2026-10-20 - Accessibility Advisory Committee

00:10It is now

00:124:41

00:15p.m.

00:17and um I'd like to read the roll call.

00:23The vice chair is Liz Ma.

00:29Are you here?

00:33>> And John

00:35John, are you present?

00:38>> Yes. John Finn, I

00:41>> Daria,

00:43are you present?

00:47>> I Daria, I

00:50>> Stephen Sber, are you present?

00:54>> I Yes.

00:56and Lauren

01:00Tibio, are you present?

01:03>> Lauren Tiberio is present.

01:05>> Thank you.

01:08Uh with that,

01:11I'd like to have a

01:14a motion to accept

01:18the minutes of

01:21um

01:22September.

01:24I have a do could I have a um

01:28a uh

01:30motion to accept

01:36>> Jonathan

01:40and a second I think I heard Liz Mer

01:44thank you

01:45>> it's time now for a roll call to accept

01:49the September minutes

01:52uh Vice chairperson Liz Ma.

01:57>> Liz Ma votes I.

02:00>> John Finn.

02:02>> John Finn. I

02:05>> Duna.

02:10>> Daria. I

02:12>> and Stephen Stober.

02:17>> Hi.

02:18>> And if you want to chime in, you can. as

02:23as having seen. Thank you very much. So

02:27that passes

02:30everyone has accepted the minutes. The

02:34next item on the agenda is our

02:37presenter.

02:40We're going to have some word on

02:42disability housing in the city and I

02:46invite James Brooks who was the director

02:50of housing if you want to come

02:54Jim and um we can find a way to make you

02:59present and visible and if you could

03:04identify yourself and all that you

03:06belong to in terms of economic Roman and

03:09and good good stuff like that and just

03:12give you give us a good word on on

03:15housing for this the disabled in the

03:19city. Thank you.

03:21>> Great. Um thank you all for for allowing

03:24me to be here tonight. Uh my name is

03:26James Brooks. I'm the director of

03:27housing development uh for the city of

03:30Worcester within the economic

03:31development uh the division of uh of the

03:35city. Um, one of the primary objectives

03:38of my division is uh the development of

03:41affordable housing and accessible

03:43housing within the city. Um, and uh, one

03:47of the important items uh, that I want

03:50to talk about tonight is uh, the number

03:52of units especially uh, accessible units

03:55we've been able to create uh, since uh,

03:58the creation of the affordable housing

04:00trust fund in 2021. uh it's really

04:04become one of the most critical uh tools

04:08in uh facilitating affordable new home

04:10construction uh throughout the city. Um

04:15during our initial phases of uh putting

04:17the trust fund together with our board

04:19of trustees, um one of the key

04:23advocates, Benji, who's here tonight, uh

04:25really uh introduced uh to the the trust

04:28fund board, uh the idea of um increasing

04:33um in um accessible housing throughout

04:36the city and how the trust fund could be

04:39an integral tool uh in making that

04:42happen. uh statewide for new

04:44construction um a the statewide law is

04:485% minimum of uh of new units um must be

04:52made accessible uh through um through

04:57the center for living working and others

04:59uh they advocated uh to basically double

05:02that as a minimum for any development uh

05:06who applied through the trust fund. Uh

05:08so currently uh in order for a developer

05:12to be um to be um included into any

05:17funding round uh that the trust fund has

05:19a minimum of 10% of their units. Um so

05:23at least one unit if it's a single

05:25family um must uh must be access must

05:29must be made accessible uh and

05:32affordable. not just accessible but

05:34accessible and affordable uh at the

05:36different HUD uh affordability rates. Um

05:40since that time uh we've done a lot of

05:43work uh throughout this city. Uh in

05:45total since uh 2021

05:49um a total of 999

05:53units uh have come through the trust

05:55fund. In total of those 999

05:59454

06:01are considered affordable units at the

06:03different HUD affordability levels. Um

06:05and as and of those um 454

06:10affordable units,

06:12130 of those um are have been or are in

06:17the process under construction of being

06:18made uh accessible. Uh that is 13% of

06:23the total units um that were um proposed

06:27uh under the trust fund. So 13% right

06:31now are or will be um fully accessible

06:35uh for the public's uh use. Um right now

06:40uh under under construction are a

06:42majority of the units still. We do have

06:4447 uh that are completely finished

06:47construction and available um for either

06:51rent or in some cases uh we do have six

06:54home ownership units. uh of those um 130

06:59uh accessible units that are available

07:01for home ownership. Uh so we've uh done

07:05a lot of work uh in the last five years

07:07uh creating both affordable uh and

07:10accessible housing uh throughout the

07:12city. Um so that gives you a brief

07:15overview of of what we've been able to

07:17accomplish in a 5-year period. One of

07:19the key things that we hear all the time

07:22is where can I uh find units that are

07:25available? Um and one thing um that is

07:29required uh as part of both the trust

07:32fund and any state funding is these

07:35units are included in the state

07:37subsidized housing inventory list or

07:39called the SHI list. uh which are a

07:43statewide list of all affordable units

07:46uh within the state of Massachusetts

07:48that have received either state funding,

07:50federal funding uh or in the case of the

07:53trust fund, local funding uh are

07:56included in the subsidized housing

07:58inventory list. Um and the one central

08:02location where all of these are

08:04cataloged and u made available for rent

08:07uh or in some cases for sale. As I

08:09mentioned, there's there's a few sale

08:11units is uh housing navigatormma.org.

08:18And um through the chair, if you

08:19wouldn't mind, what I'd like to do, if

08:21possible, is bring up that website and I

08:24can show you how to navigate that

08:26website uh for both the city and the

08:28different uh accessibility features,

08:30whether it's mobility, vision, or

08:32hearing if that would be okay.

08:34>> Now, that I need to share. Is that

08:37correct? I think I can do it because I'm

08:40a presenter.

08:42>> Okay, you you can Yes, please.

08:46>> I'm acting a sh this evening.

08:50>> Sure.

09:03>> Okay.

09:04>> All right. Can everyone see my screen?

09:07Yes,

09:07>> we can see it.

09:08>> All right.

09:09>> Um, so this is uh the housing navigator

09:13website. Um, so you can sort it here uh

09:16obviously by the city of Worcester. Uh,

09:18but avail this is available for any uh

09:21town or city in the Commonwealth of

09:23Massachusetts. So you can uh widen your

09:25search if you are looking outside the

09:27city. Uh but for the purposes tonight,

09:29we'll keep it with the city. Um,

09:32additionally, uh, under bedrooms, one of

09:34the unique features, and this is really

09:36where the accessibility features are are

09:39located, you can search by, uh, bedroom

09:41size, uh, studio 1 2 3 4 uh, and then

09:45also, uh, accessibility features. Um,

09:49so, uh, whether it's mobility, vision,

09:51hearing, uh, you can search by those

09:54features um to see what is available uh,

09:58within the city. And then um you know

10:00once uh let me just do a quick one here.

10:04Uh once uh you uh click on that you can

10:08see what is available and really there

10:10there's different um availability. Uh

10:14and there's an availability toggle here.

10:16Uh but you can see right now uh 137

10:20Chandler Street there single room

10:22occupancy and you'll see the the logo

10:24here the uh ADA logo. Uh and right now

10:27the lottery is open for those. Uh so

10:30that's how you can go and view um all

10:34the uh um accessible units. Uh and these

10:37are all affordable accessible units. And

10:40what it says here is based on the

10:42bedroom size again is it will show you

10:44if there are accessible units available

10:47in um in each development within this

10:49city. So, Stratton Hill, uh, the

10:52courthouse lofts. Again, it shows you

10:54the book, um, the size. Um, so that's

10:57one way to do it. Also, again, you can

11:00search based on availability. So,

11:03there's different ways these developers

11:05uh can offer units into into the market

11:09uh for rent. Uh, so one way is first

11:11come, first serve. Uh, the second way is

11:14a lottery. This is usually when a

11:16building first opens, a a lottery is

11:18held. Um, so those are the the two main

11:22ways that there that there are units

11:24available currently. Uh, if there are

11:26wait lists, you'll see a short wait

11:29list, meaning um maybe a tenant has

11:32given notice, they're going to uh move

11:34out in 30 days. Uh, so then they that

11:36unit would be added to the short wait

11:38list and maybe, you know, that unit will

11:40become available in 30 or 60 days. Uh,

11:43so that's what that means. uh wait list

11:46open meaning uh they're the

11:48development's actively um soliciting um

11:53applicants for their weight list uh

11:55because you know they think within a

11:56relatively short period of time um could

12:00be up to six months that they will have

12:02availability

12:03and then um if the wait list is closed

12:06obviously that would be there also. So

12:10uh just wanted to to again give you a

12:12quick overview of the website. This is

12:14the website for all of Mass. This is the

12:16homepage. Uh it's relatively easy to

12:19navigate. Uh you would just put in, you

12:21know, city of Worcester here. Um and

12:23that page would pop up that I just had.

12:26Um so on the homepage also, just one

12:29thing uh to to um quickly point out is

12:34uh the open lotteryies. These are

12:35statewide and again you can search by by

12:38um city. Uh but right now this shows all

12:42uh of open lotteryies statewide and

12:45again it will show you uh whether

12:47there's accessible units or not

12:48available um in that property uh

12:51statewide. Um again secondly available

12:55now first come first served. Um, these

12:59are all available statewide and again

13:01you can search based on town or city and

13:03then available soon. Uh, which I

13:06mentioned, you know, it could be up to a

13:07six-month wait. Um, so just wanted to

13:11give you a quick overview of really the

13:13the best way uh to search for units uh

13:17both within the city and state.

13:21Um, so with that um, Madam Chair, I'll

13:25send it back to you. um and potentially

13:28open the the floor for questions.

13:31>> Are there any question questions? Please

13:36>> uh to the chair John Finn.

13:40>> Steve,

13:43is that you?

13:45>> Uh

13:48John John.

13:50Yes.

13:51>> Yeah. I'd like to know what affordable

13:54means like in an amount, you know.

13:57>> Sure. Um, so for for rental amounts, uh,

14:02so HUD just issued the 2020 27 fair

14:07market rents. Um and actually a a

14:10somewhat unique thing has happened in

14:13that rates for studio one and twobedroom

14:17have actually gone down um for the first

14:21time in about 12 years. So uh right now

14:24a studio uh is considered affordable at

14:28$1,577.

14:30Uh that's down $11 from last year. Uh,

14:34one bedroom is $1,500 uh $1,587.

14:39A twobedroom is $2,43.

14:43Uh, threebedroom is $2,560.

14:46And a fourbedroom is $2,915.

14:51U, so the the studio to a twobedroom

14:54have actually had a a small decrease of

14:57$10 to $20 uh from the previous year.

15:02Are there any places that are subsidized

15:05where you just take a percentage of

15:08their monthly

15:10money intake

15:12instead of, you know, because I'll just

15:14say a lot of people don't even earn

15:17$1,000 a month.

15:20>> Yep. So, um depending on the property

15:24itself, uh they could have what's called

15:27um a um uh a subsidy within the the

15:33project. So, a project based subsidy uh

15:36that potentially would have a certain

15:37number of units uh that would just um be

15:41for 30% of the the applicant's income,

15:46whatever that income is. If it's $1,000,

15:48it would be $300. Uh so those are

15:51considered projectbased.

15:54Also uh they're what considered mobile

15:56vouchers which are section 8 type

15:58vouchers uh which actually go uh with

16:01the tenant from property to property and

16:04those are also uh 30% of of the

16:07occupants income.

16:09>> Uh does it matter what size it is?

16:13>> What size? Um bedroom size.

16:15>> Yeah. Whether they're subsidized or not.

16:17Do you only subsidize like studio

16:20apartments or would you have two or

16:22three bedroomedroom apartments?

16:24>> Uh so it ranges uh based on the

16:26development. It's not one specific

16:28lawyer. It ranges based on um on the

16:33development and and where they received

16:35funding uh for the units whether it's a

16:37project based or uh section 8 voucher

16:41either through ARCAP solutions or the

16:43housing authority.

16:45>> Okay. Thank you.

16:48for the chair. This is Liz MSA. May I be

16:50recognized, please?

16:56>> I didn't hear you, Liz. What would you

16:59like?

17:01>> I said, "May I be recognized, please, to

17:03>> Yes, you're recognized."

17:06>> Okay. Thank you. Um, Mr. Brooks, um, I

17:10am a visually impaired person. Um you

17:12mentioned that accessibility covers

17:16uh you said vision I think you said uh

17:19hearing and mobility. Um not all people

17:24who are visually impaired are need the

17:27same kinds of uh um accommodations. I

17:31would say for instance somebody could be

17:33on wheels and be um and be visually

17:36impaired. So when you say accessibility

17:40um are are if help me define that. In

17:43other words, is accessibility usually

17:45physical mobility? So it's someone that

17:48um needs vertical access? Um and vision

17:51would be defined as someone who needs

17:54some kind of accommodation for their

17:57eyesight and hearing would be uh a

18:00communication device. Could you could

18:02you help unpack that for me please?

18:05>> Sure. Um so uh we um this website so

18:10housing navigator as you mentioned

18:12broadly uh defines those into the the

18:14three uh categories mobility, vision and

18:17hearing. Um and I'm trying to I can

18:20bring up uh let me see if I can bring up

18:22their definitions on how they enter

18:25between those three um into the housing

18:28navigator website. um within the city

18:31when when the trust fund approves a

18:33project, uh we would go um

18:36[clears throat] by um all the HUD

18:38definitions related around um accessible

18:41units uh with those three categories. Uh

18:45but it it's really when a developer

18:48comes in proposes the project to the

18:50trust fund they they would also propose

18:53whether it's a fully accessible ADA unit

18:56or as you mentioned whether uh it was

18:58just um for you know a more limited

19:02vision or hearing unit.

19:07>> Okay. Um this is Liz again. Could you

19:10look up the definition of vision for

19:12that because I would be I would be

19:13curious how they're defining that.

19:16>> Sure. I am uh trying to do that as we're

19:19speaking. It might take a minute. What I

19:21can do is um you madam chair maybe just

19:25put up the link once I find it here.

19:36I think it might take me a minute if you

19:37want to if there are any other

19:39questions. Um,

19:44bring it up here.

19:45>> This is so This is Liz again. I I am

19:48visually impaired and I'm participating

19:49on the phone so I'm not going to be able

19:51to see.

19:53>> Sure.

19:54>> So, you're gonna need to read it out.

19:57That's my point. Can I suggest can I

20:00suggest that uh we send that to you

20:04after the meeting or another time?

20:08>> So what I will do

20:10>> also uh through through the chairs I can

20:12just read it here real quick and I will

20:13send also the link. Um so for any HUD

20:17assisted new construction substantial

20:19rehabilitation or products projects

20:22using federal funds there's a strict

20:24minimum scoping. Um number one sensory

20:27units at least 2% of the total dwelling

20:30units uh with not less than one in the

20:32project must be made fully accessible

20:34for individuals with hearing or vision

20:37impairments.

20:39Number two separation from mobility. The

20:422% sensory requirement is independent

20:45and in addition to the 5% requirement

20:48mandated for physical mobility

20:50impairments.

20:52And then the third bullet is the

20:55distribution. These units must be

20:58distributed throughout the project and

21:00available in a sufficient mix of sizes

21:02and amenities to preserve tenant choice.

21:06So that is the HUD definition.

21:09Uh, this is

21:12sorry Liz, I found I found what you were

21:14looking for in the resources on the

21:16website. Um, this is Lauren Tiberio

21:18also. Sorry, this is my first meeting.

21:20Um, but under the frequently asked

21:22questions in the resources on the

21:24website, it lists hearing um,

21:27accessibility as features that allow

21:30ddeaf or heart of hearing people to

21:32navigate and use a unit. This may

21:34include visual alarms and doorbells and

21:36soundproofing to reduce echoes or

21:38background noise. For vision, it says

21:41features that allow v people with

21:43limited or no vision to navigate and use

21:45a unit. This may include braille labels

21:47and contrasted edges on surfaces. And

21:50then mobility listed as features that

21:52allow people with mobility disabilities,

21:54including individuals who use

21:56wheelchairs or walkers to navigate and

21:58use a unit. This may include barrierfree

22:00design and roll under counters. I think

22:02that's what you were looking for, Liz.

22:04Is that correct?

22:05>> That is. Thank you, Lauren. I yield

22:07back.

22:07>> You got it. No worries. I found it.

22:11>> Thank you, Lauren.

22:14Other questions?

22:20>> Other questions,

22:26Mr. Brooks? Thank you very much.

22:29>> Thank you.

22:34And now the next agenda item is the

22:38state avoidable housing trust fund. And

22:42Benji, are you there?

22:47>> Yes, I am.

22:49>> Can you begin your presentation for us?

22:53Thank you.

22:56>> Hi, my name is Benji. um he him pronouns

23:01and I am the community organizer at your

23:04access advocates

23:06and as um Jim mentioned in his um great

23:11presentation

23:13um

23:15we were able to get 10%

23:19wheelchair

23:20accessible

23:22um housing in the Worcester affordable

23:25housing trust fund and That was huge

23:29especially because

23:31well it's just a huge deal deal and um

23:34so what we did is we thought about it

23:37and we were like if this works for

23:39Worcester

23:40um why not take it to the whole state

23:42level and um what we did is we got um we

23:48initially started looking at the state

23:50affordable housing trust fund but then

23:53we realized that we could do something

23:55much bigger which is there's this thing

23:57called the qualified allocation plan.

24:00And what it does is it lays out the

24:03state priorities for housing funding and

24:08it it affects a range of um programs

24:13including the affordable housing trust

24:15fund and um through um years of advocacy

24:21from people across the state and

24:24especially from people here in Worcester

24:26including um Steve Soulberg who is on

24:30the commission. Um, we were able to s um

24:36successfully get the affordable housing

24:38trust fund to be 10%

24:42um wheelchair accessible, which which is

24:47double the percentage of wheelchair

24:49accessible um uh units that the um

24:56that the the federal government uh

24:59mandates.

25:05So I can Yeah.

25:11>> Are we ready for questions, Benji?

25:14>> Yeah.

25:16>> Are there any questions, please?

25:34I don't hear any. You're a good

25:36explainer.

25:38I think 10% at the state level is great.

25:44But thank you for all work you and your

25:47co have been doing.

25:50>> Are there questions?

25:54>> Okay,

25:55>> I have a question, Don.

25:57Oh, Steve, thank you. Question,

26:01>> Benji. Are

26:02>> these apartments um subsidized or are

26:05they market rate?

26:09That is a great question. So,

26:14they are a mix. Well, all of them all.

26:19So, it goes based on area median income.

26:23And the way I like to think about

26:27affordable housing is everything's

26:30affordable to someone. It's just what's

26:33avail what's affordable to you know,

26:38uh, whoever we want to support. Um so um

26:43it goes based on area median income and

26:47so all of them are below um

26:51uh 80 80% area median income and that's

26:56a that's about

26:59uh a little under $70,000

27:02make someone making a little under

27:04$70,000 a year. Um the um the um what

27:11one of the biggest um funds we got was

27:14called the low um

27:17the low uh

27:21low income housing tax credits

27:24and those um 20% have to be at 50% AMI

27:31so even lower and 40% have to be at 60

27:35AMI But there there's there are some

27:39they you can do this thing called income

27:41averaging where you um you say I'll make

27:45one at 20 and one at 80 and that'll

27:48average out to be uh like a 60. And um

27:52so there are some that are are um there

27:57there are some that are very low uh low

28:00AMI and there are some that are

28:02subsidized. That was a very lengthy

28:04answer. I apologize. Other

28:13questions

28:15>> uh to the chair, John Finn.

28:18>> Go ahead, John.

28:21>> Yeah, there are a lot of people in this

28:23city who earn less than $10,000 a year

28:28and they need places to live

28:31now. But what about them?

28:35>> Yeah, I think that's a really good um

28:39question. I think that's something that

28:42um your acts as advocates would want to

28:46work on uh with the commission,

28:51right? But I mean, you just talked about

28:56neighborhoods

28:57where people would earn $70,000

29:02you know, there this is a a workingass

29:05city, but it's also got people on social

29:09security and disability who don't even

29:12come close to earning 70,000 a year.

29:26Oh,

29:27>> we have to keep working.

29:29>> Yep.

29:34Thanks for bringing that up, John.

29:36>> Yep, my pleasure.

29:43>> Looks like we have a lot of work to do

29:46in the city for

29:48uh other questions.

30:02hearing none. Um, I want to thank Benji

30:05for his good work as a community

30:08organizer

30:10and we'll have you back another time

30:13when we learn more.

30:15Thank you very much.

30:18>> Thank you, Don.

30:22The next agenda item is

30:26uh we have a new me a new member with us

30:29this evening and I would like to suggest

30:34maybe we go around introducing ourselves

30:39and talking about our ideas for the

30:42commission for the future. So, let's

30:45begin with um

30:49uh Lauren is our new member. Lauren, can

30:53we begin with you and you introduce

30:55yourself and uh and tell us some of your

31:00interests and ideas for the commission?

31:04>> Yeah. Um so, my name is Lauren Tiberio.

31:07I live in District One in the city of

31:09Worcester. Um, I've been a homeowner

31:11here for a little over a decade, and my

31:13husband has owned property in the city

31:15for about 25 years. He also, uh, works

31:18for a family-owned business in the city

31:20that has been in the city since the8s.

31:23Um, and so we're really fortunate to

31:26live here and love the opportunity to be

31:28involved in something like this. Um, I

31:31am part of an employee resource group at

31:33my work, which is focused on disability

31:36inclusion. And so I'm having

31:37conversations like this consistently um

31:41with my partners and peers. We have

31:42about 7,000 people within our community

31:45at work. And I really wanted to make

31:47sure I could get involved into my own

31:49city and drive some change as well

31:51there. In terms of really disability

31:54inclusion, I will say that my area of

31:59expertise is really around

32:01neurodeiversity and neuroincclusion and

32:04making sure people who think differently

32:06um and process information differently

32:08are receiving the same opportunities as

32:11everyone else. But I also have a my

32:14mother-in-law has COPD and so she

32:17requires the use of oxygen and she uh

32:20physically needs to use handicapped

32:23accessible spaces and parking. And so

32:25I've been in a lot of conversations with

32:27her around areas of the city that just

32:30aren't accessible or deciding which

32:33business to go to or which hearing aid

32:35company to go to based on the parking

32:38spaces that might be available um or how

32:40stressful it might be to get there or to

32:42park there. And so I'm really excited to

32:45be here and excited to help drive some

32:47of these conversations and push for

32:49change in education within our city. I

32:52think this is an awesome group and I'm

32:53I'm excited to see the the progress

32:55that's been made and that will continue

32:57to be made.

33:01>> So, welcome

33:04Lauren. We're glad to have you with us.

33:08>> And so, I'd like to go around. Can you

33:11talk about some of your ideas for the

33:14commission?

33:17Yeah, I think um accessible housing is a

33:21really important conversation to have. I

33:24was doing research while we were talking

33:26around incomes and making sure that the

33:28housing is accessible and affordable and

33:31I was surprised to hear some of the

33:33prices that that are that were provided

33:35for that housing. um I don't know if if

33:39I know many people who could afford that

33:41if they're on um a fixed income or

33:45social security. So, I'm I'm really

33:48interested to just kind of dig in and

33:50see

33:51see what changes we can make and how we

33:53can push uh to make sure people feel

33:55safe and have have a home and they can

33:59thrive in our city.

34:04>> Okay. I'd like to I'd like to ask each

34:07of the older members although John Finn

34:11has just been re um reappointed for

34:16another three years. So John, can you

34:19tell us a little bit about yourself and

34:22what your ideas are for the commission?

34:26>> Um I'm 61 years old. I've lived in

34:29Worcester since I was 13

34:32and uh I've got epilepsy along with a

34:36number of other physical challenges. So

34:39I'm on social security and disability

34:43and I really just uh imparted imparted

34:48this commission because I I just want to

34:49make every effort to make a positive

34:52difference in the lives of the people

34:56who need our help. you know, I I want to

34:58help other people who can't help

35:00themselves.

35:02I think a lot of needs get neglected

35:06even though they're very easy to meet.

35:09Like in building Polar Park, [snorts]

35:13uh some things are really very easy to

35:16meet the needs of of disabled people. Uh

35:20yet sometimes they just don't want to

35:22make the effort to do that, you know,

35:26and there just so many things around the

35:28city that uh can be rather simple to to

35:33uh to meet, but some people just don't

35:37want to do it. They want to do the

35:38minimum.

35:40And you know, I just want to help

35:42people.

35:46>> Thank you, John. and congratulations

35:49again. So, vice chair Miss MSA, would

35:54you offer your thoughts and who you are?

36:00>> Um, so my name is Liz Mska. I identify

36:03as a VIP. Yes, very important person,

36:05but seriously, a visually impaired

36:07person. Um, I started losing my sight um

36:11when I was age 50, so obviously I'm

36:14older than that now. Um so I come from

36:16the cited world where I drove cars. Uh I

36:20acted uh autonomously and independently

36:23and then 18 years ago um I was diagnosed

36:26with a retinal uh disease um that has no

36:30cure. So I I had to in my own mind I had

36:35to adapt. I had to learn I had to learn

36:37how to be blind which

36:40um saying it even sticks in my craw now.

36:42It's like I don't want to learn how to

36:44do that. Um, but I have to say by

36:46learning to be blind, I'm learning how

36:48to be blind every day. But then I'm

36:50learning how to teach the cited people

36:53such as um I would imagine everyone else

36:55who is listening to my voice. You have

36:58the benefit of having a sense that is so

37:01precious. Um, and just to pick up on

37:04what Commissioner Finn said, um, it may

37:06not be obvious. It is not obvious, um,

37:09when you can't see and people are

37:11struggling to to tell you it's right

37:13there. there. It's right in front of

37:14you. Um it come over here and you have

37:17no idea where that is. Um so to pick up

37:20on our new commissioner's theme, um

37:23inclusion inclusion doesn't mean doing

37:25it for me. Um it means doing it with me

37:28and doing it differently than you might

37:31be accustomed to. Um not seizing me and

37:34and pulling me off in a direction, not

37:37telling me, um Liz, this is how you do

37:39things. Um, I I have learned adaptations

37:43that I am eager to teach other people.

37:46I've been privileged to be on this board

37:48for a very very long time and this board

37:51has uh launched me into um uh membership

37:56in the Massachusetts Architectural Board

37:58where I am rubbing elbows with people

38:00who are different from me, people who

38:02are neurode divergent, people who are on

38:04wheels, people who who are architects or

38:08building inspectors. And I I conclude in

38:11all of this that we we as human beings

38:14can help one another. Um different

38:17doesn't mean better or worse. It just

38:19means different. So um uh again, it's

38:22been a privilege to be on this board and

38:24to learn what I've learned and I'm eager

38:27to share with with the public at large

38:29with with people of my population, but

38:31also um um with with anyone who quote

38:35unquote wants to help. I yield back.

38:40Thank you.

38:42Daria, would you be willing to share?

38:51>> Daria,

38:53>> yes, I was muted. Uh, my name is Daria

38:56and I just want to welcome our new

38:57member and thank you so much for sharing

39:00uh what you uh have done and what you'd

39:02like to do. Uh, I am a transplant. I'm

39:07from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but this

39:08is my adopted home. I love Worcester.

39:10I've been here since 88. Um, I've taught

39:13in Worcester public schools for 27 years

39:16and in nursing homes, which I am right

39:19now 25 years. I work with the homeless,

39:22so hearing the uh numbers for the rent I

39:26thought was uh

39:30I didn't know what to think. They were

39:32so high. Um, so I've worked with people

39:34that are challenged with substances and

39:36homeless. So, um, myself, uh, I'm very

39:39interested in the arts and promoting

39:42worry special needs folks in the art

39:44world. We do have a pride event, uh, in

39:48July. And, uh,

39:51we still would love to have an art show

39:53there that includes all disabilities and

39:56also show for the uh, people that are

39:57visually impaired. something that I did

40:00with Liz a few years ago at the

40:02historical society. One of the first our

40:05chosen worester for the blind. So we'd

40:07like to continue that and build on that

40:10coming up. And I yield back. Thank you.

40:15>> Thank you, Dalia. And um Steve,

40:20will you share?

40:24>> Yeah, I'm I'm here. Don.

40:26>> Okay.

40:29I'm Steve. I work at your access

40:31advocates

40:32um independent living center. Um housing

40:36and accessibility is kind of my niche

40:40and I look forward to advocating for

40:44rights of the disabled with a city

40:46administration that increasingly ignores

40:49us.

40:52That's all.

40:54>> Okay. And I think it's only thank you

40:57see I think it's only fair for you to

41:00hear a little bit about me.

41:03I was born with my

41:09and I've been in the city now for

41:1350 years.

41:15So I've seen a lot

41:19and I in retirement

41:23I was the chair of the disability

41:26commission

41:28and from there I got hired

41:32as the

41:35person that works with people with

41:37disabilities and the commission.

41:41So that's a little bit and I'm looking

41:43forward to working with the commission.

41:47So thank you everyone.

41:50I'd like to move on to the next agenda

41:55item which is um

42:00we we

42:03hope we are going to have a second

42:06member who is really a member but not

42:10here today. She will be here in December

42:14and so we look forward to that.

42:17Um

42:21hopefully by that time in December we

42:25will be able to elect our officer. So

42:29please be thinking of who you'd like to

42:32elect.

42:35Uh so the next item is uh the disability

42:41trainings

42:45and um they're on the bottom with

42:48announcements and I sent you a flyer. So

42:51I'm wondering if you could think of

42:54other uh trainings that we can do in the

42:58future. So, be thinking about that. And

43:02if you've always thought about that, let

43:04me know. Has anyone an idea?

43:19I can't hear through the silence. That's

43:22okay. We'll get there.

43:25Uh, the next item is AAB.

43:29the AABs and

43:32um the uh the 10 Bond Street is the Abby

43:38Kelly School and that's having some work

43:41done and so maybe I'm able to get

43:45someone to talk about that in in um

43:51November.

43:54So, are there any other questions or

43:56ideas that people have?

44:02Anybody I missed that wants to be

44:04introduced?

44:08>> Uh to the chair, John Finn.

44:12>> Okay, John.

44:14Uh yes, it just seems uh it would be

44:18very important for us to meet in person

44:22instead of virtually.

44:24And I would like to suggest that if our

44:30room is constantly taken on Tuesdays,

44:35perhaps we should seek a different night

44:38to have our meeting.

44:44Good idea. Maybe we should. It takes a

44:48bit of doing

44:50as every anybody that's tried to move a

44:52meeting knows, but we certainly can try

44:56that. Thank you, John, for that idea.

45:01>> Yep.

45:04>> It's [clears throat] on the agenda.

45:07So with that, it's time for

45:10announcements.

45:12And I've asked John to read the

45:14announcements that are on the on the

45:18agenda for the evening. John, can you

45:21read those announcements?

45:23>> Okay. Thank you, Don. Uh November is

45:28National Employment Disability Month.

45:32uh disability presentation

45:36communication accessibility

45:39uh will be Tuesday, November 3rd

45:43uh at from 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon in the

45:47Levi Lincoln Chamber City Hall.

45:51Uh the disability presentation

45:55communication accessibility

45:58will be Tuesday, November 17th from 100

46:02p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Levi Lincoln

46:06Chamber in City Hall.

46:09The next accessibility advisory

46:12commission meeting will be Tuesday,

46:15November 17th at 4:30 p.m.

46:20Uh, the WRTA paratransit writers forums

46:25and hybrid

46:27uh meeting will be December 8th at 100

46:31p.m.

46:33Uh, emergency preparedness tip.

46:37Uh, click here for a list of items and

46:40other helpful tips.

46:45Um,

46:46and

46:46>> thank you.

46:48>> Yep. Last last but not least is

46:51adjournment.

46:54>> And I need to do a roll call on the

46:59adjournment.

47:00So I think John just made a

47:04motion to ad. Is that correct, John?

47:08>> Yes.

47:09>> Okay. And second, please

47:14>> with Mr. Sins.

47:15>> Thank you, Liz. And so, uh, the roll

47:19call is

47:21vice chair Elizabeth Ma.

47:25>> Liz Mkai.

47:27>> And

47:31John Finn.

47:33>> John Finn. I

47:37>> uh Daria Corona

47:46>> Doria I

47:47>> thank you

47:50Stephen Showberg

47:53>> Steve I

47:54>> and Tibio

48:02>> I

48:03everyone What has is unanimous that we

48:08assume

48:09at 5

48:129 p.m. on this day. Thank you folks

48:19forward to the next meeting.

48:22>> Bye-bye now.

48:23>> Thank you.

48:26and zoom.