HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 10/05/1999 - RESOLUTION NO. 20 AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF A AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 6
DATE: October 5, 1999
• FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF:
Fischbach
SUBJECT:
Resolution No. 20 Authorizing the Submission of a Five-year Agency Plan and Annual Agency
Plan to The Department of Housing and Urban Development.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the adoption of the Agency Plan, including revisions and additions to existing
Fort Collins Housing Authority policies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
At this point the financial impact of the Agency Plan is negligible because the approved changes
brought about by approval of the Plan affect operating policies and HUD reporting requirements.
•
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Fort Collins Housing Authority has prepared this Agency Plan in compliance with Section 511
of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (QHWRA) and the ensuing HUD
requirements. Due to the length of the Plan, copies are not included in the agenda materials but are
available for review at the City Clerk's Office, City Manager's Office,the City Council Office,and
the Housing Authority. The recently enacted QHWRA makes important changes to the operations
and programs of public housing and tenant-based assistance. One of the most important changes
made by the QHWRA is the introduction of the public housing agency plan requirement, which
consists of a five-year plan and an annual plan. The five-year plan describes the mission of the Fort
Collins Housing Authority and its long range goals and objectives for achieving its mission over the
next five years. The annual plan provides details about immediate operations,program participants,
programs and services,strategy for handling operational concerns,residents'concerns and residents'
needs, and programs and services for the upcoming fiscal year.
The annual plan includes the following required components:
Housing Needs
Financial Resources
DATE: October 5, 1999 2 ITEM NUMBER: 6
Policies Governing Eligibility, Selection, Admissions
Rent Determination
Operations and Management
Grievance Procedures
Capital Improvements
Homeownership
Community Service and Self-Sufficiency
Safety and Crime Prevention
Ownership of Pets in Public Housing
Civil Rights Certification
Asset Management
The Agency Plan contains an Executive Summary,which gives a more detailed description of these
required items. A copy of the Executive Summary is attached.
The following policies require a formal resolution of adoption by the Fort Collins Housing Authority
Board of Commissioners.
Agency Plan and Certification: HUD Form 50075
Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy
Section 8 Administrative Plan
Public Housing Grievance Procedure
Tenant-Based Informal Review Procedure
Pest Control Policy
Drug-free Workplace Policy
Safety and Crime Prevention Policy
Blood-borne Diseases Policy
Hazardous Materials Policy
Public Housing Lease
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RESOLUTION NO. 20
. OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE
FORT COLLINS HOUSING AUTHORITY
AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF A FIVE-YEAR AGENCY PLAN
AND ANNUAL AGENCY PLAN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
WHEREAS,the federal Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998("QHWRA")
made certain changes to the operations of public housing and tenant-based assistance programs,
which changes are designed to revitalize and improve such programs; and
WHEREAS,one of the changes made by the QH WRA is the requirement that public housing
agencies such as the Fort Collins Housing Authority must submit to the Department of Housing and
Urban Development ("HUD") a five-year plan and an annual plan; and
WHEREAS,the purpose ofthe five-yearplan is to describe the mission of the public housing
agency and its long-range goals and objectives for achieving its mission over the subsequent five
years,while the annual plan is to provide details about the agency's immediate operations,program
participants, programs and services and its strategy for handling operational concerns, residents'
concerns and needs, programs and services for the upcoming fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, such plans are to be prepared and submitted in conformance with regulations
issued by HUD and are required to address various subject areas referenced therein; and
WHEREAS,the Acting Executive Director of the Authority has caused to be prepared,and
has reviewed and recommended for approval,a five-year plan and an annual plan(collectively"the
Agency Plan") to be submitted to HUD, which Plan meets the requirements of the foregoing
regulations and which is consistent with the certifications and agreements shown on the "PHA
Certifications of Compliance with the PHA Plans and Related Regulations Board Resolution to
Accompany the PHA Plan" ("Certifications of Compliance"), attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and
incorporated herein by this reference; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing has been held with regard to the proposed plans, pursuant to
notice as required by law; and
WHEREAS, copies of the Agency Plan are on file in the Office of the City Clerk and in the
Office of the Authority, and remain available to the public for inspection; and
WHEREAS. the Board wishes to approve the submission of the Agency Plan to HUD.
NOW. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF
THE FORT COLLINS HOUSING AUTHORITY that the Chair of the Board be, and hereby is,
authorized to forthwith submit the Agency Plan for the Authority to HUD by execution of the
• Certifications of Compliance.
Passed and adopted at an adjourned meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Fort
Collins Housing Authority, held this 5th day of October, A.D. 1999.
Chairperson
ATTEST:
Secretary
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Fort Collins Housing Authority has prepared this Agency Plan in compliance with Section 511
of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (QHWRA) and the ensuing HUD
requirements. The recently enacted QHWRA makes important changes to the operations and
programs of public housing and tenant-based assistance. One of the most important changes made
by the QHWRA is the introduction of the public housing agency plan requirement, which consists
of a five-year plan and an annual plan. The five-year plan describes the mission of the Fort Collins
Housing Authority and its long range goals and objectives for achieving its mission over the next
five years. The annual plan provides details about immediate operations; program participants;
programs and services;strategy for handling operational concerns,residents'concerns and residents'
needs; and programs and services for the upcoming fiscal year.
The annual plan includes the following required components:
• Housing Needs
A statement of the housing needs of the low-income and very-low income families, including
elderly families and families with disabilities,in the jurisdiction served by the housing authority
and on its waiting list.
• • Financial Resources
A statement of the financial resources available to the housing authority and the planned uses
of those resources.
• Policies Governing Eligibility, Selection,Admissions
A statement of the housing authority's policies governing eligibility, selection and admission
including admission preferences, assignment, and occupancy policies with respect to public
housing and Section 8 tenant-based assistance, and procedures for maintaining waiting lists.
• Rent Determination
A statement of the discretionary policies of the housing authority that govern rents charged for
public housing units, and rental contributions of assisted families.
• Operations and Management
A statement of the housing authority's rules,standards,and policies governing maintenance and
management of the housing owned. assisted, or operated by the housing authority, and
management of the agency and programs of the agency.
• Grievance Procedures
A statement of the grievance procedures that the housing authority makes available to its
residents.
•
• Capital Improvements
With respect to public housing projects owned, assisted, or operated by the housing authority,
the plan describes the capital improvements necessary to ensure long-term physical and social
viability of the projects.
• Homeownership
A description of any homeownership programs administered by the housing authority.
• Community Service and Self-Sufficiency
A description of any community service and self-sufficiency programs operated by the housing
authority.
• Safety and Crime Prevention
The housing authority's plan for safety and crime prevention to ensure the safety of the residents
that it serves. The Plan is developed in consultation with local law enforcement.
• Ownership of Pets in Public Housing
A statement of the policies and requirements that pertain to the ownership of pets in public
housing. HUD has yet to issue final guidance on this requirement.
• Civil Rights Certification
A certification by the housing authority that it will carry out its plan in conformity with all
applicable civil rights requirements and will affirmatively further fair housing.
• Asset Management
A statement of how the housing authority will carry out its asset management functions with
respect to the public housing inventory, including how we will plan for long-term operating,
capital investment,rehabilitation,modernization,disposition and other needs for such inventory.
Attached to the Plan, which follows,you will find the required HUD form, summarizing this
plan, which will be submitted electronically.
The most significant impact on operations can be found in the changes to eligibility and admissions
preferences. We have worked with the Resident Advisory Board and Fort Collins Police Services
to develop screening and monitoring procedures to reduce crime in our programs. Specifically,we
will conduct criminal background checks on all applicants and participants of housing programs.
We will have the ability to deny participation to applicants or current families who have a history
of criminal activity by any household member involving crimes of physical violence against persons
or property and any other criminal activity including drug-related criminal activity that would
adversely affect the health, safety, or well being of other tenants or staff or cause damage to the
property. FCHA will review arrest records for the past five years,however,more than five years can
be considered depending upon the nature of the offense. These changes can be found in the
• Eligibility, Selection and Admissions section of this plan.
In addition, changes have been made which will help us better utilize our staff resources and serve
families in a more efficient and timely manner. An example of such a change is the new admission
preference system,which can also be found in the Eligibility, Selection,and Admissions section of
this plan. In the past,the admissions preference procedure created a great administrative burden and
"bottleneck" effect for families on the waiting list. Thirteen local preferences were in place,which
had to be verified by FCHA for each family. Often,families would claim a preference, which was
not accurate or verifiable. Program fraud by applicants was evident in respect to these preferences.
Families who had been on the waiting list for as long as 10 years were skipped over for families with
certain preferences. The new system gives priority to applicants with an adult family member
enrolled in an employment-training program or currently working and/or attending school on a full-
time basis. This preference is also extended equally to all elderly families and all families whose
head or spouse is receiving income based on their inability to work. The date and time of application
will be utilized to determine the sequence within the prescribed preferences.
In summary, the annual plan details our strategy for maximizing the current resources of the Fort
Collins Housing Authority,while the five-year plan sets forth our vision for growth, advocacy,
and community partnership that will improve the condition of affordable housing in Fort Collins
and Latimer County, Colorado.
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