Mayor Byron Brown announced four new appointees to the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority Board of Commissioners today.
Buffalo's public housing is responsible for housing 10,000 residents. “Ain’t no voice down here. No voice down here,” one BMHA resident said.
He’s not the only one who expressed frustration with the living conditions. Judith Grandits lives at the Marine Drive Apartments where she says, “the biggest problem that we run into living here is getting anything done and getting it done right.”
The four appointees replace three commissioners forced out and filled a fourth seat vacant for most of 2017. The slate appointees includes: David State, David Rodriguez, Nona Watson, and Rishawn Sonubi. Mayor Brown also announced two expert advisors today: Gary Crosby and Michael Clarke. The Mayor says the new appointees are diverse in their experiences within the affordable housing development.
“Everything we do, is going to be very tenant centered,” Mayor Brown said.
“This is a political move by the Mayor to now for him say to everybody he is now going to pay attention to the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority of which he has been responsible for since 2005,” Mark Schroeder, Mayoral Candidate, said.
Mayor Brown responded by saying, “situation as we look at funding structures and resources that are flowing to public housing requires us to be more innovative.”
The Mayor has requested the Common Council for approval of the four BMHA Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, July 15. If approved, the new BMHA board would meet together for their first meeting on August 10.
