Meet John Kane, Candidate For Dedham Housing Authority

A letter to the editor from Dedham Housing Authority candidate John Kane:

I’ve cared deeply about the issues of housing and affordability since I started working with homeless people in college in the 1980’s. After earning a graduate degree in public policy, I dedicated my career to housing issues. For the last 18 years, I have worked for the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) – one of the largest providers of affordable, permanent housing in the country.

My wife and I have raised our two daughters here in Dedham. Now that they are getting older, I have been looking for an opportunity to get more involved in town government. A friend let me know about this year’s opening on the Dedham Housing Authority Board. This seemed like the perfect way to put my skills and experience to work for our community.

At the BHA, my work touches on a range of issues impacting the delivery of affordable housing – housing maintenance, program operations, budget, healthy housing initiatives, and planning at the state and federal level. As the liaison to our Resident Advisory Board, I work directly with individuals and families served in public housing and on Section 8 vouchers. Over the years, I have learned that it is critical to collaborate with the people we serve, and to ensure their voices are heard on key policy issues impacting the housing authority. Our common goal is to manage the BHA’s housing assets as efficiently as possible, and to achieve the best possible outcomes for our residents.

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There is a desperate need for quality, affordable housing for families, seniors and persons with disabilities. Housing authorities also have an obligation to connect their residents with other services when needed. Much of my work at the BHA has focused on developing community partnerships that promote resident health and quality of life. In the last five years, the BHA was recognized as a national leader in this area, receiving the HUD Secretary Award for Healthy Homes.

As a Dedham Housing Authority Board member, I would work to ensure we are meeting residents’ needs, attending to building maintenance and operational issues, and connecting people with community resources and programs that maximize their health, independence and quality of life.

I appreciate your consideration and ask for your vote on April 13, 2019 for the Dedham Housing Authority Board.