November 22, 2016
Contact: Lori Nelson,
BHA Communications Director, (617) 988-4405
For Immediate Release
Congressman’s mother was a former long-time resident who raised her family at the Old Colony development
Boston- Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Congressman Stephen Lynch and the Boston Housing Authority will come together to celebrate the renaming of the Old Colony public housing development in South Boston, in honor of long-time resident, Anne M. Lynch. Mrs. Lynch lived for many years at Old Colony while she and her husband, the late Francis “Pops” Lynch, raised their six children. Lynch was a devoted mother, grandmother, and a loyal and faithful friend. She was also a proud and active member of the American Postal Workers Union for 28 years.
“I am proud to stand here today with Congressman Lynch and his family to rename the Homes at Old Colony after Mrs. Anne M. Lynch,” said Mayor Walsh. “Mrs. Lynch’s life is an example of the residents that we have here in Boston; hardworking and committed to family.”
Old Colony is one of the BHA’s largest developments and sits on 15 acres of land near the South Boston waterfront. A portion of Old Colony has been redeveloped and has been renamed as Old Colony Homes with plans to continue redevelopment of the remaining portion of the site going forward. The entire site will now become known as the Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony.
The state developments were originally designed for defense workers, not for families with kids or seniors. Anne Lynch was very keen on the idea of fixing up the housing projects so that people could raise their families in a safe and clean and friendly environment. She regularly reminded Congressman Lynch of that, so when there was a chance to get federal money to fix up public housing, Old Colony was the first place Congressman Lynch thought of. Both former Mayor Menino and Mayor Walsh were and are great supporters of that idea as well.
“We extend our sincere thanks to Mayor Walsh, Bill McGonagle and the Boston Housing Authority, and the Old Colony resident task force leaders for honoring my mom, Anne M. Lynch, with the renaming of the homes at Old Colony,” said Congressman Stephen F. Lynch (D-Boston). “While we lived at Old Colony, my mom was a huge booster of establishing a library so other young people living there could have access to the wonderful books that she read. After I was elected to Congress, as only a mom can do, she frequently reminded me of how nice it would be to fix up Old Colony so parents could raise their families in a safe and friendly environment. Her advocacy inspired me to seek federal funding to improve public housing across the 8th Congressional District and I am sure she would be proud that Old Colony will forever share her name.”
“We’re excited to be here today and honored to be naming the development after Mrs. Lynch,” said McGonagle. “She’s a perfect example of the hardworking families we have living in our public housing developments throughout the city who want a better life for their children.”
About Boston Authority (BHA)
Boston Housing Authority (BHA) provides affordable housing to more than 58,000 residents in and around the City of Boston. Residents are assisted through a combination of public housing and federal and state voucher subsidy programs that provide a wide variety of housing opportunities. As the largest public housing authority in New England, the BHA houses close to 9 percent of the city's residents.
Our mission is to provide stable, quality affordable housing for low and moderate income persons; to deliver these services with integrity and mutual accountability; and to create living environments which serve as catalysts for the transformation from dependency to economic self-sufficiency.