new albany housing authority building a better “box”

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN

New Albany Housing Authority Building a Better “Box”

Why NAHA as a pioneer?

Early pioneers were ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary goals by persistence, hard work, determination, and dedication to making life better.

Not all housing authorities have the resources, the expertise, or the community support to revitalize communities, to seek HOPE VI or CHOICE Neighborhoods. This is especially true for small agencies.

NAHA is a model of how an agency, using existing resources, can forge ahead and be a cutting edge agency.

Creating New Opportunities In a “Traditional” Housing Authority: You do not have to throw

the baby out with the bath water!

The Family Self-Sufficiency Program has been continuously funded since 1999.

NAHA serves residents throughout their life span to increase economic self sufficiency, improve the quality of life, and allow senior and disabled residents to age-in-place.

Over $2,700,000 in HUD competitive funding awarded to the programs.

More than 40 local agencies partner with NAHA to avoid duplicative services.

Family Support Center, est. 2001

NAHA weaves opportunities from HUD fabric to provide better housing opportunities for

special populations.

NAHA increased their voucher program size by 810% from 1999 to 2002 by applying for not only incremental vouchers, but also special purpose vouchers to serve non-elderly disabled residents (NED) and families at risk through the Family Unification Program. Only about 100 PHAs currently provide the FUP voucher nation-wide.

NAHA was the first PHA in Indiana to project base their own vouchers providing support to 40 single family homes that would have been lost as affordable housing.

Valley View Court, established in 1938 in response to the Great Flood. First Housing Authority in Indiana. Saved by PBV in 2005.

NAHA offers homes for persons living with homelessness

NAHA implemented local preferences for persons living with homelessness.

Over half the persons admitted with a homeless preference since 2010 are still in stable housing with NAHA at no extra cost to the local community.

NAHA participated in the Permanent Supportive Housing Institute sponsored by the State of Indiana and Corporation for Supportive Housing. We want to learn how to better serve populations with need for special services.

NAHA continues to reach out to the most disadvantaged populations using available

tools and resources

NAHA is in the process of converting to the Housing First model by examining procedures and policies that prevent inclusiveness during application process.

NAHA provides preferences to residents to insure the most frail populations have access to housing programs to stabilize at risk families.

NAHA works with advocacy groups to improve access to appropriate housing with referrals to supportive services to prevent loss of permanent housing.

When one door closes, NAHA tries another door

When NAHA failed to gain Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers through the Indiana allocation of vouchers, they partnered with the Kentucky Veteran’s Affairs Office and Louisville HUB Office to port-in 10 vouchers to serve Indiana Veterans in Southern Indiana.

NAHA provided local office space for case managers to serve Veterans at no cost to the VA.

NAHA continues to seek additional VASH vouchers to expand services to Hometown Heroes.

Another tool in the tool box

During the period 2006 to 2009 NAHA undertook an Energy Performance Contract when combined with 2 Capital Fund increments allowed NAHA to completely renovate 730 bathrooms throughout the agency while all residents stayed in their units.

NAHA implemented additional energy conservation measures that continue to meet debt service and return about $25,000 per year in operating funds to the AMPs.

NAHA used Recovery Funds to go green and accessible

Using Formula Recovery Funds, NAHA completed substantial rehabilitation of 22 units of 1948 vintage. All units were built to a green standard, met the visitability standard, and are Section 504 compliant.

Interiors were replaced with energy efficient fixtures and low VOC paints and carpets.

Amenities included 3 rain gardens to prevent overflow of water and prevent entry into storm water system.

Crystal Court, Recovery Grant Success

NAHA kept on with the Recovery

NAHA competed for and was awarded four additional recovery grants and was awarded $2.7 million to make community spaces Section 504 compliant and create 24 new replacement units of housing for mobility impaired residents.

All areas were modified to a green standard and yielded 6 accessible community areas, 6 accessible laundries: 3 new and 3 renovated, as well as improved access to all community spaces.

NAHA now has the required number of Section 504 units dispersed throughout 9 developments.

Parkview Terrace ADA Units, Competitive Recovery Funding Before

Parkview Terrace ADA Units, Competitive Recovery Funding During

Parkview Terrace ADA Units, Competitive Recovery Funding After

Leading the charge in Asset ManagementPage 1

In 2005 NAHA recognized that not only was the move to asset management required as a Stop-Loss Agency, but would provide an opportunity to systematically review the operations of the agency from the top down and assess how positions should transition under the leaner model.

NAHA created a road map that described the step-by-step actions to be undertaken including job descriptions, staffing ratios, organizational chart, AMP creation, COCC implementation,

Creating the Road Map for Asset Management


New departments were created, financial separation of all AMPs and COCC, new intake department, purchasing, and work orders were analyzed.

NAHA made Stop-Loss, and in the first year of Asset Management reduced vacant unit turnaround from over 30 days to less than 20; reduced the value of consumable inventory by 20%; reduced the cost of maintenance materials by 40%(while the price of material continued to rise.)


NAHA took applications for the new positions advising managers of the changes and rehiring process.

Once hired, NAHA created a lottery drawing for maintenance staff selection to complete the organizational slots.

In the first year, NAHA COCC cash-flowed over $400,000 due to lean staffing.

In the second year, NAHA eliminated the central warehouse, combining purchasing and work order clerk within the COCC.


In the third year, NAHA eliminated one AMP due to inability to cash flow.

In July 2009, NAHA efforts to implement asset management were recognized nationally in the HUD Asset Management Newsletter.

NAHA continues to implement a recursive model of implementation, assessment, revision.

Leading and Sharing

NAHA has been a resource to other PHAs sharing their product which includes policies, procedures, and forms.

NAHA has provided model site based budgets nation wide.

NAHA has hosted 2 state-wide NAHRO conferences in past 11 years

NAHA has shared Requests for Qualifications, Requests for Proposals, waiver requests, grant applications, and been a resource to all Indiana housing authorities.

Leading and SharingFrench Lick – Indiana NAHRO Conference 2011

Circle the Wagons, NAHA is pioneering again

In October 2012 NAHA made application for the Rental Assistance Demonstration for the Phase I of Project Reconnect.

Project Reconnect will be a 6 or 7 phase development replacing 422 units of circa 1942 housing with new modern housing.

This site is the largest contiguous housing development in Indiana and is in a city of 37,000.

NAHA is researching the possibility of the phase-in of all developments under the new provisions of the RAD.

new albany housing authority building a better “box”

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