New Albany Housing Authority Rental Assistance Demonstration - January 2016 Update

RAD converts Public Housing funding to Section 8 funding. There are no additional funds available as part of the demonstration. The process is cost neutral. NAHA receives an average of an approximate average subsidy of $4,500 per year for each of 1,082 units in inventory (includes operating and capital funds).

• The RAD conversion process includes the following steps: application, reservation of demonstration slots, physical needs assessment, financing plan (proof of funds or leverage attempt) to insure future viability of each site, termination of Public Housing Annual Contribution Contract, completion of 20 year Section 8 Project Based Voucher Contract.
• Why RAD if no additional funds are available?

Both Public Housing and Section 8 are subject to annual Congressional Appropriations, funding for Public Housing has been appropriated at 82 to 89% of full funding while Section 8 has been 100% funded. In addition, Section 8 payments have an annual average adjustment factor 2% increases each year.

Outside funding sources, including Federal Home Loan Bank, Tax Credit Equity Investors, and Commercial Lenders understand Section 8 subsidy payments, but not public housing formula funding.

Section 8 has a streamlined processing in terms of reporting, lease-up, inspections, rent calculation, and administration.

How does NAHA plan to develop their properties under the RAD?

The long term plan is to deconcentrate the number of units at Parkview Terrace by seeking additional sites for development. HUD is requiring a one-for-one replacement of all public housing units. Future replacement is dependent on gaining 9% tax credits for construction projects.

In addition, we have analyzed the needs of low-income residents in the community and determined that some of the larger 3 and 4 bedroom units should be replaced with 1 and 2 bedroom units. This would reduce the total number of persons living at this site as well.

NAHA has received a phased in portfolio award to convert all 9 projects to project based section 8 units.

We currently have the following units in the process of conversion:

• Broadmeade – 44 units will be demolished near the Brown Starks building. This area will presently be converted to green space. Anticipated completion date: May 1, 2016.
• Crystal Court – 24 units are converting. Anticipated completion date: April 1, 2016.
• Riverside Terrace – 120 units are converting. Anticipated completion date: July 1, 2016.
• Mark Elrod – 101 units are converting. Anticipated completion date: July 1, 2016.
• Valley View – Returning 40 vouchers to the Section 8 program and using RAD funds from Broadmeade to subsidize Valley View. The vouchers will go to private landlords.

This phase will reduce the total number of units at Parkview Terrace from 442 family units to 398 units (a 10% reduction of family units at this site) during the next 6 months. Residents will be relocated by closing the wait lists and moving to units that become vacant. The Pilot demonstration implementation phase has resulted in nearly 30% of NAHA stock being processed during the first two years. Now that the Demonstration is fully implemented we project the final 70% of the housing stock will be converted in less than 12 months.

The living wage shown is the hourly rate that an individual must earn to support their family, if they are the sole provider and are working full-time (2080 hours per year). All values are per adult in a family unless otherwise noted. The state minimum wage is the same for all individuals, regardless of how many dependents they may have. The poverty rate is typically quoted as gross annual income. We have converted it to an hourly wage for the sake of comparison.

Click here to view the Living Wage Calculator for Floyd County

October 22, 2015

Bob Lane
Executive Director
New Albany Housing Authority (NAHA)

Dear Mr. Bob Lane,

This letter is to provide a token of appreciation for the partnership between Indiana University Southeast (IUS) School of Nursing and NAHA. I became connected with NAHA during my studies in the (2013) Undergraduate RN-BSN program, at IUS; which during that time, I had the opportunity to take on a service learning project at NAHA. The project involved home visits to residents with mental health concerns. This project allowed me to observe how a mental health illness affects the well-being of a person to live a quality life. After graduation in May 2014, I became a clinical adjunct faculty for IUS School of Nursing; and began my first clinical community health nursing (CHN) teaching role at Mark Elrod Senior Towers in fall of 2014. This year, I am in my second teaching (CHN) role at NAHA Riverview Towers. The experiences that I have received in this role have been so positive and rewarding to me, as well as to the nursing students.

In the fall of 2014, I began a career path planning, in which my nursing career has involved 18 years of psychiatric nursing. Through the experience with NAHA and support of faculty mentors and advisors, I was able to solidify my career path as a mental health nurse practitioner with continuation of a doctorate in public health nursing. I knew I was on the right path toward my career goals when NAHA presented IUS School of Nursing with a National Public Housing Award.

I am presently enrolled in a graduate program at IUPUI in the Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program; and as a research assistant in the Center of Research and Scholarship (CRS) for the School of Nursing at IUPUI. I also have a clinical faculty role in a mental health course at IUS.

Just as NAHA has been a lighthouse for many in need, it has been a spark that lit my passion for communities and individuals with mental health illnesses. I truly believe that “without mental health there is no health at all”. I am very elated to be part of a growing community that cares and go great extent to providing programs and assistance to help individuals live a better quality of life. Again, my heart is humble for all you do and for the partnership with IUS.

Rosalind Williams, BSN, RN

Many families in our area are struggling to find high quality child care. In Indiana, 66% of children under the age of 5 are in some type of child care. When searching for child care providers, many families are overwhelmed with the challenges which can include health and safety issues, kindergarten preparation, extended hours, special needs, or part-time care.

To assist parents in this important decision, Indiana has launched Paths to QUALITY™ – a voluntary child care quality rating and improvement system. All families now have a resource to help them to identify the child care that best suits their needs.

SIEOC Child Care Resource & Referral is the local, non-profit Child Care Resource and Referral agency in this community. We offer free resources and information to assist families, child care providers, and communities.

Since every family’s situation is unique, Paths to QUALITY can assist your families with finding the type of child care services that work for them. You have an opportunity to support them by ensuring they are aware of all of the free resources available to them and by giving them a tool to use in making child care choices. We can provide you with free materials describing our services, as well as the Paths to QUALITY program.

By sharing information about each other’s organization and programs, we can provide even better service to the families in our community.

Please visit www.childcareindiana.org to learn more about SIEOC Child Care Resource & Referral and Paths to QUALITY.

The Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Coalition has information about smoking cessation classes, lung cancer screenings and is working to create cleaner air space for everyone in our community. Call Amanda for more info – 812-206-2065. NAHA has partnered with Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services to bring healthier lifestyle information & opportunities to our community.