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Recently, concerns were mentioned regarding the Winchester Housing Authority – which oversees and holds weekly tenant meetings for properties at Memorial Park, Tyler Banks, Stevenson Heights, Sequoia Village, and Smith Manor. 

Cheri James, interim Executive Director of the Winchester Housing Authority, offered her response. 

Initially, she gave the purpose of the Winchester Housing Authority – which features 400 available units.  

“The mission of the Winchester Housing Authority is to provide adequate, affordable housing [and] economic opportunity in a suitable living environment,” she said. 

Regarding an issue about the frequency of visits. 

“HUD requires 48 hours notice, that’s part of the lease…whether that is for preventative maintenance, extermination, inspection, work order [or] anything like that,” James said. “Tenants are given 48-hour notice unless there is a work order where the tenant is requesting maintenance to come in and fix something, but they always announce themselves before.” 

HUD is an acronym for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

Another concern raised was about Internet wires being cut. 

“We’re undergoing a major renovation…here at the housing authority. There are many cables [and] satellite dish [locations] where they haven’t been put in over the last 25 years. As new ones came on, the old ones were not removed,” she said. “Our contractors are doing the best they can to identify which lines are live…in that, there have been a few lines that were live that were not identified as such…we’ve been able to work with local providers [so that] all the services have been restored.” 

James further elaborated on the process of eviction. 

“It would depend on what the circumstance is,” she said. “When they sign a lease, the lease states what the housing authority is responsible for and what the tenant is responsible for. When a tenant is out of compliance without their lease, they are given notification…if they disagree with the eviction, they have every right to adjudicate that…when you have an eviction, the tenant has due process and rights.” 

Asked what she would like the community to know, James again responded. 

“I think the Winchester Housing Authority is now trying to become compliant with HUD standards…[and] moving forward in a positive manner,” she said. “This is an opportunity for the Housing Authority of Winchester to become something for the community to be proud of.”