Roosevelt Towers' Tenants May Leave During Renovation

State and City officials are discussing a plan to move residents out of the 96-unit tower building at the Roosevelt Towers public housing project in Cambridge while major renovation work is performed.

James Hartgering, Cambridge Health Commissioner, said last month that he would condemn the building, which he called "unfit for human habitation." The Cambridge St. development has been the scene of fighting between gangs of youths on three nights over the past three weeks.

Charles Ferraro of the Cambridge Housing Authority said that any tenants who wanted to leave the tower building would be moved to other public housing units. He said that many may be housed in the new MIT "turnkey" buildings.

Thomas Atkins, secretary of the State Department of Communities and Development, said that all parties agreed in principle on the relocation plan, and that relocation would take place "if possible."

Atkins said that a Friday canvas of the building indicated that 12 families want to leave. He said he expects these families to be relocated "over the weekend."

The board of directors of the Cambridge Housing Authority voted unanimously Wednesday to dismiss Reginald Guichard, executive director of the Authority.

An investigation by the State after Hartgering's August financial statement revealed that $500,000 apportioned for repairs and renovation of Cambridge public housing--including $162,000 for Roosevelt Towers--had never been spent. Mary Castriotta, chairman of the Authority, declined to comment Friday on whether the unspent money had played any role in Guichard's dismissal. She called the dismissal "a mutual agreement."

Atkins called a meeting of state and city agencies at the request of City Manager John Corcoran on Wednesday to discuss the Towers problem.

At that meeting, a task force was formed to consider the Roosevelt Towers' issue. The task force met Friday for the first time and plans to meet with tenants from the project tomorrow.

Atkins said that the task force will report back to him within two weeks with a "specific program" for action on Roosevelt Towers, and vowed that money would be available for the renovation of the building. Atkins said that the City of Cambridge "had not been aggressive" in the past about obtaining state money for housing.

For background on Roosevelt Towers, see page 20.