News Category: 2026

Check out this coverage of the efforts to rename Great Brook Valley Playground in honor of Roberto Clemente.

 

 

WORCESTER, MA — The Worcester Housing Authority, in partnership with the City of Worcester, has installed automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at five WHA properties, expanding access to life-saving emergency equipment for residents and the broader community.

Worcester Housing Authority offers FREE full day summer camp, enrichment programs for ages 5-13. Families can choose from a variety of summer camp options!

Through a partnership with Elder Services of Worcester, the Worcester Housing Authority is offering free computer classes to help residents build confidence using technology and accessing online resources.

Classes are currently available at Belmont Tower and Mayside Apartments, with additional locations expected in the near future. Residents are encouraged to check their community calendars for upcoming opportunities.

To register or learn more, please contact Resident Services at 508-635-3306.

To hear ROSS Family Coordinator Kelly Taylor put it, WHA’s Resident Opportunities & Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) program “does everything” for residents. That’s not an overstatement.

From connecting them with WHA services, to assisting with doctors’ appointments, enrolling in ESL/Hi-SET classes, applying for health insurance and jobs, overcoming language barriers, and much more, our ROSS coordinators are a critical support system for residents.

For example, during the temporary relocation of residents from Lincoln Park Tower to local hotels to accommodate a construction project at the building, ROSS coordinators have been a huge part in making the process as smooth as possible.

Phase 1 residents will move back to LPT soon.

Among them is Haile, who speaks little English. Kelly is his ROSS coordinator, communicating frequently with his daughter in Canada, and helping him on a number of fronts, especially the language barrier, which can sometimes cause confusion and frustration.

“I really appreciate everything Kelly is doing to help me,” Haile said through an interpreter. “She helps me even more than my siblings. I don’t know if I can ever repay everything she’s doing for me.”

Linda is another LPT resident who works with Kelly.

“Kelly’s awesome,” Linda said. “She has always helped me and she’s always there when I need her. It is so important. You need someone to talk to, someone who can help with what you need. She advocates for me.”

Learn more about the ROSS program by visiting www.worcesterha.org/resident-services or by calling 508-635-3306.

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WHEN MELISSA SANTIAGO lost her apartment and became homeless in 2020, she was a 22-year-old single mom to a five-year-old and a newborn. She and her daughters moved into a shelter in Holyoke where they stayed for nearly two years.

A medida que el 2025 llega a su fin, las autoridades de vivienda en todo el país enfrentan un momento decisivo, y Worcester no es la excepción.

 

Housing authorities across the country are facing a moment of reckoning, and Worcester is no exception.

Worcester Housing Authority offers FREE full day summer camp, enrichment programs for ages 5-13. Families can choose from a variety of summer camp options!

The Voucher Voice is a free, periodic newsletter geared toward WHA Section 8 landlords with helpful tips and information to help improve the tenant-landlord experience.