
DATE: Friday, October 24, 1997              TAG: 9710240752

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LOUIS HANSEN, STAFF WRITER

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   64 lines

SUFFOLK AUTHORITY REQUESTS $184,743 IN REIMBURSEMENTS

The Redevelopment and Housing Authority has requested $184,743 in reimbursements from the federal government, claiming previous administrators overlooked the reimbursements.

The total equals about 10 percent of the funds the authority got from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during fiscal years 1996 through 1998.

The request was approved by housing authority board members at a special meeting Thursday morning.

The authority expects to receive $673,000 in direct aid from HUD for fiscal 1998. In 1997, the total was $611,000; and in 1996, $606,000.

The housing authority's total budget for fiscal 1998, which began July 1, is $3 million.

The request is the result of an independent auditor's scrutiny of SHRA expenditures, executive director Clarissa McAdoo said.

The housing authority has underestimated reimbursement requests to HUD for at least the past three years, she said.

``It wasn't a priority before,'' said McAdoo, who became director in August 1996.

Board chairman John H. Kindred credited McAdoo with finding additional money to pump into the rehabilitation of Suffolk's public housing. ``We have better management now,'' said Kindred.

Bill Burnham, spokesman for the federal agency, said such requests are common. Since 1993, the department has allowed housing authorities to review their books and apply for additional funds.

The federal agency typically reviews application and makes a decision within three months, he said.

The Suffolk authority claims it should be reimbursed for expenses, including Social Security payments for employees, audit fees and rent.

If approved by HUD, the funds would be used for additional maintenance and upkeep of Suffolk's public housing units, McAdoo said.

Considering recent cutbacks in funding to local housing authorities, she said the funds would be a significant boost. ``This helps fill in the gaps,'' she said.

She added that the housing authority plans to apply for more reimbursements for utility costs.

In other business, the commissioners set aside $700,000 for the construction of as many as 12 new houses in its rehabilitation project of the Orlando neighborhood.

The housing authority established a firm schedule through year's end for the $5 million project, which includes infrastructure and land acquisition costs.

The authority has agreed to choose a contractor by Dec. 16 and have building permits issued by Dec. 31.

Construction should begin in January, McAdoo said. ILLUSTRATION: HOUSING MONEY

The reimbursement request is about 10 percent of the funds the

Suffolk Housing Authority received from HUD during fiscal years 1996

through 1998.

The Suffolk authority claims it should be reimbursed for

expenses, including Social Security payments for employees, audit

fees and rent.

If approved, the money would be used for the upkeep of public

housing units. KEYWORDS: SUFFOLK REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY