Our state’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has asked MSPE to appoint a qualified candidate to serve on the Designer Selection Committee (DSC), and on behalf of the MSPE Board of Directors, I ask all potential candidates to seriously consider this opportunity.
Nominee Requirements
- Must be a MA registered engineer, with interest in affordable housing
- Appointee and his or her firm is prohibited from providing services on any DHCD funded public housing construction projects
- No potential conflict of interest (city employee, contracted consultant to city, no direct or indirect financial interest in any contract made by DHCD)
General Responsibilities of Committee Members
- The appointment term is 2 years with the option of a second successive term
- The DSC meets once per month, typically on the third Wednesday (1-2 hours)
- Avg. meeting prep time varies from month to month depending on agenda
- No financial compensation, but lunch is provided and parking reimbursed
- Typical meeting actions include review and discussion of projects to be undertaken, review and discussion of the applicant design firms, selection of ranked lists of applicants for each project
Focus of the DHCD’s Designer Selection Committee
The DHCD’s mission
that is the focus of this appointment is to assist in the provision of state-assisted affordable housing to low income residents through local housing authorities. MGL c.7 §38A½ - 38O establishes the requirements for designer selection for the commonwealth. Said legislation establishes a Designer Selection Board (DSB) within the Department of Administration and Finance. The legislation
also provides for the ability of DHCD to be exempt from DSB jurisdiction by establishing our own Designer Selection Committee (DSC).
Size of the Commission and Committee
The Bureau of Housing Development and Construction within DHCD is comprised of approximately 50 professionals with varying backgrounds in design, construction and administration. The DSC is made up of 9 members, including three registered architects, three registered engineers, two housing advocates and a contractor.
