Complaints - Access to Public Housing for Formerly Incarcerated People (Boston Housing Authority)
| Submitted | Aug. 13, 2018 |
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Communications
From: Sarika Ram
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:
-Grievances and appeals submitted to the Boston Housing Authority (via email to appeals@bostonhousing.org or fax to 617-988-4301) between January 1, 2017 and the date this request is processed including the following words/phrases:
-crime
-crimes
-criminal
-convict
-convicted
-sex offense
-sex offender
-jail
-prison
-correctional facility
-probation
-parole
Please provide materials on a rolling basis, as they become available.
If you have any questions, please feel free to clarify via phone at 610-637-7745.
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.
I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Sarika Ram
From: Boston Housing Authority
Dear Sarika Ram,
The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) acknowledges receipt of your request for public records received on August 7, 2018 and August 13, 2018. You have requested that the Boston Housing Authority provide copies of the following records:
I hereby request the following records:
-Grievances and appeals submitted to the Boston Housing Authority (via email to appeals@bostonhousing.org or fax to 617-988-4301) between January 1, 2017 and the date this request is processed including the following words/phrases:
-'disability'
-'disabled'
-'accessible'
-'accessibility'
-'wheelchair'
-Grievances and appeals submitted to the Boston Housing Authority (via email to appeals@bostonhousing.org<mailto:appeals@bostonhousing.org> or fax to 617-988-4301) between January 1, 2017 and the date this request is processed including the following words/phrases:
-crime
-crimes
-criminal
-convict
-convicted
-sex offense
-sex offender
-jail
-prison
-correctional facility
-probation
-parole
The BHA does not keep records in this fashion, but has sent you the records that we do keep. However, in order to fulfill your records request as is, we would have to manually go through every file looking for the keywords indicated. If you would like us to do that we would have to charge you by the hour.
A couple of notes for clarification regarding the attached spreadsheets:
1) Some case numbers are missing because we share a database with civil rights, but cases they open don't appear in my database.
2) I had to do a separate spreadsheet for grievance panel hearings because the fields are different in those database entries. The other spreadsheet captures all other appeals. The codes are:
- AA = public housing applicant, including MRVP
- SEC8 = Section 8 applicant (all programs)
- S8TE = Section 8 participants
- GA = appeals of a Grievance Panel decision
3) If the "reason" field is blank or listed as "other," that is because there was no appealable action in that case.
If you disagree with this response to your request to access the above records you have the right of an administrative appeal to the supervisor of records under 950 CMR 32.08(i) and the right to seek judicial review of an unfavorable decision by commencing a civil action in the superior court.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at 617-988-4501 or via email at laurie.roy@bostonhousing.org.
Sincerely,
Laurie
Laurie Roy
Paralegal/Records Access Officer
Boston Housing Authority
52 Chauncy St. - 10th Floor Legal Department
Boston, MA 02111
Tel: (617) 988-4501(direct)
Fax: (617) 988-4278
----------------
This e-mail and any attachment or file transmitted with it may contain privileged and confidential information for the use of the intended addressee only. The confidentiality and/or privilege in this e-mail is not waived, lost or destroyed if it has been transmitted to you in error. If you have received this e-mail in error, you must (1) not distribute copy or take any action in reliance on it as any action related to this e-mail or attachment is strictly prohibited, and may be unlawful; (2) please notify the sender by return e-mail; and (3) delete the original e-mail.
The Boston Housing Authority, its subsidiaries and/or its employees shall not be liable for the incorrect or incomplete transmission of this e-mail or any attachments, nor responsible for any delay in receipt.
From: Sarika Ram
Hello,
Thank you for passing on the records you do keep.
To clarify - in the past, other agencies that I have sent public records requests to were able to query email inboxes using specified search terms. Because the BHA receives grievances through the email inbox appeals@bostonhousing.org, would it be possible to query that inbox with the search terms I have provided in a way that isn't financially burdensome?
Thank you for your time.
Best,
Sarika
From: Sarika Ram
Hello Laurie,
I tried to reach you this morning and last week in regards to this request via the phone number listed in your signature.
At your earliest convenience, would you be able to please give me a call at 610-637-7745 to discuss this request?
Thank you for your time.
Best,
Sarika
From: Boston Housing Authority
Hi Sarika,
Below is the reply that I received when given your request below.
The problem is, the appeals email goes directly into my inbox. So all of the hearing request emails are mixed in with all the rest of my emails. I could query my emails for the specified terms, but I would still have to go through them one by one to determine whether they were hearing requests or something else. And given how often these issues come up for us, this would be a very large amount of emails to go through. The other comment I have is that only a very small fraction of hearing requests come in via email. I maybe get one per week. The vast majority are submitted in person or by mail.
Sincerely,
Laurie
Laurie Roy
Paralegal/Records Access Officer
Boston Housing Authority
52 Chauncy St. - 10th Floor Legal Department
Boston, MA 02111
Tel: (617) 988-4501(direct)
Fax: (617) 988-4278
From: Sarika Ram
Hello Laurie,
I understand that there are a small volume of records available via email, but I am quite honestly interested in any records that are available, even if there are few. Would you be open to please pursuing this request, even given limitations?
Thank you for your time.
Best,
Sarika
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Massachusetts Public Records Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 13, 2018. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Boston Housing Authority
HI Sarika,
I am working on the highlighted follow-up question below. Otherwise, all records requests have been sent to you.
Thank you,
Laurie
Laurie Roy
Paralegal/Records Access Officer
Boston Housing Authority
52 Chauncy St. - 10th Floor Legal Department
Boston, MA 02111
Tel: (617) 988-4501(direct)
Fax: (617) 988-4278
From: Boston Housing Authority
Hi Sarika,
Attached please find the emails on the grievance and appeals request.
Have a great day.
Laurie
Laurie Roy
Paralegal/Records Access Officer
Boston Housing Authority
52 Chauncy St. - 10th Floor Legal Department
Boston, MA 02111
Tel: (617) 988-4501(direct)
Fax: (617) 988-4278
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