Rensselaer, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Housing Authority (RHA) is now operating with a single active board commissioner after four of its members resigned last week. The mass departures have intensified concerns from tenants and community advocates about long‑standing maintenance problems and a lack of financial transparency.
Board member cites refusal to share records
Commissioner Bonnie Hahn says her attempts to obtain essential financial documents were repeatedly blocked. “The leadership of the housing authority, including the board chairman Scott Rogers, have refused to provide budgets, performance reports, financial statements, information on capital fund expenses, and contracts,” Hahn told WRGB.
Hahn also alleges that tenant complaints about unsafe living conditions and unresolved maintenance issues have been dismissed. She recounts being told that such concerns were “none of our business,” and that they should be directed to Executive Director Stacey Sabiani.
Former chairman pushes back
Former board chairman Scott Rogers acknowledges that some of Hahn’s concerns are legitimate but disputes her characterization of the board’s work. “I’m not saying Bonnie didn’t bring up some legitimate issues, and actually some of the issues she brought up, we were going to start working on,” Rogers said. “She’s been nothing but vicious to Stacey. She called her a liar, told her she’s full of you‑know‑what in meetings. It just got to the point that it wasn’t worth the fight anymore.”
Tenants describe deteriorating conditions
Former tenant and advocate Ashlee Britt says residents regularly encounter mold, standing water and insects in the John Warden Apartments. “They denied all the allegations and then dismissed the mold as mildew or the tenant being dirty,” Britt said.
Lead tenant organizer Behbinn Francis of United Tenants of Albany described a basement that appeared “like a cesspool so deep that it was black you couldn’t see the bottom.” She added that the area was filled with larvae, and that moisture, suspected mold and slow management responses remain ongoing concerns.
Maintenance staffing stretched thin
Hahn highlighted a critical staffing shortfall: “At this point in time – and it’s been this way since June – there is one maintenance man for 146 units.” Tenants confirm that multiple maintenance positions have stayed vacant for months, raising doubts about the authority’s ability to address routine repairs.
Mayor pledges to fill vacancies
Rensselaer Mayor John DeFrancesco said the city will act quickly to appoint new commissioners. “Neither the City or Rensselaer or the Mayor have a role in the operations of RHA. I have a very narrow role – appointment of Commissioners. It’s too important to rush the process but I intend to fill any vacancies as quickly as possible,” he said in a statement.
What’s next for the authority?
The RHA’s website states its mission is to provide safe and sanitary housing for residents, with the board responsible for approving budgets, setting policies and overseeing compliance. With only one commissioner left, the authority cannot conduct official board business until the mayor’s appointments are confirmed.
Community members and tenant advocates are urging the new board members to prioritize transparency, address the maintenance backlog, and restore confidence in the authority’s stewardship of public housing resources.
Original reporting: CBS 6 WRGB Albany (local) — read the source article.
