Sustainable Operations
Boston Housing Authority (BHA) promotes sustainability through day-to-day operations. This encompasses housing developments, business operations (over 900 employees), office, maintenance and management facilities.
Our Operations Department supports a green and healthy environment through its cleaning, maintenance and repair, turnover, pest management and waste/recycling processes.
There is a designated, full-time Recycling Coordinator to advance the recycling and waste management practices at BHA. At BHA public housing communities, trash management is a key issue for improving quality of life for residents and employees under the Strategic Sustainability Plan.
All BHA housing communities became smoke-free in September, 2012. This was a major, 3-year effort involving significant partnerships among residents, healthcare non-profits, and local universities. Boston is currently the largest entirely smoke-free public housing authority in the nation.
Sustainable Operations Goals
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Ensure recycling access to 100% of BHA residents by the end of 2014 (25% in 2013).
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Improve overall waste management system for efficiency and quality of life improvements.
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Formalize the Green Procurement policy based upon current pilot efforts by April, 2014.
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Incorporate identified green, healthy and sustainable principles into BHA’s Operations and Maintenance plan.
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Formalize the Chauncy Street sustainability plan and schedule.
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Continue to track implementation of BHA’s Non-Smoking Policy and revise implementation guidelines as needed.
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Implement sustainability review protocol for all capital and redevelopment projects.
For comments or questions regarding the Draft Strategic Sustainability Plan, please contact Stephanie Mendez, Project Manager, at (617) 988-4128 or by email.