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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009 - Housing Catalyst - Annual ReportFebruary 25, 2010 Honorable Doug Hutchinson, Mayor City of Fort Collins 300 LaPorte Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80521 Dear Mayor Hutchinson and Council Members: We are pleased to provide the Fort Collins Housing Authority 2009 Year in Review. This report is provided in accordance with Colorado Revised Statutes 29-4-28. The Authority continues to pursue innovative and creative development of affordable housing and support systems for our community’s lowest income families. Fort Collins Housing Authority federal programs continue to receive “High Performer” status from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This designation is based upon management capabilities, operational activities, and fiscal soundness. Achieving the highest designation demonstrates FCHA’s ability to manage its properties and administer rental assistance and self-sufficiency programs in an effective manner. We are extremely proud of our work in the community. In recent years, we have seen a severe decrease in federal funds for public housing programs. As we continue to stretch our shrinking resources, it becomes ever so much more important for the local community to be committed to affordable housing for the lowest income families, many of whom are disabled or are families with young children. On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, FCHA management, and the families we serve, we sincerely thank you for your support. Together, we will continue to create a strong community. Sincerely, Patrick Brady Julie J. Brewen Chairperson Executive Director YEAR IN REVIEW 2009 AGENCY OVERVIEW In 1971, the Fort Collins Housing Authority was created to build, own and manage affordable, subsidized housing for low and moderate-income Fort Collins residents. Today, FCHA currently assists approximately 1,650 families (3,630 individuals) throughout Larimer County through various programs. These programs include federally subsidized low income public housing, the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8 Rental Assistance), management of the Wellington Housing Authority, management of The Villages non-subsidized affordable housing properties owned by the Fort Collins Housing Corporation, development and management of the Village on Elizabeth LLLP low income housing tax credit project, management of the historic Northern Hotel low income housing tax credit project, and development and management of the Village on Stanford LLLP low income housing tax credit project. Our Mission Just as a house is built upon a solid foundation, the Fort Collins Housing Authority is built upon its mission: To provide and promote affordable housing, economic opportunity and a safe living environment free from discrimination. Our Business Objective To achieve this mission, all FCHA functions will be operated with attention paid to a triple bottom line:  Maintaining the fiscal viability of the organization  Achieving a social goal through the provision of affordable housing and supportive services  Achieving environmental sustainability Our Core Values Through our day to day operations as well as when striving to attain our long-term goals, FCHA’s Core Values are prevalent in our work in the manner in which we serve our community. “Team FCHA” Teamwork Fun Compassion Honesty Accountability 1 Situational Summary Based upon 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the City of Fort Collins has a population of 125,461. The city witnessed strong population growth throughout the 1990s. However, in early 2000 to present, Fort Collins has registered a significant slowdown in population growth. Although the population is expected to continue to grow during this decade, growth is expected to be at a slower rate than in previous years. The rental market continues to be competitive, with rent specials continuing to be prevalent. The market is beginning to show moderate decreases in vacancy and is projected to continue to improve over the next year. Wait lists for federally subsidized programs are very long. The public housing wait list averages six months to one year for most bedroom sizes, two years or more for one-bedroom units. The Housing Choice Voucher program waiting list currently has 48 families who can anticipate a four-year or longer wait. This list has been closed since 2004. In 2009 the Housing Authority received enough funding for all of its 844 Housing Choice Vouchers and an increase in its administrative fees for the program. The Housing Authority received 70 Veterans Administration Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers in 2009. The budget for 2010 will probably not be known before March of 2010 at the earliest. FORT COLLINS PUBLIC HOUSING The Fort Collins Housing Authority public housing program consists of 154 units owned by the Authority. Operating subsidy allows the program to serve families earning virtually no income, but regulations authorize serving families earning up to 80% of area median income. Attachment A provides 2009 demographics. For 2009, Fort Collins public housing had an average vacancy rate of 1%. This program had an annual turnover rate of 26%, meaning 40 of the 154 units had a family move-out during the year. This number is down from a 43% turnover rate the previous year. Numerous factors contribute to such changes, including availability of Housing Choice Vouchers, availability of affordable housing in the market, and stability of the famili served. es The federal regulations for waiting list selection are quite stringent and create a challenge. There are currently 1,512 applicants on the Fort Collins public housing waiting list, many of these being for one- bedroom units. At this time, the anticipated length of wait can be over 24 months depending on bedroom size needed. 2 WELLINGTON PUBLIC HOUSING The Fort Collins Housing Authority manages the Wellington Housing Authority through an intergovernmental agreement. The Board of Commissioners meets on a monthly basis to review activities, set policy and prepare and authorize budgets and capital improvement plans. The Wellington Housing Authority consists of 42 public housing units. As of December 2009, there were 527 applicants on the Wellington public housing waiting list. The Wellington Housing Authority community building was completely remodeled and is now used by residents as well as by community groups. HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM The Fort Collins Housing Authority administers approximately 914 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV), also known as Section 8, for Fort Collins and Larimer County. The Larimer County allocation of 100 of these vouchers is administered through an intergovernmental agreement, 65 of which are targeted specifically to people with disabilities. Attachment A provides 2009 program demographics. The Fort Collins Housing Authority administered $6,371,948 in Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) to local landlords on behalf of participating families in 2009. FCHA values local landlords a great deal and continues to work on ways to improve their satisfaction with the program. HAP checks are sent in a timely manner. A landlord brochure and program information is readily available. FCHA is an active member of the Fort Collins Apartment Owners Association where staff interacts with local landlords on a regular basis. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grades this program through its Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP). We anticipate an “A” rating again for 2009 and utilized 99% of our authorized vouchers. Utilization of 100% of authorized vouchers is difficult to achieve because the rental assistance amounts for each family vary by each family’s income, family size, the rent and utility amounts at their particular home and other factors. As of December 2009, there were 48 applicants for the HCV program, but this is in no way indicative of community need because this waiting list has been closed since November 1, 2004. The anticipated wait is now four years or more from the date of application. A separate waiting list is administered for people interested in the project-based voucher program. Twenty percent of the vouchers are project-based or assigned to specific rental units. There are currently 1,223 applicants on that list with an average wait of approximately 12 months depending on bedroom size. 3 All units leased under the Housing Choice Voucher Program must pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection each year in order to receive subsidy. FCHA has one full-time inspector on staff. This inspector is well trained in the inspection protocol, and FCHA utilizes a hand-held computer which syncs to our housing management software to do these inspections. Staff works toward using the most current technology whenever feasible. FIRST STEP PROGRAM In December 2006 the First Step program, a tenant-based rental assistance program, received grant awards that extended the initial two-year program for an additional two years. It was financed by a partnership between the Colorado Division of Housing, the City of Fort Collins, the Fort Collins Housing Authority and the Housing Authority of the City of Loveland. It provided 53 families with a transitional housing subsidy for up to two years. Tied to the subsidy was a case management component. Each family agreed to work toward economic self-sufficiency goals with help from a case manager, who saw them monthly. FCHA is the fiscal agent for the grant. Nine subsidy slots were awarded to the Loveland Housing Authority, which used Angel House as its case management provider. In 2009, 13 of the original 53 program families were still being served in Fort Collins. The number remaining in the Loveland program was eight. By year’s end all but one had completed their two-year subsidy. 2009 efforts and results mirrored those of 2008 on a smaller scale. For example, of the 13 active families remaining in Fort Collins, 11 had some form of full- or part-time employment. Three were in full-time college course work, and one graduated from Colorado State University with a four-year degree. Seven of those families received Housing Choice Vouchers, and two left the program and moved to financially independent living 4 arrangements. ent the ore in 2010. After serving these original 53 families, the program still had unused funds remaining from the City of Fort Collins. As a result, one-year r subsidies and case management services were offered to five additional households with possibility of serving a few m 5 SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY—SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS On behalf of the Fort Collins Housing Corporation, the Fort Collins Housing Authority operates the only Single Room Occupancy (SRO) program in Larimer County. The program includes three dorm style housing sites with 42 single rooms of permanent supportive housing. Two of the sites, called The Homecoming (Myrtle House and First Street), receive direct HUD rental subsidy. The third project, Linden House, includes 13 project-based vouchers. The residents must be homeless upon admission. Onsite case management is provided by the program’s four-person, full-time resident services staff. It also has collaborative relationships with a myriad of county social service agencies. A resident manager lives on each of the three properties. The SRO program saw many policy, programming and staff changes in 2009. Full-time resident manager positions were added in April at each of the three sites. Case management assistance was offered to all residents by the managers. As a result, coordination and collaboration with area agencies became more focused. A half-time supervisor was attached to the team to improve staff supervision, training, and weekly resident case staffings. The agency’s Resident Services team has also provided expanded time and case management consultation to the SRO team. As a result, program changes have been implemented throughout the entire SRO housing process from initial intake to exit. Life skills programming, such as budgeting, job seeking and related topics, were being planned for 2010. COMMUNITY DUAL DISORDERS TEAM VOUCHERS The Community Dual Disorders Team (CDDT) combines housing with intensive case management and therapeutic support to end the cycle of chronic homelessness for those dealing with a combination of serious mental illness and substance abuse disorders. The program is fashioned after a national best practices model that has been effective in reducing hospitalizations, alcohol and substance use, arrests and incarcerations. The CDDT is a multidisciplinary, multiagency team from Larimer Center for Mental Health, the Health District of Northern Larimer County, Connections, and the Fort Collins Housing Authority. The team provides case management, medication management, benefits acquisition assistance, supportive employment, family support and help with individual needs based on participant’s readiness to change. The therapeutic interventions used have been tested and shown to be highly effective. CDDT has been providing treatment and housing to 12 of Fort Collins’ highest consumers of emergency care services (ER, detox, in-patient psychiatric, jail, EMT/ambulance, police, fire) for nearly two years. The conservative estimate of public dollars spent on these 12 individuals in the 12 months before the program was about $480,000. After completion of the program’s first year, there was a dramatic cost reduction of emergency services among participants totaling about $260,000. This cost savings was almost equal to the annual administrative and rent subsidy costs needed to run the program. All 12 participants were still receiving services from the program at year’s end. As a result, in November the City of Fort Collins awarded the CDDT program a two-year extension of the 12 housing subsidies it had initially provided in 2008. Also, a grant request for an additional seven housing slots has been submitted to the State of Colorado. Ongoing instability among four participants has presented new challenges for the program. A differential set of housing options, including a range of higher to lower structured living arrangements, appears to be needed. The type and intensity of support services continues to be reviewed and modified in this regard. Limited availability of appropriate housing within the local apartment rental market for participants with larger stability issues has become apparent. Besides covering the housing needs for existing participants, several additional participants will be added in 2010. Between under spent housing funds and the prospect of more housing slots from additional grants in 2010, a new pool of prospective participants is being sought. VILLAGES AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM (FORT COLLINS HOUSING CORPORATION) The Fort Collins Housing Authority is the management agent for the Fort Collins Housing Corporation’s Villages affordable housing program. The Corporation owns 341 units of housing scattered throughout Fort Collins. This portfolio consists of many types of housing, from single family detached to the 95-unit Village on Plum apartment complex. The average vacancy rate for this program for 2009 was 5%. Keeping these units fully occupied has been a challenge for several years. In 2009, a total of 143 units turned over for an annual turnover rate of 46%, about the same as the previous year. 6 Average household income for the affordable housing program was $17,284 in 2009. Outreach and marketing have continued to evolve. A formal outreach plan was created with the help of an outside firm. The Fort Collins Housing Authority donated money for this outreach effort, which has included professional brochures, signage, City bus panel advertising, new website design and many other types of outreach. The new image is starting to become recognized and we are seeing results from these efforts. Partnership Successes Continue In 2009, we continued our partnership with Crossroads Safehouse, providing transitional housing for nine families coming out of the safehouse. We have also provided simplified application processes for individuals coming through Community Corrections who have solidified case management plans and are making documented progress on their goals. We have provided four units for Island Grove to transition families into the community from their programs. We have continued to provide project-based rental assistance vouchers to Neighbor to Neighbor and CARE Housing, as well as subsidizing the 47 units of senior housing at the Northern Hotel. NORTHERN HOTEL The Fort Collins Housing Authority is the contracted management agent for the Northern Hotel Limited Partnership. As management agent, the Authority provides all leasing functions, which include eligibility and compliance work for all grant and funding sources. Documentation and reporting is required by the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program/Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, the Colorado Division of Housing HOME Program, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka, the Housing Choice Voucher Program, and the owner group’s own annual audit. The Authority provided 47 project-based Housing Choice Vouchers to the Northern Hotel in 2001 due to severe vacancy problems. Since that time, the program has been full and is serving people earning well below 30% of area median income. Of the 47 total households in the Northern Hotel, the average annual income is $10,710. The average tenant rent is $238. As of December 2009, there were 142 applicants for this program with an approximate waiting time of six months. Maintenance management of the Northern Hotel remains challenging. The Fort Collins Housing Authority’s Maintenance Department staff spends a great deal of time working on systems that also affect the commercial space of the site. Any work provided above and beyond the scope of the management agreement is billed at a separate “owner’s representative” rate to cover this expense. DEVELOPMENT AND REHABILITATION By the end of 2009, the 82-unit Stanford Apartments were transformed into Village on Stanford. The project received financial support from FirstBank of Northern Colorado, City of Fort Collins CDBG and HOME programs, ARRA, Governor’s Energy Office, Fort Zed, Bohemian Foundation, and the Fort Collins Housing Corporation. The apartment complex is fully leased with a wait list in place and is meeting all expectations. Permanent financing will be in place the first part of 2010. 7 The Village on Stanford project was an occupied rehabilitation of a 1969 vintage apartment complex. The rehabilitation added covered parking and a new clubhouse facility for resident use and staff offices and also made dramatic façade changes. The rehabilitation was designed as a green project with many sustainable : em with domestic water heating walls and below-grade foundations s features  95% efficient boiler syst  Solar hot water heating  Upgraded wall insulation with blown-in cellulose  2-inch foam insulation added to above-ground  New windows with Cardinal 366 solar glas 8  Entry doors replaced with insulated doors  Solar reflective shingles on pitched roof and parking garages to mitigate heat island effect no particle board maldehyde substrata and photovoltaics energy sources for the clubhouse  Energy Star–rated appliances ROPERTY MAINTENANCE s Housing Authority Maintenance Department’s major accomplishments and projects for 009 include: he Yardi software work-order system and time standards to account for time at each n projects with metal, co- components, cabinets, counter tops, jects rs Energy Office, City of fort Collins Utilities, the Bohemian ding from Energy Outreach Colorado installing tankless water aris High School performed two public service events at senior and ber completed courses in Green Building and became a LEED Accredited  Construction management software used for tracking development pletion time of 7 days.  Total service calls completed in 2009, including vacant unit work orders, was 6,114. d –2009 completed  Leisure Drive Rehab $770,730, 29% completed  Cabinets finished with low-VOC finish and containing  Countertops made using non for  Low VOC interior paint  Low water usage, front loading laundry equipment  Geoexchange  CFL lighting P The Fort Collin 2  Use of t project  Continued use of the Yardi software system and incorporated it into development tracking  Recycling program for appliances and cabinets from rehabilitatio mingle, CFL lighting and yard-waste at the maintenance facility  Use of Energy Star–rated equipment and green building carpeting, and paint in rehabilitation and vacancy turns  Solar energy used for domestic water heating and power generation in rehabilitation pro planned with the Governo Foundation, and DOLA  Conservation measures with fun heaters in public housing units  Youth volunteers from Pol public housing properties  One staff mem Professional Work Orders completed in 2009:  Completed 238 emergency service calls within 24 hours.  Completed 4,576 routine resident-generated service calls, average com  Completed 354 vacancy turnarounds with an average time of 18 days. Project management for several substantial rehabilitation grants:  Village on Stanford Acquisition/Rehab $10,179,658, 99% completed  Public Housing Stimulus Rehabilitation $777,419, 23.9% complete  Energy Outreach Colorado efficiency grant 2008 RESIDENT SERVICES The Resident Services department consists of four specific programs: Public Housing Family Self Sufficiency, Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency, Homeownership Program, and First Step two-year transitional program. The team worked with 183 total families during the calendar year. Twenty-nine of these families enrolled in school. Sixty families are making escrow savings contributions. The average family escrow savings balance is $3,663 with an average of $346 added monthly. There were 18 graduating families this year. Eight families moved to non-subsidized housing. Ten families purchased a home this year. Participants increased their earned income by $300,029 during 2009. The Resident Services Committee of community volunteers was very successful this year in raising funds and support for the families.  Sixty-four families received holiday support/holiday baskets.  Ten thousand dollars was raised to provide client assistance for families actively working on goals.  The 3rd Annual Soul of the City fundraising event at Avogadro’s Number was a wonderful success! We recognized Crossroads Safehouse and Larimer Center for Mental Health as our partner agencies in the community.  Thirty individuals participated in Financial Fitness Workshops. At the case manager’s discretion, client assistance funds were used in many ways to help families become successful: Education 30%, transportation 38%, housing costs 18%, medical/dental 6% and miscellaneous other assistance 8%. This contribution to families is in areas where other community resources are not available. Client assistance contributions must be for purposes such as to help families maintain employment or education. In 2009, we continued to successfully incorporate CSU social work interns in the self sufficiency programs, with the placement of two interns. During the summer of 2009, children at Village on Plum participated in the NAHRO poster contest, “What Home Means to Me.” One of the children won a $100 savings bond from the Colorado Chapter of NAHRO for his entry. 9 Finally, the Resident Services Committee hosted a barbeque in 10 May 2009 to educate local realtors about CHA. FORMATION TECHNOLOGY t, it is w modules, such as inventory bar coding, and becoming more sophisticated in the use of the system. ore future Information Technology goals:  its website and develop ways for the community to access our 0. ding on the formation of a Yardi users group with four other Colorado Housing Authorities. OMMUNITY COORDINATION AND ADVOCACY ion ny other formal partnerships that it is impossible to list all of the great work being accomplished! ners Association ard and Youth Council ge Continuum of Care nity Corrections – Women’s Transition F IN The Fort Collins Housing Authority strives to keep all information technology systems up-to-date to provide the best possible service to our customers. Since individual participant eligibility and statistical data must be transmitted electronically to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developmen vitally important that our systems are well maintained. In addition, from a business and fiduciary perspective it is also essential that our systems allow us to track our finances in ways that are meaningful and allow us to manage our assets properly. In 2010, we look forward to taking a step further by adding ne M FCHA continues to refine programs electronically.  Electronic data storage is the wave of the future. We will be working on areas in which it makes sense to implement E-doc storage and we will be developing storage protocols throughout 201  FCHA is buil C In 2009, FCHA partnered with numerous community entities through leadership, advocacy, coordinat and support. The following list is not inclusive and is in no particular order. There are so ma in  Community Dual Disorders Team  Sister Mary Alice Murphy Center for Hope  Fort Collins Apartment Ow  Neighborhood Task Force  Larimer County Affordable Housing Coalition  Larimer County Workforce Investment Bo  Executive Committee  CARE Housing, Inc.  Project Self Sufficiency  Crossroads Safehouse  Neighbor to Neighbor  Social Services Family Response Team  Northern Front Ran  Interfaith Council  Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Partnership  Larimer County Commu  Poudre School District  Fort Collins Board of Realtors  Colorado NAHRO Yardi Users Group hborhood Association ng and Redevelopment Officials:  Eastgate Homeowners Association  Stanford Homeowners Association  Thunderbird Neig  United Way 211  City Manager’s Strategic Issues Team  National Association of Housi State, Regional and National  Housing NOW Conference  Colorado Coalition for the Homeless  Larimer County Home Improvement Program (LaHIP)  Larimer County Homeownership Program (LaHOP)  Larimer County Drug Task Force  Housing Authority of the City of Loveland  Front Range Community College Advisory Board  Hewlett Packard  City of Fort Collins Utilities  Platte River Power Authority Energy Efficiency Program  Larimer County Alternative Sentencing Unit  Community Mediation Program  Larimer County Sheriff’s Parole Board  Longs Peak Weatherization FINANCIAL DATA The fiscal year 2009 audit report will be available in May of 2010. The fiscal year 2008 audit report is available upon request. 11 12 Attachment A Fort Collins Public Housing 2009 Demographics 2009 Fort Collins Public Housing Distribution by Average Annual Income (%) Extremely Low Income, Below 30% of Median or < $22,550 family of 4 Very Low Income, 50% of Median or $37,600 for family of 4 Low Income, 80% of Median or $60,150 for family of 4 88 10 2 2009 Fort Collins Public Housing Average Annual Income ($) Fort Collins Public Housing 10,566 Colorado Overall Average 11,583 2009 Fort Collins Public Housing Distribution by Source of Income (%) With any wages With any welfare With any SSI/SS/Pension With any other income 36 17 41 25 2009 Fort Collins Public Housing Distribution by Total Tenant Payment (%) $0 $1–25 $26–50 $51–100 $101–200 $201–350 $351–500 $501+ 0 1 15 8 28 25 15 8 2009 Fort Collins Public Housing Distribution by Family Type (%) Elderly, no children, non- disabled Elderly, with children, non- disabled Non- elderly, no children, non- disabled Non- elderly, with children, non- disabled Elderly, no children, disabled Elderly, with children, disabled Non- elderly, 13 Housing Choice Voucher Program 2009 Demographics 2009 Fort Collins HCV Average Annual Income ($) Fort Collins HCV 11,163 Colorado Overall Average 11,345 2009 Fort Collins HCV Distribution by Source of Income (%) With any wages With any welfare With any SSI/SS/Pension With any other income 32 10 50 26 2009 Fort Collins HCV Distribution by Total Tenant Payment (%) $0 $1–25 $26–50 $51–100 $101–200 $201–350 $351–500 $501+ 1 0 14 7 26 29 14 10 2009 Fort Collins HCV Distribution by Family Type (%) Elderly, no children, non- disabled Elderly, with children, non- disabled Non- elderly, no children, non- disabled Non- elderly, with children, non- disabled Elderly, no children, disabled Elderly, with children, disabled Non- elderly, no children, disabled Non- elderly, with children, disabled All female headed house- hold with children 7 1 7 43 9 1 25 8 46 2009 Fort Collins HCV Average Tenant Payment by Family Type ($) Elderly, no children, non- disabled Elderly, with children, non- disabled Non- elderly, no children, non- disabled Non- elderly, with children, non- disabled Elderly, no children, disabled Elderly, with children, disabled Non- elderly, no children, disabled Non- elderly, with children, disabled All female headed house- hold with children 274 388 225 259 268 379 228 287 261 no children, disabled Non- elderly, with children, disabled All female headed house- hold with children 3 0 5 54 5 0 25 9 58