THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, January 7, 1997              TAG: 9701070219
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY KATRICE FRANKLIN, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   36 lines

AS 1997 STARTS, MEMBERS OF SUFFOLK'S HOUSING AUTHORITY MAKE RESOLUTIONS

Housing officials gathered Monday to set their sights on goals they plan to accomplish in 1997.

Over refreshments and much conversation, members of the Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority's commission listed everything from improving housing citywide to getting more folks off the city's government housing assistance list.

``I would like to see us help residents to become more responsible and self-sufficient,'' said Commissioner Jean Copeland.

The meeting, which lasted close to two hours, was a follow-up to the board's first retreat - held last September. During that meeting, commissioners met with Creative Solutions, a Portsmouth-based firm, to help them create a vision and improve their communication skills.

David Griffin, a representative of that firm, praised the commission Monday night.

Last month, the housing authority received a high rating from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The agency annually rates public housing agencies on their performance. The Suffolk authority improved its score from 70 to 90.79.

In December, the authority also began working with the City Council on conservation efforts and selected Hall Place and Orlando as the first neighborhood revitalization projects. Community meetings will begin in Orlando at the end of this month.

``You have done so much,'' Griffin said.

The housing authority will approve the goals in its meeting on Jan. 14.

Other goals included: receiving more grant money to improve housing, rehabilitating Hall Place and Orlando, improving communications with other city agencies as well as with tenants and landlords and developing staff.