HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06132000 - HA1 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA ,•
TO: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
FROM: Robert McEwan, Executive Director
DATE: June 13, 2000
SUBJECT: LETTER FROM U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
SECRETARY ANDREW CUOMO DESIGNATING THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE
COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA AS A HIGH PERFORMER UNDER THE PUBLIC
HOUSING MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
I. RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ACCEPT a letter from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew
Cuomo designating the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa as a High Performer under the
Public Housing Management Assessment Program.
11. FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None. Continued designation as a High Performer will result in an annual capital grant bonus of
3% to 5%.
Ill. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND
On September 1, 1998 HUD published the Public Housing Management Assessment (PHAS)
rules. PHAS is used as a tool to evaluate the overall management of each of the Nation's 3200 public
housing authorities. After receiving comments from Housing Authorities and conducting initial
assessments HUD established the final rule January 1, 2000 and has begun to implement the new PHAS.
The PHAS should be distinguished from PHMAP (Public Housing Management Assessment Program)
under which we have previously been measured. PHMAP's intent was to measure only a housing
authority's "public housing" program, whereas PHAS intent is to measure our overall operations, including
fiscal and management capacity, the physical quality of our developments, and resident satisfaction. This
designation is for HUD's "Advisory" round of evaluations.
IV. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
None.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE Yjr�t�-
RECOMMENDATION
OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON q Uo7e- c APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED bn4 R
VOTE OF COMMISSIONERS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A
UNANIMOUS (ABSENT l,.W e ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN
AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED C. was
PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERIC OF
THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
�' DEPUTY,
C:\WIND0WS\TEMP\B0-HUD Hi Performerl.doc BY
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20410-0001
THE SECRETARY April 11, 2000
Mr. Robert McEwan
Acting Executive Dir
County of Contra Costa Hsg Auth
3133 Estudillo St
P O Box 2759
Martinez, CA 94553
Dear Mr. McEwan:
I am the first HUD Secretary to have built or operated housing. I understand the
daily challenges of operation and the pride of accomplishment. I also know that
contrary to popular perception,public housing is a national success story. While the
Washington"beltway"perpetuates images of public housing as failed high rises, that is
not the real story of public housing. Our challenge is to communicate the true story.
The Public Housing Assessment System(PHAS)is our attempt to tell the accurate story
of public housing.
I am so pleased to tell you how right we were. The results of HUD's baseline
advisory review have been overwhelmingly positive. With almost 84%of the PHAs
nationwide receiving a passing score, I believe that these results answer two important
questions. First,they establish in an objective and verifiable manner that taxpayer
investment in public housing is well spent and second, they establish that you are doing
a great job.
Based on the most recent round of PHAS evaluation, your agency has been
judged a High Performer. I am writing to tell you how important this is to you and your
agency.
This Department is poised to commence PHAS evaluation in the near future and
with it, institutionalize a system that rewards agencies like yours for fine performance. I
believe that the small percentage of agencies that need to do better should not be
allowed to prevent agencies such as yours from reaping the rewards of their hard work.
For too long the public housing system rewarded failure rather than performance. if you
wanted response from Washington you needed to be a"troubled" agency rather than a
successful agency. This is wrong.
To stand behind this proposition,this year when you are evaluated and as you
continue to receive a High Performer designation, you and your agency will be
rewarded for this performance as follows.
1. A capital grant bonus of 3%per year based upon your agency's capital grant
award. This bonus increases to 5% in years 6 and after. This means for your
agency, (based upon your 1999 grant amount)that after five years you
cumulatively would have received$398,309 and after seven years $663,849.
2. Your agency will receive extra bonus points in connection with any
competitive NOFA which is submitted to this Department.
3. Your agency will have the benefit of significant paperwork reduction in
connection with filings required by this Department.
4. Your agency will receive physical inspection by HUD in alternate years
during its high performance status.
I believe that public housing in America works because of people like you. I
believe that a system which clearly demonstrates this fact is essential to its long term
viability, and I know that a system that provides positive incentives to those who make it
work, is a concept whose time has come.
I look forward to working with you toward these objectives.
Sincerely,
Andrew Cuomo
County of Contra Costa Hsg Auth