Mobile Housing Authority Under Investigation

MOBILE, Ala. — According to AL.com, In a statement via one of his lawyers, ousted Mobile Housing Board Executive Director Stevens Gregory disputed the seriousness of local visits and reviews by HUD’s Office of the Inspector General.

Stevens Gregory

“This is a rather routine survey,” said the statement sent to the Press-Register by Edward Smith. “This is no formal investigation of the Housing Board.”

Housing Board members fired Gregory on Dec. 2, but he has appealed that decision to the Mobile County Personnel Board. The hearing is set for 9 a.m. Feb. 9.

The Housing Board’s “action to terminate Mr. Gregory at the start of a routine audit is regrettable. Any government agency as large as the Mobile Housing Board is subject to review, at any time, as a matter of practice,” the statement says.

Housing Board Chairman Clarence Ball disagreed with Gregory’s estimation of the situation, and said in an e-mail that Gregory “does not speak” for the board.

Ball said that the board “has new capable leadership in place to address the present state of its programs” and “is moving ahead and looks forward to completing all of the projects that have been marred by administrative problems and delays.”

The board provides subsidized housing and public housing communities in Mobile for thousands of low- to moderate-income tenants.

Prior to Gregory’s dismissal, board members had criticized him on a number of issues, and privately expressed dissatisfaction with the progress of several construction projects.

Also, sources close to the board told the Press-Register that Gregory’s relationship with a subordinate had led to project slowdowns and that Gregory had taken on some of the subordinate’s responsibilities.

One of the key projects in question has been the multi-phase HOPE VI revitalization effort to create mixed-income neighborhoods for families and seniors.

In the new statement, Gregory said that “a rapidly changing economy, unforeseen environmental conditions and successive changes in project developers” prompted him to obtain approval to amend HOPE VI from the Housing Board commissioners and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The revised plan met local housing needs, he explained, by decreasing the number of homeownership units and increasing the number of affordable rental units. More HERE

CMHA Investigation Escalates

According to the cincinnati bizjournals.com,Federal regulators have asked the board of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority to suspend its search for a new executive director, citing concerns that the search “has not fully complied with applicable equal opportunity requirements.”

Sources said the letter follows allegations that former CMHA Board Chairman Arnold Barnett made “disparaging remarks” about his critics and told a search consultant that he did not intend for CMHA to hire a black or female director.

Barnett denies making any remarks about who should or shouldn’t be hired. But he confirmed that he stepped down as chairman “for the good of the agency” during a closed-door board meeting last week.

The local advertising executive, who joined the CMHA board in 2006, said the HUD investigation had become a distraction for the agency. CMHA’s current Executive Director, Richard Rust, has withdrawn his name as a candidate for the job, Barnett said.

That leaves four finalists, all of whom have management experience in big-city housing agencies. Two of the candidates are white males. One is a black man, the fourth, a black woman.

The Nov. 3 letter is addressed to the CMHA’s board from Thomas Marshall, director of the Office of Public Housing in Cleveland. It requests an indefinite suspension of the director search but doesn’t elaborate on any problems it uncovered to warrant the delay.

“We believe this delay is appropriate as a precautionary measure to protect CHMA from potential employment discrimination claims,” Marshall wrote.

HUD is investigating CMHA following an Aug. 18 administrative complaint in which attorney Robert Newman alleged racial discrimination in the way CMHA award Section 8 housing vouchers.

Barnett responded to that allegation by filing a defamation lawsuit against Newman, who countered with a Sept. 9 letter asking HUD to remove Barnett as chairman. Marshall did not return the Business Courier’s call.  Read More HERE

• New Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority chair will need our help [11/20/2009]
• CMHA board member Barnett receives reprimand [11/17/2009]
• CMHA investigation escalates [11/10/2009]
• CMHA narrows director search to six [09/24/2009]
• CMHA board dispute has day in court

Job Opportunities in Housing

Housing Jobs see more at:  Housing Research Jobs

Dec 21	SUPERVISORY SOCIAL WORKER	United States Department of Veterans Affairs	CA
	Responsible for personnel management, program administration, as well as the professional and interdisciplinary relationships and functioning of… more
Dec 21	Senior Assistant Dean of Judicial Affairs	Columbia University	New York, NY
	Senior Assistant Dean of Judicial Affairs Columbia University Advertised Summary Job Description: BASIC FUNCTION: The Senior Assistant Dean is… more
Dec 20	Speech Language Pathologist, SLP, Speech therapist		Detroit, MI
	Details * Address: Clinton Township, MI 48035 (map) * Date Posted: 10/21/09 * Job Type: Full-time Description CompanyLakepointe Senior Care and… more
Dec 19	Chief Ranger	State of Virginia	Richmond, VA
	DCR is currently seeking candidates for law enforcement Chief Ranger positions within the Division of State Parks. Candidates selected for a… more
Dec 16	MAINTENANCE PLUMBER	Pawtucket Housing Author	Pawtucket, RI
	PAWTUCKET HOUSING AUTHOR. MAINTENANCE PLUMBER: The Housing Authority of the City of Pawtucket is now accepting resumes for Maintenance Plumber… more
Dec 16	HQS Housing Inspector	Aiken Housing Authority	Aiken, SC
	The Aiken Housing Authority (AHA) is currently seeking a Housing Quality Standards Inspector for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Programs. AHA… more
Dec 15	Maintenance & Construction Mgr	Helena Housing Authority	Helena, MT
	Helena Housing Authority (HHA) seeks a Maintenance & Construction Manager to establish & implement facility-wide maintenance & repair priorities,… more
Dec 12	Executive Director	Auburn Housing Authority	Auburn, NY
	The Auburn Housing Authority seeks a candidate to lead and manage 50 federal public housing units, 276 state public housing units, 229 tenant-based… more
Dec 11	Housing Clerk	Medford Housing Authority	Medford, MA
	Housing Clerk SECTION 8 HOUSING CLERK Medford Housing Authority seeks a full time Clerk for the Section 8 Leased Housing Program. Experience with… more
Dec 10	CONSTRUCTION INSPECTOR	Brha	Bristol, VA
	Notice of Position Construction Inspector The Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority (BRHA) is seeking a qualified Construction Inspector to… more
Dec 07	PUBLIC HOUSING PROPERTY MANAGER – Mecca	Riverside County Human Resource Department	CA
	The Housing Authority of Riverside County is seeking a Public Housing Property Manager for the Mecca region. The most highly qualified candidates… more
Dec 04	Budget Analyst II/III	Community Development Commission	Monterey Park, CA
	BUDGET ANALYST II/III Assisted Housing Division $4,254 – $7,235 per month Regular Position Position located at the Santa Fe Springs Location The… more
Dec 02	Clerk Cashier / Interviewer	Fall River Housing Authority	Fall River, MA

Obama administration picks Estelle Richman for H.U.D. job

By: Scott Detrow
scott_detrow@pubradionews.net

Pennsylvania’s Department of Public Welfare Secretary is stepping down and headed to Washington, where she’ll take a job in the Obama Administration.

Estelle Richman will be the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Chief Operating Officer.

Governor Rendell heaped praise on Richman during a Capitol press conference, speaking for more than fifteen minutes about her accomplishments at DPW.

Rendell: It’s just the tip of the iceberg. In the interest of time, I didn’t read you all of the accomplishments DPW has made under this great woman. I believe that Estelle Richman has been, and I think the record will show, the most effective secretary of the Department of Public Welfare in the history of the commonwealth.

Richman has come under constant fire from House Republicans in recent months. They’ve pointed to a report issued by Auditor General Jack Wagner’s office that found wasted dollars “and the potential for fraud” in DPW initiatives.

Rendell says critics are “wrong,” and that Richman turned the department around and increased efficiency during her tenure.   Read More HERE

Non Profit Job Listings

Check out the Non Profit Job Blog a great resource for non-profit job opportunities. The Non Profit Job Blog is a national online job blog site focused exclusively on the nonprofit community. If you want to find nonprofit jobs and access valuable resources for developing successful careers in the nonprofit community, Non Profit Job Blog is the best way to find the best non profit jobs and the most qualified candidates.

Career Opportunity: Planning Technician – City of Laguna Beach

Salary: $3,665 – $5,159/mo. plus City paid 2.5% at 55 (effective 6-30-2010) and generous benefits.
The scenic arts community of Laguna Beach seeks a competent, team oriented individual to fill this position in the Zoning Division of the City of Laguna Beach Community Development Department. This position receives general supervision from the Zoning Administrator and works in support of Zoning plan check and the City’s Design Review process. Position responsibilities will primarily involve reviewing architectural plans and writing staff reports to the Design Review Board. Applicants possessing excellent writing skills are highly desirable. Duties also include preparation of staff reports related to conditional use permits, variances, ordinance amendments, zone changes, general plan amendments and various other special projects. The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent, in planning, geography, urban or environmental studies or a closely related field. While limited or no directly related experience in the field is qualifying, experience in current planning and architectural plan review and report writing is highly desirable. Apply By: Friday, January 8, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. at www.lagunabeachcity.net. Applicants must submit a writing sample indicative of current skill along with their application. Writing samples must be scanned and attached to the application in the City’s online application system or delivered to the Personnel Division in hard copy form by the filing deadline. Faxes and postmarks will not be accepted.

African American Public Housing Residents in the HOPE VI Era: Relocation, Social Networks and Health

Keene, Danya E.

This dissertation is a three paper mixed-methods project that explores the significance of public-housing policy and urban development for the health of low-income African-American communities. Specifically, it seeks to better understand how relocation that has occurred in the context of public-housing demolition and concurrent urban revitalization affects access to social ties and social support for this population. Chapter 2 is a critical literature review of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOPE VI program.

HOPE VI has funded the demolition of public-housing developments across the country and created in their place, mixed-income communities that are often inaccessible to the majority of former tenants. This chapter considers the potential health consequences of HOPE VI for relocated individuals, particularly through the disruption of supportive social networks. Chapter 3 uses the Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation to estimate the relationship between residence in a federally owned public-housing project and reported presence of community-based social support among African Americans who receive rent assistance. This study finds that in comparison to other rent-assisted households, public-housing residents are significantly more likely to report that people in their neighborhood count on each other, watch each other’s children and help each other out. It also finds that measures of community support are associated with reduced odds of school expulsion and grade repetition among children. This study contributes to the literature by quantifying the presence of social support resources in a national sample of public-housing residents and its findings are consistent with concern for social resources that may be disrupted by policies of demolition and dispersal.

Through in-depth interviews and participant observation, Chapter 4 examines the experiences of 25 low-income African American women and men who have relocated from Chicago to Johnson County, Iowa. Many of these individuals were displaced by public-housing demolition in Chicago and were looking for safe neighborhoods and affordable housing that were unavailable in the city.

Chapter 4 focuses on how this experience of interstate migration affects access to social support, as well as a sense of rootedness that is located in geographically stable social ties.

Source: Dissertations and Theses (Ph.D. and Master’s)

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/63742

RFP – The Houston Housing Authority – Ten Year plan

The Houston Housing Authority hereby solicits proposals from professionals/firms to develop and assist with the implementation of a Comprehensive Ten-Year Housing and Community Transformation Plan, as specified in RFP No. 09-34.

Interested offerors may obtain the Request for Proposals package by contacting:

ANNA SIMOTAS
PURCHASING OFFICER
HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY
2640 FOUNTAINVIEW, SUITE 408
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77057
(713) 260-0554 FAX: (713) 260-0556
Email: otas@housingforhouston.com

The Request for Proposals is available on the Internet at www.housingforhouston.com.

The proposals must reach the Houston Housing Authority no later than 4:00 P.M. (CST) on December 30, 2009. Proposals received after the deadline will be rejected unless the conditions allowed for late submittals exist for consideration as specified in the RFP.

RFP: Non-Profit/Grant Writer Consultant

Official Notice
Non-Profit/Grant Writing Consultant-Advisory Services
Request for Proposal # PC466

The Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino (HACSB) is the largest provider of affordable housing in the County serving over 30,000 individuals and families. HACSB is in the beginning stages of forming a non-profit affiliate to expand resources and services to its residents. The purpose of this 501 © (3) nonprofit organization is to serve as a community resource and advocate to assist low-income individuals achieve self-sufficiency through programs and services that promote employment, education and other life skills, and seek funding to support these activities.

The Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino, CA (HACSB) intends to enter into a Contract with a qualified firm or individual for the formation and management of a non-profit affiliate to expand resources and services to HACSB residents. Under the guidance of the Deputy Executive Director – Office of Housing Program, the Consultant will be responsible for the overall management of the non-profit including but not limited to:
• Completion of the non-profit start-up process (i.e., Board selection),
• Strategy development,
• Proposal and grant writing,
• Materials development,
• Identification of relevant grant and corporate sponsorship opportunities.

Proposals available via Internet at:

http://www.hacsb.com

Or for pickup at the following address:
Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino
715 East Brier Drive
San Bernardino, CA 92408-2841

Proposals due before
January 7, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.
Facsimile proposals will be accepted.

For more information, call Marsha Zeller, Procurement & Contracts Manager
E-mail at: mzeller@hacsb.com

Newport Celebrates HOPE VI Phase 4

Newport Community Celebrates Completion of Newport Heights Phase 4
Providence Business News
Newport Heights was made possible through a combination of funding sources, including a $20 million federal Housing Opportunities for Everyone (HOPE VI) … Read More HERE