Alvina Brevard, Assistant Director of Field Operations
Department of Housing and Community Development
When the June tornado hit Massachusetts, Alvina Brevard assumed the leadership of the Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) tornado response. Alvina served as the DHCD’s point person with the Red Cross shelters that served approximately 300 individuals. Additionally, she guided DHCD’s Division of Housing Stabilization staff in their effort to assist hundreds of residents who came in the Commonwealth’s Service Centers seeking information and assistance. Beyond the accomplishment of helping to re-house over 200 households, Alvina set an unparalleled example of leadership and commitment. During this time, Alvina worked tirelessly for 37 days, often beyond normal office hours, to locate alternative accommodations for those who were displaced by the tornado and to ensure that the most vulnerable were placed in safe and secure housing. With no prior work experience addressing the impact of a natural disaster on the housing needs of impacted citizens, Alvina developed a game plan and set the standard on how DHCD will address future devastating natural disasters.
This information provided by the Human Resources Division