Harvard Junior Appointed To Housing Authority Job

John P. Connolly '69-3 is the first resident in a public housing project to be appointed to the Boston Housing Authority.

Connolly, a South Boston resident, was chosen this week by Gov. Francis W. Sargent from the two nominees of the Boston Public Housing Policy Council.

He lives with his parents in the Mary Ellen McCormack housing project, and has worked for the past two years as a housing specialist for Action for Boston Community Development, Inc. (ABCD), a poverty agency in Boston.

Better than Harvard

Connolly has been on leave for a year and a half. "The things I'm involved in here are far more important to me than Harvard right now," he said.

Although Housing Authority members usually serve for five years, Connolly said he plans to return to Harvard after two years. "The reforms we have in mind should be well enough under way by then for me to pass my seat to another tenant," he said.

Connolly plans to work for greater tenant influence on the Housing Authority and more responsiveness to maintenance needs. "Most of all we must try much harder to involve tenants in public administration," Connolly said.

Governor Volpe

Governor John A. Volpe had signed a law last May allowing a tenant to sit on the Housing Authority. Before that, no resident of a public housing project had served on the 34-year-old group.

In announcing Connolly's appointment, Gov. Sargent said that although the present salary is $10,000, Connolly "will accept no more than $3000 per year for his services."

Connolly said that the $40 a day rate encouraged members to waste time at the Authority. The post reportedly has been used as a means of political patronage. "The members should meet only once a week to make policy and should not interfere in administration as they have in the past," he said.

Council

Connolly also has been working with the Boston Public Housing Policy Council for the past four years. The Council is made up of two representatives from each of the city's 13 housing authority areas.

"It's a truly representative organization of public housing tenants," Connolly said. "Boston is the first city in the country to have a well-organized tenant group," he added.