because I'm saying it, it's not working because the audit says it."

Covelle said the issues in the audit report began before he started the job in July 2009.

"I'm here now, Bob and I'm going to correct the issue," Covelle said, adding that he "made a lot of good changes in July of 2009."

Some residents shouted out during the meeting in support of Covelle, and others described the improved quality of maintenance at housing authority buildings since he took over.

The authority has added more more maintenance staff under Covelle, but the problems raised in the audit don't have anything to do with that, commission member Sylvia Jean Baumeister said.

"There's no doubt that he’s done a lot for everyone of the residents to clean it up and make it a better place." she said. "But there’s more to it."

Commission member Michael Luongo vowed that the issues would be addressed.

"This should have never happenend, but it happened, and now we're going to correct it," he said. "We're going to correct it."

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