THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 12, 1995 TAG: 9502100218
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANCIE LATOUR, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
For the first time in four years, the Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority has received a passing grade on the report card issued annually by its federal overseer, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The annual report, called the Public Housing Management Assessment Program, grades 12 areas of performance in such areas as how efficiently local housing authorities collect rent and how well they respond to needs for new heating systems and roofs.
Since July 1994, the Housing Authority had been hovering just under the minimum passing score with a rating of 58.9 out of a possible 100 points. Any score below 60 indicates a ``troubled'' authority.
But additional data released at the end of 1994 pulled the authority above the acceptable minimum to a new rating of 62.8.
``It means a lot to us,'' said Amy M. Lassiter, director of programs and community development. ``The employees here have worked a lot. We've had a lot of staff involved in improving the authority management operations. We've had a lot of new direction and sound management practices that have improved our performance and our reputations as a housing authority.''
In a letter to the authority's executive director, Edmund R. Carrera, HUD's public housing director, Andre S. Basmajian, said the authority received an ``A,'' the highest possible grade, in its evaluations for two categories - efficiency in energy consumption and management of reserve funds used for unexpected costs.
The jump up for the authority comes as HUD funding becomes more scarce and competition for that shrinking money pot intensifies among local housing authorities.
Lassiter said the scores are ``directly related to funding we receive for public housing grant programs and our operating budget. This improvement will allow us to continue to get funding from HUD each year for renovations.''
Lassiter said the authority receives $700,000 each year from HUD for renovation projects. That money goes to new roofs, kitchen facilities, handicapped accessibility and removing lead and asbestos from public housing projects.
``The other thing that's important is that it allows us to provide resident programs for youth and adults,'' Lassiter said. Those programs include sports activities and GED training sessions for residents.
While the new status of ``standard performer'' removes the authority from close scrutiny by HUD officials, those officials said they will continue to monitor the authority to make sure it stays above the line and continues to improve.
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY by CNB