January 2016 Newsletter - Watervliet Housing Authority
Transcription
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