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Housing Greenfield Meeting Notes — 05/11/2026

Present: Susan Worgaftik, Peg Hall, Nancy Hazard, Amy Cahillane, Lexi Turner, Pamela Goodwin, Bob Williford, Wisty Rorabacher, Judy Draper, Mary McClintock, Nikki Garrett, Mike Penn-Strah, Alvin Nguyen, Joannah Whitney, Mike Mullin

DISCUSSIONS:

Massachusetts Fair Housing Center — Alvin Nguyen explained that the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center works to ensure that tenants know their rights and works in partnership with a variety of housing and tenants’ organizations.  The Massachusetts Fair Housing Center has received a grant from the Attorney General’s Office to assist tenants in sealing housing records that do not have any negative bearing upon their history as tenants; e.g. a dispute that was settled in the tenant’s favor or was amicably resolved.  These records remain public records available to landlords who may use them to deny a tenant housing even though there is nothing negative in that record or the record is very old and may no longer be applicable.

Massachusetts Fair Housing Center will be doing 15 eviction sealing clinics in Western Massachusetts including in Greenfield and will be assisting individuals in getting their records sealed.  They expect to be doing these clinics during the summer and hope that they can do one at the library in Greenfield.

            Alvin hopes that Housing Greenfield will be able to assist in the clinics.  As he knows more, Alvin will be in touch with us with a specific request for assistance with such things as outreach, etc.

Proposed Rental Registry Ordinance — Susan Worgaftik reminded folks that the Rental Housing Registration and Inspection ordinance will be coming before the Appointments and Ordinance Committee of the City Council on May 13th where it is expected to pass and move on to the City Council meeting on May 20th.  She will send out a reminder email for folks to send in letters or speak at these meetings in support of the ordinance.  The reminder will have talking points attached.

Organizational Planning — Lexi Turner reported that Housing Greenfield has developed into a multi-faceted organization over the last 5-6 years.  The Coordinating Committee invited the membership as a whole to participate in reviewing where we have been and consider where we want to move in the future.  The attached information was used as the starting point for a discussion.  Mike Mullin said that he would be willing to work with Lexi, Nikki and Susan on this process.  It was suggested that we use the questions at the end of the attachment as the beginning of a survey of the membership and that we also might want to survey people outside of the group and possibly hold a focus group or planning session based upon the results of the survey.  All of this will be designed to institutionalize Housing Greenfield so that we are not dependent in the future on one or two individuals.  The next steps are:

  • Developing the survey and possibly distributing it and collating the results
  • Possibly creating subgroups of discussions of ideas that come up in the survey

More to come.

UPDATES:

Tenants’ Union — Susan Worgaftik gave a quick announcement that the first meeting of the Greenfield Tenants’ union was taking place at the same time as our meeting.  We will look forward to learning more about what they are planning to do.

Winslow Renovations — Susan Worgaftik reported that the Greenfield Housing Associates Inc, an affiliate of the Greenfield Housing Authority, will be starting renovations on the Winslow (east corner of Main and West Streets) in June.  Upon completion, the 55 units of the Winslow will officially be supportive housing providing services as well as housing units.  It is hoped that because it is across the street from the Wells Street Shelter and new housing, that there will be a way to coordinate services.  The individuals who require use of the elevator have already been moved to the first floor and residents will be moved to empty apartments within the building as their apartments are renovated.

            Wilson’s—Susan Worgaftik

            Work on Wilson’s has begun.  Go by and check it out.

Summer Get Together

            We will hold our second annual potluck get together on Monday, July 13th.  Place to be announced.  More information to come.  For folks who did not come to last year’s potluck, this is a non-meeting meeting…just food, good talk and laughter.

Next meeting:  Monday, June 8th 6:30 pm via zoom

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