Who Knew What and When?

Clients of the NOAH Shelter and the associated O'Neill/Duffy Clinic brought a number of concerns to the Office of Demetrius Atsalis in 1999. Initially, Mike Karath, a constituency writer for Atsalis tookd their complaints seriously. Their was an effort by the homeless community to organize a lobby group and a faction of homeless activists began representing their own interests by approaching their district representation for assistance. John Howcroft, an inspector for Transitional Assistance was dispatched to interview clients about practices at the shelter and to evaluate conditions of the shelter premises. Howcroft also spoke to anumber of homeless clients of the DayStar Program Soup Kitchen of the Salvation Army. Both Councilor Royden Richardson and former Chief John Finnegan sat on the Board of Directors of the Salvation Army. Richardson serves as a Trustee for Community Action of Cape Cod and Islands.

A number of homeless people had been unreasonably banned from NOAH; there had been deaths of elderly clientele in homeless camps. In addition, a number of homicides were associated with the shelter and the associated O'Neill Clinic. The O'Neill Clinic is a satellite organization of Housing Assistance Corporation, and is adjacent and attached to the shelter. The clinic was provided seed money by Housing Assistance, maintains licensure by HAC, operates in conjuction with the NOAH Shelter, and is attached to the shelter premises. Clinicians, nurse practioners, and physicians operating the clinic were well aware of the practices of banning elderly clients to the streets, into camps, and into substandard housing. The clinicians had a long standing practice of prescribing narcotics to convicted felons, including sex offenders. The practice was considered "Harm Reduction Theory", a philosophy promoted by well known theorist, Edith Springer. Springer spoke at Housing Assistance Corporations annual dinner in September of 2001.

As the organization continued to ban clients that complained about dangerous and violent conditions on the premises and surrounding properties, Executives employed by Housing Assistance Corporation were engaged in an effort to expand negligent and substandard services to the neighboring Town of Sandwich. Negotiations were underway for the Dana's Field Project to the Zoning Board of Appeals in Sandwich. Presentations in to the ZBA in Sandwich were being prepared by HAC's Attorney, Michael Princi, Esq. and he represented the organizations interests in this effort. Rick Presbrey, Executive Director of Housing Assistance Corporation, Livia Davis, Executive Director for the Individuals Program at HAC and Tom Brigham, Public Relations Coordinator and Fundraiser for the Dana Field's Program planned an $11.5 million dollar expansion project based on the Moltrup Farm Project in Denmark.

The shematic plan developed by architects designing the project includes two, four bedroom homes for the administration, and Olympic size swimming pool and sports arena, pony and horse stables and a chicken coop with a planned dairy and vegetable stand, all to be run by ex-convicts. The chicken coop abutted homeowners in a residential neighborhood. Concerned parties formed the Sandwich Family Association represented by William Henchy, Esq.

When word that the complaints being made by "digruntled clients" complaining to Demetrius Atsalis reached the desk of Rick Presbrey, phone calls went through to the Office of Demetrius Atsalis and Senator Rob O'Leary. Livia Davis and Tom Brigham were concerned that the complaints would damage the efforts before the Sandwich Zoning Board of Appeals. Both Livia Davis and Tom Brigham, former Directors of the NOAH Shelter, were planning to build lavish homes on site, complete with farmer's style porches, attached two car garages, four bedrooms, skylights and expansive kitchen and family rooms. Atsalis was instructed to ignore the complainants and to consider them merely a few unrecovered unmanageable clients.

Housing Assistance Corporation promised the member of the Sanwich Family Association that serious narcotics addicts and vioent convicts would be screened from the project by an advisory panel. There is a record of these statements obtained from Officials at the Sandwich Town Hall. Convicted felons and violent unrecovered addicts constitute 90% of the NOAH population. Livia Davis stated emphatically to the Zoning Board of Appeals that because "she would be living on site, she would see to it personally that no dangerous offenders would be living at the $11.5 million dollar project. She confided to the Sandwich Family Association that Executives in Barnstable were working on a new and expanded facility in Barnstable. Clients that arrived in Hyannis, and were clients of NOAH, billed to third party reimbursement, would be relocated to a new facility across from the Radisson Hotel. The Mildred's Chowder House/Fish Landing was identified as the new location for these "disgruntled clients" and Davis promised the residents of Sandwich that she would return clients that failed at rehabilitation to the Town of Barnstable.

(Examine list of complaints generated by Demetrius Atsalis Office by Legislative Aide, Mike Karath, and a group of homeless activists. The lobby group was comprised of homeless individuals that noticed the Housing Assistance Organization's practice of unfairly banning elderly people, falsifying documents, ordering unnecessary procedures, and liberally prescribing narcotics to addicts. These efforts were made 2-3 years prior to my arrival in Hyannis in late 2001.)









(Click on images to enlarge. Clearly you can see the organization trying to redefine its image.)






(The NOAH Center claimed that the Duffy Clinic was completely a separate entity from Housing Assistance Corporation. The clinic stated that there were not able to be sued because of Housing Assistance Corporations non-profit status.)


Here is an image of Barnstable Town Council President Royden Richardson lobbying for the expanded shelter services and clinic for relocation to the Mildred's Chowder House/Fish Landing across from the Radisson Hotel. Livia Davis and Rick Presbrey are present, along with Councilor Janice Barton and former Barnstable Town Attorney Bob Smith. Richardson was the liaison to the Barnstable Human Service Needs Committee and has a daughter employed as an attorney by Wynn & Wynn. Michael Princi of Wynn and Wynn represented HAC in the Dana's Fields negotiations. Part of the reason as to why my complaints about sex offenders associated with the NOAH Shelter were not taken seriously is because Richarson as a sealed sex offense history from his days as a Probation Officer at the Barnstable District Court.

Alan Burt, self-proclaimed advocate for the homeless, considers Richardson a mentor, and wrote off "disgruntled clients" as angry, delusional and ill people worthy of being ignored. Burt once suggested that he would like to campaign for a seat on the Barnstable Town Council. View Burt and his comments before Governor Deval Patrick posted below. Many of these executive that were quickly dismissed after this fiasco now work in public policy positions for the homeless in the Patrick Administration.



...and the political games continue! So far there is no resolution on the corruption that caused the violent deaths of many, both homeless and innocent and vulnerable parties at taxpayer expense!