Lanesborough Asks for Input on Master Plan

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LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Residents are being asked to weigh in on the development of the town's first master plan. 
 
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, through Senior Community Planner Seth Jenkins, is working to meet with town officials, boards/committees, and citizens to inform the plan. 
 
The document will provide the town with a clear direction for development, growth, and investment in the coming 10-20-year timeframe. The Planning Board will oversee the document's creation and help to implement the plan's objectives.
 
Master plans are typically divided into the following sections: goals and policies, land use, housing, economic development, natural and cultural resources, open space and recreation, services and facilities, circulation, implementation.
 
Massachusetts General Law, Title VII, Chapter 41, Section 81D assigns the responsibility of creating a master plan to the Planning Board to provide "a basis for decision-making regarding the long-term physical development of the municipality."  
 
To inform their decisions, the Planning Board needs input from the residents and stakeholders — the deadline is Nov. 1. 
 
"We are asking residents and businesses to tell us about their needs and desires for the town's future," said Jenkins. "The master plan is being paid for with a $50,000 grant from the state Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and $10,000 matches from both the town and Berkshire Regional Planning Commission."
 
The plan is expected to be finished by May 31, 2025. The link for the survey is www.surveymonkey.com/r/LanesboroughMP.
 
 
 
 
 

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North Adams Housing Authority Director Steps Down

Staff Reports

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Jennifer Hohn, the longtime executive director of the North Adams Housing Authority (NAHA), has stepped down after 24 years with the agency.

The Berkshire Eagle reported that Hohn resigned from her position on Thursday. The NAHA Board of Commissioners is currently developing a transition plan.

Her resignation follows rising tension between Hohn and the tenants association. Residents—particularly at the Spring and Ashland Park apartments—have raised specific concerns regarding building security, drug activity, and trespassers.

This summer, Tenants Association President Corey Fortin posted a video on social media demonstrating that door alarms in some of the buildings were not functioning.

Shortly after the video was posted, the tenants association's office was locked. Members alleged Hohn locked the space in retaliation, while Hohn maintained it was a matter of tenant safety. Hohn also stated that NAHA does not officially recognize the association because it has yet to go through official channels for certification—a claim the tenants association disputes.

The dispute culminated in plans for a formal grievance hearing between Hohn and the association. Both sides agreed to hold a meeting on Oct. 3, but the hearing had not yet been scheduled at the time of her resignation.
During her tenure as director, Hohn oversaw significant changes at NAHA, including expansion and the dissolution of Housing Opportunities Incorporated, a program founded over 30 years ago to assist first-time homebuyers. Most recently, she led efforts to transition NAHA properties from traditional public housing models to the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. She also directed the rebuilding of a Greylock Valley Apartments building after it was severely damaged by a fire.

The NAHA Board of Commissioners meets monthly, typically on Mondays.

 

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