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New Resident Orientation

LOCATION
The DHA office is located at 14 Stone Street Danvers, and office hours are M - W 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Thurs. 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.; Friday 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  The following is a list of the office and maintenance personnel.

              Cynthia Dunn, Executive Director
              Michelle Mansfield, Assistant Director
              Sheila McElroy, Program Manager, Housing Choice Voucher
              Mary Little, Receptionist/Secretary
             
              Luis Negron, Maintenance Foreman
              Michael Swindell, Laborer
              Randy Cole, Laborer
              Jorge Carroca, Laborer

When calling the office, you should identify yourself and give your unit number and name of your development to the receptionist.  If she cannot handle your call, she will connect you with the person who can help you best.  Michelle handles all maintenance calls and logs them in.

MAINTENANCE
Procedures for Emergency and Routine Maintenance

In the case of fire, medical emergency or a violent situation, tenants should IMMEDIATELYcall 911.

Emergency Maintenance Procedures
Report all maintenance emergencies to the office. Staff answers the phone during regular business hours and the on call service provider answers the phone in the evening and on weekends. You can reach the office staff or the on call service 24 hours a day by calling the office at (978) 777-0909.

When talking with the on call service after hours or on weekends, please leave your phone number with the service. The maintenance person must be able to call you and discuss the emergency before he will be dispatched to your unit or building. The following are the types of emergencies that should be reported asap even if they occur after business hours or on weekends:

  1. Flood as a result of sewer backup, burst water lines, stuck valve(s) or elements of nature;
  2. No heat in the housing unit or the entire building;
  3. No electricity in housing unit or entire building;
  4. Glass breakage where damage will occur to Housing property or result in discomfort to the tenant;
  5. Roof leaks where the tenant cannot control the situation or when further damage may occur;
  6. Plugged toilet or sink where there is no other available or the water is overflowing;
  7. Lock outs. You will be charged a fee of $10 for all lockouts; and
  8. Situations/problems that could threaten your safety or damage property. For example, lights out in common hallways; icy conditions.

All other calls are considered routine and should be reported to the office
 during business hours:
Routine calls are handled by the maintenance staff based on priority.  Please allow up to five working days for your maintenance request to be addressed. If your request has not been addressed within five working days, please call the office again.

 

ACCIDENTS

Always report an accident which occurs in the hallways or the property of the DHA, immediately.  We must report any accident to our insurance company.

SECURITY

Most of our developments have locked buildings.  You can only gain entry by using the intercom system. FOR YOUR PROTECTION AND THE PROTECTION OF YOUR NEIGHBORS, DO NOT LET ANYONE IN THE BUILDING THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW. Please do not prop open doors or leave building front doors open to your building so that guests won't need a key.  This is a dangerous practice.  This building is secure for your protection.  Don't abuse it.

EMERGENCY SYSTEM

The only developments that ring into the Fire/Police Dept. are Perry Terrace and Highland Manor. The other alarms only alert your neighbors.  If you hear one ringing call the police. Please don't attempt to pick up a tenant who has fallen. If the Police or Fire Dept. comes to the aid of the stricken individual, please inform the housing office.           

SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS

All of our units are equipped with smoke detectors and when applicable carbon monoxide detectors.  There are also smoke detectors in the hallways and community buildings.  The hallway smoke detectors are the only ones that tie into the Fire Department

INSPECTIONS

Initial move-in inspections will be done with each new tenant.  The inspection is done to make sure everything is working. In addition, any damage to the unit that existed when you moved in is noted in the report. You will not be responsible for noted damage.  You will receive a copy of this inspection for your records. Annual inspections will also be carried out by DHA staff.  At the time of move-out, a final inspection of your unit will be held.  You will be responsible for any damages incurred while you were a tenant beyond normal wear and tear and what had been previously noted on the report.

KEYS

You will be issued a key to your unit and mailbox key upon move-in.  You may have your unit key duplicated.  We urge you to give a duplicate key to a reliable family member, close friend or neighbor in the building, so you may contact them in case of a lock out.  If a maintenance man has to come because you are locked out, there will be a charge of $10.00 after regular hours.  During regular hours, we will send a maintenance man, but because of other duties he may be involved in, he may not be able to give you immediate help.

VISITOR AUTHORIZATION FORM

All tenants are asked to review the OPTIONAL Visitor Access Authorization Form.  This form is to be completed by the tenant, to give access to a resident’s family when and if the resident is hospitalized, on vacation, or anytime the resident wants an authorized individual to have access to his/her unit, if they choose.  A “NO ACCESS” line is available.  Also listed on this form are individuals to whom a resident has given keys to their unit.

TRASH

Trash should not be kept in the hallways at any time.  It is to be held in your apartment until you take it to your dumpster.  Do not store trash in your unit for any length of time, it can attract rodents and insects.  Presently, bulky items such as furniture will be taken.  The town dump is open one Saturday per month.  Danvers recycles and elderly developments have large recycling bins. Individual families may obtain a recycle bin by calling the Town of Danvers at (978) 777 0001 ext 3011. They will deliver the bin.   LARGE TRASH SUCH AS TV’S, FURNITURE, COMPUTERS, APPLICANCES, ETC., REQUIRE A STICKER FROM THE TOWN DPW. (978) 777-0001 ext.3011.

LAUNDRY

All elderly developments and the Port School have a laundry room available.  Smoking is not allowed in any community room, laundry room or common area, per the Board of Health.  The washers and dryers are for tenant use only.  It is your responsibility to clean the dryers of lint and to help in keeping this room clean. Please use sensitivity in what hours you are doing laundry.  Machines can be disturbing to people abutting the laundry room if you are washing. The remaining family units have washer/dryer hookups.

INSURANCE

The DHA does not have insurance on your personal property.  You should have renter's insurance if you wish to have coverage.  The DHA will not be responsible for personal belongings in case of fire or other emergencies.

ENERGY CONSERVATION

Please conserve energy. It is everyone's responsibility to use heat wisely. We do not want to see windows open in the winter with your heat running. If you have any problems with leaky faucets or running toilets, please notify us immediately so that we may take care of them.  Running toilets and leaky faucets waste water. 

PARKING

Parking is assigned and not all units have a parking space. Parking is not based on need not seniority. Only those with properly registered cars are allowed a parking space.  Please let family members and friends know that their car may be towed if they park in a tenant’s space. Abandoned and/or junk cars will be towed at owner's expense.

GARBAGE DISPOSAL

If your unit has a garbage disposal and you are not familiar with its care, call the office and we will have a maintenance man give you a demonstration.  Items such as cigarette butts and steak bones should not be put in your disposal but should be packaged in a plastic bag and placed in the trash.  Make sure to use the disposal every day and run plenty of cold water through it while grinding to keep plumbing open.

PETS

Pets are allowed in Housing as per the Pet Policy for elderly or family housing. There are several rules and guidelines; a Pet Rider form; and a Pet Deposit are required for those tenants wanting pets. Please call Cynthia Dunn if you wish to obtain a pet.   Specific rules and regulations have been set up for this purpose.  Pet “baby-sitting” is not allowed.

TENANT ORGANIZATION

By becoming a tenant in public housing, you automatically become a member of the Danvers Tenants Organization.  Monthly meeting are held in the Community Room at Hawkes Manor and Highland Manor. You are welcome to attend and become an active member.                                                                           
RENTS

Rents are payable on the first of the month; and will be considered delinquent on the seventh of the month. Checks should be made out to the DANVERS HOUSING AUTHORITY and sent along with a rent slip monthly to Eastern Bank.  If you want to send a check for something other than rent, such as payment for a pet deposit, please send a separate check to the office.  If your check bounces, you will be required from then on to pay your rent with either a money order or bank check.

As required by regulation, your rent will be re-determined on an annual basis.  That means that the process that you went through initially will be repeated annually.  During the year, remember to keep track of all medical bills you have paid which are not reimbursed by insurance.  Cancelled checks are especially helpful, and prescription printouts are required (no pharmacy receipts).

To terminate your lease, we need thirty days written notice.  New tenants will pick up their keys initially when they pay the first months rent (prorated through that portion of the month you move in).  If your income goes down (you stop working, death of a spouse, etc.) your rent is lowered for the next rent period, provided third party verification is received before the end of the month.  If your income goes up, you must report it within seven (7) days.  If it is more than a ten percent increase, your rent will increase on the second month following the change. For example, if your income increases in January, your rent won't increase until March.

LEASES

When you move in, you'll be given a copy of your lease.  It describes in some detail your obligations to the Danvers Housing Authority and those of the DHA to you.  Keep it handy and refer to it when you have questions.  If you still have questions, call and discuss it with the Executive Director.
    
NOISE

Please use common courtesy between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.  If you have a hearing problem and need your radio or TV turned up, please be sensitive to those around you.  It would probably be helpful to get a headset to wear at times when your noise would be disturbing to neighbors.

MONTHLY BOARD MEETINGS

These meetings take place in the Conference Room of the Community building at 14 Stone Street, Danvers on the third Wednesday of the month at 4:30 pm.  They are open to the public and you are welcome to attend.

SNOW REMOVAL

Once the plow has come in and made a path in the parking areas, we expect you to move your cars so that the lot may be cleared out.  If you do not move your car, then you will be responsible for shoveling out your parking space and your car. Our staff cannot move your car.

In snowy or icy conditions, please remember that our maintenance men are responsible for snow and ice removal in all of our developments all over town.  Don't expect that a maintenance man will be removing snow and ice at your development at any particular time, and please don't call to ask when you will be plowed out - our men will get there as soon as possible.  If you have an appointment and it is slippery out, cancel it.  A fall on the ice could cause an injury that could incapacitate you for months.  Please use good judgment and wait until your development can be cleaned up and you can get out safely.  Be assured that maintenance will be doing the best and quickest job they are capable of and remember that moving large equipment in snowy and icy conditions is neither simple nor easy.  Please bear with us during these times.

 
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copyright 2008 • danvers housing authority • massachusetts • 978-777-0909