The Boston Housing Authority is the largest public housing authority in New England, and houses close to 9 percent of the city's residents. Its 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 healthy living environments which serve as catalysts for the transformation from dependency to economic self-sufficiency. The BHA is comprised of many racial, ethnic, and linguistic minorities, many of whom are newcomers to the Boston area with limited English speaking and reading abilities.