Agency dismisses Parkside managers

BRANFORD — The Branford Housing Authority has the state funding to rebuild part of the Parkside Village housing complex, but soon may have neither its management firm or attorney to shepherd the project.

In a series of votes — added to an agenda in a controversial move — the authority voted 3-2 last week to dismiss Beacon Community LLC as the firm managing the complex after its contract expires May 1.

By the same 3-2 vote, the authority decided to sever ties with the a law school clinic that for several years has provided free legal services to the BHA.

Authority Chairwoman Tacie Lowe said after the meeting that advice is being sought on next steps.

“I’m really concerned that we will have no management for Parkside in three weeks. That, to me, is a terrifying idea,” Lowe said.

The 50-unit Parkside, which serves seniors and disabled adults, won a Connecticut Housing Finance Authority LowIncome Housing Tax Credit award in March. The $1.8 million award will allow for the complex on South Montowese Street to be rebuilt and made more accessible.

With the state funding, the age and disability restrictions on the 47-yearold complex will be lifted. The complex will expand to 67 units, of which 60 will be restricted to households earning at or below 60 percent of Area Median Income.

The plan guarantees existing residents can move to the new complex.

Still, some worry that seniors eventually would be shut out.

The BHA meeting, presented on Zoom, came directly after an online meeting of the Board of Selectmen at which Mayor Jamie Cosgrove expressed reservations about the project.

“You haven’t convinced me it is not going to be to the detriment of the population being served,” Cosgrove told members of the BHA who tuned in before leaving for their meeting.

With the state money comes the inability to limit the housing to seniors. He also fears the blend of market-rate units with subsidized and supported housing units eventually would be detrimental to the town’s most vulnerable citizens.

He suggested there are other funding sources the BHA could have tapped that would not have come with CHFA strings.

Lowe told him the project would serve a lot of previously unserved residents.

The rebuild will offer 17 additional affordable housing units with no age restrictions in a town with just 3.2 percent of affordable housing.

“I don’t know why we are debating,” she said. “We are under contract. I, for one, am thrilled about it.”

Construction should start toward the end of 2021 and take 18 months to complete.

But during the BHA meeting, member Jerry Mastrangello questioned the process used in choosing management oversight for the new project.

A request for proposals reportedly drew just two applicants — Beacon and Konover Residential Corp. There was said to be issues with the RFP and Konover withdrew.

Mark Colello, BHA vice chairman, said the bidding process went too quickly and was unfair. He called for a do-over.

“I’m just trying to do business fairly like I do every day, with transparency,” Colello said.

When Anika Singh Lemar, a Yale law student, tried to offer advice, Mastrangelo cut her off, telling her they were BHA’s lawyers at the moment.

“You can fire us at any time,” Lemar said.

“This is going to be very soon, Mastrangelo responded.

The vote to strip Beacon of its existing managerial contract came after a debate over putting it on the agenda. It takes a twothirds vote to add an item to an agenda under Connecticut Freedom of Information laws. Members were divided over whether on a 5-member board that required three or four votes.

Mastrangelo, Colello and Paula Humphrey, a Parkside resident who expressed confusion over the motion, voted not to extend Beacon’s contract. Lowe and Kate Collins voted to extend it.

Collins failed in a subsequent effort to have Beacon at least continue to manage the complex until a new contract is signed.

Lowe failed in an attempt to adjourn the meeting before a vote could be taken to dismiss the Yale Law School clinic.

“I want it noted in the minutes that this may be illegal,” Lowe said.

Mastrangelo said he was willing to take that risk.

With Humphrey, who asked several times to have the motion explained to her, there was a 3-2 vote to stop using Yale’s free legal services.