On Friday August 14th, 2026 the Quincy Housing Authority celebrated 80 years! A big party was thrown at Snug Harbor beach. Residents, employees, families and friends all enjoyed a cookout, yard games, a bonfire and best of all, a performance from The Joshua Tree, the greatest U2 tribute band. 80 years of making a difference- its a Beautiful Day!
Please see below for a message from Executive Director, James Marathas
I want to thank you all for joining the Quincy Housing Authority celebrating our 80th Anniversary as well as the 250th Anniversary of America. What better way to celebrate than being together to listen to Joshau Tree, a well-known U2 Tribute Band. I am proud to represent the Quincy Housing Authority and what we accomplish every day. We have an incredible team of employees that work hard every day and are dedicated to the mission of the Authority and its residents. I want to thank my board of commissioner members that have been extremely supportive of our mission as well. What we have accomplished together is nothing short of a miracle.
Mike Flaherty our chairman, Josephine Shea, Tim Baker John Dicarli, Brian Clifford and our two additional board members for Quincy Housing Authority Development Corporation Sherry Zou and Tom Frabrezio
A great deal of the work done behind the scenes comes from our partners and their support, the Unions, especially Mark Burns from the laborers’ union Local 133.
Mark has been supportive of changing a culture to create a partnership we both can benefit from and be proud. At the end of the day, it’s about being fair, doing the right thing and working together to take on our challenges.
I want to express my utmost respect for our Mayor, Mayor Thomas Koch. The mayor made a pledge day one to support our efforts to improve housing and the lives of each or our residents and has not wavered once on his pledge. Many of the improvements that have been made could not be made without this partnership. I have a great deal of gratitude for his support and just take one look around this City and look at the transformation. It’s a more beautiful place to call home, more vibrant, new homes, flourishing businesses, property values increasing far beyond any other City or Town. The proof is right here on every street and every area of this great City.
I would like to recognize Senator John Keenen for his continuing support of affordable housing and the work he does on a state level to support the funding for vital programs which support our elderly residents, the most vulnerable low-income residents, families and disabled residents by supporting the supportive housing budget. Many of our residents benefit from these services and they truly change their lives. I want to thank Quincy Fire Department and Quincy Police Department for their continuing partnership with protecting the residents in Quincy and Quincy Housing Authority. Thank you to Rainbow for providing transportation today from our high-rise properties and their partnership at O’Brien Towers by providing supportive services to our residents. Our agency has changed dramatically over the last decade. We now serve over 6,500 residents, manage five state agencies, Quincy, Holbrook, Hanson, Marshfield and Hingham. I want to thank the managed agencies for their partnership with Quincy Housing and their support. We complete almost 25,000 work orders annually. Most importantly have improved every unit we manage over the last decade and invested over 40 million in grants to our capital needs. This has allowed us to purchase the entire Federal Public Housing Portfolio from HUD now owning Pagnano Towers, Obrien Towers, and Riverview, lastly closing on Drohan Apartments this year.
Owning these properties has created a great deal of equity and the ability to create a long-lasting partnership with the City of Quincy to both preserve and create affordable housing to meet the needs of the residents of Quincy. We have been able to create local preferences once again and serve our community.
We have only scratched the surface with what we will be capable of.
This year we have partnered with Peabody Properties creating 94 new units at Clay Street, 16 new affordable units coming to Mariners Cove under construction now, purchased 9 Bower Rd. and will be completing an extensive renovation this year, and lastly completed a full renovation of 74 Bower Rd. A former blight in the neighborhood now a place Lyssa now calls home.
None of this is without the partnership of the mayor, the city and our partners.
Thank you, James Marathas, Executive Director
Quincy, Holbrook, Hanson, Hingham & Marshfield Housing Authorities
