January 2016 Newsletter - Watervliet Housing Authority

God Bless
America
Watervliet Housing
Authority
273-4717
ext 201 Mary S
ext 203 Matt
ext 204 Daria
ext 205 Mary C
Watervliet
HousingAuthority
Charles V. Patricelli, Executive Director
January 2016
You’re Invited
We are having a Bon Voyage party for our
Executive Director Charles Patricelli on
January 22, 2-6pm
All tenants are welcome!
or
office@
watervliethousing.org
Emergency Number
273-6085 (after hours)
Watervliet Police Dept.
call 911
Watervliet Fire Dept.
call 911
We have a Web site...
WatervlietHousing.org
Check us out.
We would like to announce that Charles Patricelli will be retiring at the end of
January after 33 years as our Executive Director.
Starting February 1st, Matthew Ethier will be taking over
the position of Executive Director.
See our tribute to Charles on WVLT Channel 17
and pictures on pages 12-13.
Once again the annual Santa Visits were a huge
succes, delivering presents to over 100 children. We
would like to thank everyone involved in making
this year better than ever. If you took a photo with
Santa and Mr. Claus, you can pick it up at the office
along with a 2015 holiday frame.
Pictures from the event on page 9
It is Never Too Late for an Education
2016
Page 2
Education in America today is
valued higher than ever before. Employers look for higher education and
degrees before even looking at a skill
set. In order to be financially stable,
one must hold a decent job, which,
today, requires an education. Many
older individuals feel they lost such
an opportunity, that their chance has
passed to go to college, and they cannot make their way up the socioeconomic ladder.
49 year old Watervliet Housing tenant, Ramona Colamarco, has
challenged this way of thinking. Colamarco became disabled 5 years ago,
as she was barely able to walk due to
back injuries. The surgery she needed
could not be done due to her weight.
Her doctor explained to she was 100
lbs. overweight and that the surgery
was too risky for such a patient. Instead of giving up, Colamarco lost
135 lbs., which led her back problems
to heal. Now, she is able to function
better than ever. She moved into the
Joslin Apartments at the Watervliet
Housing Authority in April of 2012
to assist in her recovery and get her
back on her feet. She never believed
or wished, however, that the WHA
would be her home forever.
Colamarco felt it was time to
make a change in her life. Her economic status was preventing her from
moving forward, and an education
was her best option toward the life
she wants to live. She enrolled in the
nursing program at Maria College,
December 24, 2015
where she will begin taking classes in the Spring 2016 semester. She
contacted the Housing Authority to
inquire about our Laptops Program.
This program allows for college
bound individuals to receive a fullyloaded laptop, free of charge, to assist
in their college experience. Delighted
about her ambition, the Housing Authority gladly provided Colamarco
with a newly refurbished laptop.
Through determination and drive, she
is now on her way toward a better life
for herself.
Ramona Colamarco’s story is
one that should inspire others. Those
who believe there is no way out of
hardshipmustunderstandthatgetting
an education is an option for them. It
can greatly affect the opportunities
they receive in life. Surely there are
obstacles that one will face indefinitely, but that should not prevent someone from bettering themselves or their
family. Colamarco proves this, with
many obstacles working against her;
age, disability, economic status. She
persevered, demonstrating that it is
never too late for an education.
Housing Authorities All Around
NYS Show Their Appreciation
“On behalf o
f the Associa
tions, we tha
you for your
nk
service and c
ommitment to
Public Housi
ng, your kee
n wit and joy
personality w
ful
ill certainly b
e missed.”
Mack
L. Carter
White Plains H
ousing Authori
ty
t to
s! And I wan
le
r
a
h
C
s
n
o
ti
the
“Congratula
e advice over
th
f
o
ll
a
r
fo
ays
thank you
ED that I alw
e
n
o
e
th
e
r
e
r.”
years. You w
business afte
y
m
l
e
d
o
m
tried to
an
Jeff McTiern
uthority
Ilion Housing A
2016
“Others can
just be hopefu
l to complete
as fine a job
as you have d
one over the
30+ years!”
Steve S.
Kenmore Housi
ng Authority
al
hat I call a re
w
to
B
O
J
ays
“GOOD
ere who I alw
w
u
o
Y
.”
n
a
to improve
“company m
g
in
k
o
lo
s
a
en I w
ed to
looked at wh
se you seeem
u
a
c
e
b
n
o
ti
e.”
our opera
ad of the curv
e
h
a
e
b
s
y
a
alw
andry
Robert L
ity
Housing Author
ls
al
F
s
n
le
G
of
City
“Congratulations and God
speed. I have tremendous
respect for you and your
accomplishments.”
Steve Horton
New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority
Page 3
Around the WHA...
Hanratta Tenants:
Character Education students have
recently started having coffee & donuts
at the Hanratta complex with the tenants
from 10-12.
Upcoming dates include:
January 10
February 28
March 20
April 19
May 15
Luncheon and Bingo
2016
January 5th
12 pm to 1 pm
at Daniel Quinn Apartments
January 12th
12 pm - 1 pm
at the Hanratta Apartments
January 14th
12 pm - 1 pm
at Green Island Senior Apartments
Sponsered by
Simply the Best Home Care
RSVP with Rachael
518-444-1201
Snow
Shoveling the snow from your sidewalk is
essential and it is part of your lease, with
the exception of seniors. The Housing Authority will back charge to clear any walks
or porches that are not cleared within 24
hours of a snowstorm. Also, be sure your
car is moved by 9 am the day after it
snows so we can plow. Cars will be towed
so we can be sure the area is clean. This
is for your and others safety to make the
parking areas safe. DO NOT PARK IN
THE PIONEER PARKING LOT.
Painting Policy for all
WHA tenants
Any tenant requiring their apartment to
be repainted and require more than
one coat of paint the tenant will
be charged for the additional
expense. This may be caused
primarily due to smoking in
the apartment. This policy
is for those currently residing. For those that vacate
it will be charged against
your security deposit.
Attention all Seniors with lobbies: ICE MELT
There is a bucket in the front entrance of every senior hallway, please help us out, spread a
little on the walkway when you are leaving your apt if you see that it is icy. If you see the
pail going empty, please let us know. Be safe and not sorry.
Candle Blamed for Apartments Fire
Page 4
A lit candle in a bedroom of an apartment in the Hampshire House in Schenectady is
being blamed for the fire that destroyed 35 of 57 units. The candle was being used during
a power outage. Authorities are unsure whether something brushed against the flame or if
the candle fell over.
PLEASE BE SURE LIT CANDLES ARE PUT IN A SAFE PLACE AND ARE IN EYE
VIEW AT ALL TIMES. DO NOT LEAVE CANDLES BURNING UNATTENDED!
Around the WHA...
What is an
emergency?
When you call the
emergency number, please remember it is only
for emergencies.
What is an emergency? A gas leak,
an electrical problem not related to
a circuit breaker or
a National Grid power
outage are emergencies. A toilet not working,
a water leak that can’t be stopped, or a sewer
back up are emergencies. A lock out is also
something that you can call for, but there
is a charge. A dripping faucet, a light out, a
blown circuit breaker are NOT emergencies.
A broken refrigerator, or range are also not
emergencies. All must be called in the next
business day or you can leave a message on
the office phone extension 201.
Safety Tips for Joslin
and Hanratta Tenants
If the air/exhaust vent is covered by snow or
damaged by falling icicles, the exhaust may
be blocked and cause malfunctioning of the
unit. Keep the area around the air/exhaust
vent free of snow and icicles.
Do not use this appliance for anything other
than heating your apartment.
Do not allow anyone to sit on or lean against
the appliance.
Do not place articles containing liquids on
the top of the heater. Liquids spilt on the
controls may cause extensive damage.
Young children should be supervised at all
times. Hand or body contact with the levers
should be avoided.
Attention All
Tenants
Now you can go online and view your balances, account information, and even your
open and past work orders! Just go to the
WHA website and click on the link to the
portal to log in. You can sign in using your
first inital and your last name name as your
username and the last 4 digits of your social
security as your password.
For more details call the office!
Reducing the Risks
of Our Staff
During the winter months this is especially
important because of the cold weather issues such as ice and snow. To assist us we
ask that anytime that you see a potentially
unsafe condition you inform the office so
that our maintenance crew can address
the situation. This not only includes ice
and snow issues but any condition that
may possess a risk to the residents. Conditions such as site lights being out, ponding
on sidewalks, trip
hazards in paths of
travel, and any other
situation that you
think maybe creating
an unsafe condition
should all be called
in to the main office
so that the staff can take corrective action.
With your assistance we can make our
properties as safe as possible.
If you have toilet bowl stains, we have a chemical that can
help. Call the office for assistance.
We will take care of the issue.
2016
Page 5
For your information...
ARE YOU GOING TO BE
A HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATE THIS JUNE?
If so, NYSPHADA provides
a scholarship of $2500 to one
graduating high school student.
This scholarship is for high
school seniors living in public or
assisted housing. If you would
like an application you can go to
the housing office to pick one up.
Candles can be
dangerous!
Yes, they look nice and smell
nice, but they can be
extremely
dangerous.
Candles are the
leading cause of
house fires.
The deadline to apply is
February 8, 2016
2016
Computer
for Kids
Program
If your son or daughter is attending high
school or college and doesn’t have a home
computer, give the office a call. We have
donations of older but usable computer parts
and then reassemble them into computers for
children in the housing authority that need
them. It will be on a first come first serve basis
with the older children receiving priority. Don’t
wait call us now.
2016 Watervliet
Calendars
You should have received your new 2016
calendar from the Watervliet Housing
Authority. This calendar is filled with
information about the Authority and many
important dates you need to know. We are
very proud of our calendar and hope you
find it useful. If you did’t receive one and
want a calendar, please stop by the office
or call us.
Bed Bugs are here!
Page 6
One of our neighboring apartment complexes, NOT HERE IN WATERVLIET HOUSING, had their first case of bed bugs and they were taken care of quickly, but not
quickly enough. Apparently the tenant didn’t want to tell us because they
were embarrassed. Why? They are everywhere and it has nothing to
do with your income or how nice your apartment is. The longer you
wait to inform us the harder and more expensive the task to get rid
of them. Please don’t be embarrassed. Tell us as soon as you think you
have a problem. You can call and talk to us confidently in the office and
we’ll keep the problem as low key as we can. If you fail to tell us, the cost
for the extermination can be placed on your account. Questions? Call us
NOW!
For your information...
City of Watervliet Emergency notification system is now in place
We are encouraging everyone to register for the emergency notification system in place with
the City of Watervliet. You can go on the City of Watervliet website www.watervliet.com and
click emergency notification center, the link to sign up is there. You can also call City Hall at
270-3815 someone can register you over the phone. This is very important if we ever have
a flood, water line break, snow or any other emergency. The system can also send texts. It is
FREE and can be very helpful.
Emergency
Evacuation
Do you have a plunger?
This is a $5 item at most stores and
could save you over $50 in maintenance costs. We had a call during our
last snow storm that they had a plugged
toilet. The tenant had to wait 5 hours before someone could be freed up to go to
the apartment. If they only had a plunger
they could have corrected the problem themselves. Also, a overtime
call for a plugged toilet
is a charagable cost to
the tenant. So please,
make the investment and
put it on your shopping list.
Are you wheelchair bound? Do you use
oxygen? In the event of a fire can you leave
your apartment? Many times we don’t
know who can’t leave their apartments
in the event of an
emergency. If at
night, the Fire Department certainly
doesn’t know. Call
now and let her
know so we can put
this in our file and then
send it to the Police and Fire Departments.
If you are a neighbor of someone that you
think would need assistance in the event of
a disaster, call and let us know and we’ll
check it out.
2016
2015-2016 Utility Allowance
Site
UA
Site
Michael J. Day
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
3 Bedroom
4 Bedroom
$30.00
$34.00
$46.00
$65.00
Edwin Joslin
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
3 Bedroom
4 Bedroom
Abram Hilton
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
3 Bedroom
4 Bedroom
$30.00
$34.00
$46.00
$65.00
UA
$77.00
$87.00
$94.00
Eugene Hanratta
1 Bedroom
$26.00
Daniel P. Quinn
1 Bedroom
$30.00
Page 7
From everyone here at the
Watervliet Housing Authority,
we wish you
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
We strive to keep the Watervliet Housing Authority “A Great Place to
Live,” and programs such as our Santa Visits allow us to do so. We
hope these events bring our tenants together as well as strengthen the
relationships our staff has with the tenants. Putting smiles on the faces
of our residents brings us great happiness, and it is rewarding to say
that we’ve been doing so for over 30 years.
2016
Page 8
One individual we would like to thank in particular is Charles
Patricelli, the WHA Executive Director. We thank him not only for
starting the Santa Visits at the Watervliet Housing Authority, but for
keeping it going for so many years. Mr. Patricelli will be retiring at
the end of January this year, but we hope to maintain his high
standards and traditions that bring joy to the tenants of the
Watervliet Housing Authority.
Santa Visits the WHA
If a photo was taken at your
apartment they are at the office
for you to pick up!
2015
Thank you for making our 32nd annual
Christmas visit a huge success! It’s a lot
of fun for the children and for us as well. Special thanks go
to Charles Patricelli, Matt Ethier, James Verhagen, Kelly
Veshia, Kylea Spain, Sarah Skinner, and Scott Kilcullen for
volunteering their time to deliver gifts, and we can’t forget
Santa & Mrs. Claus (shhh... it was Mark & Karen Gleason).
Page 9
Every year we have amazing people who are generous and
give wonderful gifts to the families of Watervliet Housing.
We appreciate their help, and we hope you do as well.
To show your appreciation, we’re asking that you make a
thank you card for their generous actions. You can bring
them into the WHA office and they will make sure the
cards are delivered properly.
We also have coloring
pages for you to color
for Santa at the office.
WVLT channel 17
on Time Warner
Cable. Check
WVLT for any
school closings!
Page 10
Hanratta Nassau Band
Christmas Concert
2015
Page 11
Saying Goodbye to a Devoted Leader after
33 Years as Executive Director
For the past 33 years, Charles Patricelli has been leading the Watervliet Housing Authority in the right
direction. Charles, putting all of his time and energy into the WHA, has proved his dedication to his staff
and tenants. He is a leader that always thinks ahead and pushes boundaries to achieve the very best for his
residents. Throughout the years, Charles has established numerous programs, events, and traditions that
are aimed to make our tenants feel safe and welcome such as our annual Santa visits, the Laptops for Kids
Program, and holiday parties. Through these traditions, Charles displays his loyalty to the community. He
expects the very best from his staff in order to ensure a quality experience for each and every tenant. His
efforts and devotion have shaped the Watervliet Housing Authority into
“A Great Place to Live.”
We hope Charles has a healthy and happy retirement.
We ensure that the WHA will continue his traditions, maintain his high standards,
and preserve his respectable values and morals.
Page 12
Page 13
Then
1982
2016
Page 14
Now
2015
2016
Page 15
In Memory of
Sgt. David Fisher
It has been 11 years
since the passing
of Sgt. David Fisher
on December 1,
2004. The Watervliet
Housing Authority
has honored him
with a monument
in Van Rensselaer
Village. We are
honor his memory
by putting up a
wreath during the
holiday season.
Page 16
January 2016
Charles V. Patricelli, Director
Watervliet
Housing
Authority
2400 Second Avenue, Watervliet, NY 12189