By Patrick McGroarty
News Editor

Harold Woodbury was by all accounts a quiet man who would rather go about his daily business than dwell on a hardship. Family members and friends who knew him well say that he was, "not one to complain vociferously," and that he was proud of the independent lifestyle he maintained at age 81.

So only after Woodbury died of injuries he sustained when he slipped and fell February 3 on the icy sidewalk outside his home in the Savin Hill Apartments on Auckland Street did friends like Joe Chaisson begin to think seriously about living conditions within the building that even Woodbury had described as sub-par.

"He was always so independent, and liked walking to the Brooks pharmacy by himself," said Chaisson, imagining what had compelled his friend to venture out of doors after the intense ice storm in early February. "That must have been where he was going."

The fall caused extensive internal bleeding, but Woodbury could not be operated upon because of a heart condition, said Chaisson. Woodbury died in the hospital the next day.

Chaisson was his neighbor before Woodbury and his wife moved into the apartments around four years ago. Woodbury's wife passed away about a year later, and Chaisson become one of Woodbury's most important companions, chauffeuring him to doctor's appointments or having him over for a friendly lunch. Woodbury's accident has enlivened the work Chaisson was already doing for seniors in the neighborhood. And other seniors across the neighborhood have come forward with complaints about conditions in their buildings, even as the owner of Woodbury's building acknowledged last week that change is needed.

Representatives from Corcoran and Jennison Companies, who own the 132-unit Savin Hill Apartments, met with Chaisson and City Council President Maureen Feeney on February 23 to discuss issues that Woodbury, according to Chaisson, had been concerned with in recent years: leaky window seals and subsequent heating irregularities; a growing problem with mice; and frequently overflowing dumpsters.

Dan Murray, president of Corcoran Jennison Management Company, was present at that meeting, and said a follow-up had been held with residence of the apartment building. In addition, said Murray, Corcoran Jennison representatives visited residents individually to ask them about any concerns they had about the property. Murray said a program to replace windows in many of the building's units would begin as soon as the weather grew warm and that a rodent extermination program within the building would be expanded to the surrounding property as well. But, he said that the actions were not a direct result of the meeting, or fallout from Woodbury's death.

"One is an unfortunate accident," said Murray. "It has nothing to do with the other."

Feeney said that she was pleased with the openness of Corcoran representatives at the meeting, and that the problem of neglect among senior residences seemed to be isolated to unfortunate incidents rather than a larger problem.

"The important thing now is that there be an open dialogue, that they have their people meet individually with residents to see about specific issues, which they have said they would do," said Feeney.

Chaisson said that the death of his close friend had not inspired him to accuse any particular management group, but rather to raise awareness regarding issues faced by seniors across the neighborhood. He has been asked to chair a new committee of the Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association to that end that will look specifically at senior issues.

"I'm finding out that it is all over Dorchester, and some seniors are feeling intimidated, that if complain, they might lose their place of living. Hopefully we can look into these things now."