10. Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) & Catholic Charities (CC)

NANN will select 60 questions from the following to bring to the Open Meeting of the Voters, and will allow each respondent 2 minutes to answer the question, in “Comments to the Public.” They will have the question in advance and so, should be able to be succinct.

Let us know the questions you would like to most have answered. Go to the bottom of the Home page and give us your contact information and comments in the Stay Informed section.

Information / Questions / Solutions about…

# 1

IS IT TRUE…

…that HAC and CC have been working in the shadows, in a “cloak of secrecy,” to push this relocation through so that the community would not know? In an interview on WXTK with Pat Desmarais, the CEO of HAC said they were not talking to the people because they did not want to jeopardize their building permit.

# 2

IS IT TRUE…

…that the CEO of HAC is avoiding engaging with the people of the town because she knows the shelter is not good for the community? That her main concern is more about properties and income than about taking care of the Neighbors In Need?

# 3

IS IT TRUE…

…that HAC and CC are more focused on raising and using funds than on doing what is best and right for the Neighbors in Need and for the Neighbors of the community?

# 4

IS IT TRUE…

…that a Barnstable resident filed a complaint with the County because HAC and Catholic Charities may have engaged in questionable practices to be awarded $3 million, and that none of these funds have yet gone to help Neighbors in Need? (notonenewbed.mystrikingly.com)

# 5

IS IT TRUE…

…that HAC received funds from the state for an “abandoned property,” claiming that 460 had been abandoned when, in truth, there were active businesses in the property and the lower floor was in very good condition?

NANN is inviting researchers to look into this.

# 6

IS IT TRUE…

…that Housing Assistance Corporation went to towns claiming that the property would be a new central resource center while the CEO of Catholic Charities was saying there would be no change to the program?

# 7

IS IT TRUE…

…that a claim was made that a new component would be a Duffy Health satellite in the shelter, when Duffy actually started in the previous NOAH Shelter, and so, is not a new component? Rick Brigham was Social Services Coordinator when Duffy was started. How much money will come into Duffy with this satellite?

# 8

IS IT TRUE…

…that HAC is the landlord and has nothing to do with the operations of the shelter, except to continue to collect rent, and yet is making many claims about the program?

# 9

IS IT TRUE…

…that the CEO of Catholic Charities has said she wants to be a good neighbor and yet never responded to a Town Councilor who asked her to work together on a Good Neighbor agreement?

# 10

IS IT TRUE…

…that we can influence these organizations and their questionable practices by letting everyone in our circles know what they are doing, and so, lessen donations?

# 11

IS IT TRUE…

…that HAC’s main office moved from 460 West Main to Independence Park, which is a better location for the shelter, which would also put it near High Point, which provides substance abuse treatment?

# 12

IS IT TRUE…

…that a successful housing program offered to purchase 460 but that this did not go through? Why did HAC not support this very effective solution to homelessness? If HAC used questionable practices to receive county funds and used them to pay off the mortgage of 460, wouldn’t the right thing be to donate 460 to this established and effective organization?

# 13

IS IT TRUE…

…that HAC is actively looking to move the shelter from Winter St. because of a recent change in zoning that will allow HAC to make much more money at that location?