Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance Honors Former Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer

BOSTON — Former Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer was among those honored by the Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance (MHSA) at its annual Home for Good fundraiser and award ceremony on May 16 at WBUR CitySpace in Boston. Tyer, along with Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch and Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan, received the prestigious Canon Brian S. Kelley Public Service Award from MHSA, which recognizes individuals who are steadfast in their commitment to ending homelessness.

Inaugurated as the mayor of Pittsfield for a second four-year term in January 2020, Tyer holds the distinction of being the first mayor in Pittsfield’s history to be elected to a four-year term. This past January, Tyer stepped down from office and now serves as executive director of Workforce Development and Community Education at Berkshire Community College.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020, Tyer assembled the city of Pittsfield’s COVID-19 Task Force. For more than a year, a team comprised of city and school officials, law enforcement, first responders, leadership from the Sheriff’s Office, Berkshire Medical Center, and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency worked to ensure that the Pittsfield community had what it needed to remain safe during this unprecedented public-health crisis.

“Mayor Tyer ably handled all the challenges associated with governing during the pandemic with skill and great sensitivity. She fully supported, embraced, and promoted the ‘housing first’ model for those experiencing chronic homelessness,” said Joyce Tavon, CEO of MHSA. “Mayor Tyer has worked to find housing solutions for those living in outdoor encampments as well as the wraparound services they need to address their healthcare needs and provide much-needed stability.”