MHProNews has learned from enterprisenews that Richard Sergi will step down as executive director of the Brockton Housing Authority (BHA) after 22 years in the post, as he battles cancer. The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials awarded Sergi with their President’s Award in 2011. As head of Massachusetts’ seventh largest public housing authority with 2,020 units, Sergi said one of the initiatives of which he is most proud is the Pleasant Prospect Neighborhood Revitalization Project, which included dozens of modular homes. The project won a national award, and BHA earned High Performer status from the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for its policies, practices and leadership. The housing authority’s board chairman and 14-year board member, Tim Sullivan, noting this was the “worst day” for the agency, says, “He (Sergi) was the face of the housing authority, and his interests were just to help the people.” The mayor says his shoes will indeed be hard to fill. Sergi will assist in choosing his replacement.
