[Durham INC] DHA/Boarded-Up Housing Update:

[Darius Mercedes Little]

Dear Fellow INC'ers:
 
I've still been working through the situation discussed last week on the list serv relating to the DHA Grant request and have an update.
 
Background:  An email was sent notifying the list serv about DHA seeking Grant Funding.  John Martin expressed concern that DHA would be receiving Grant Funds to address homelessness; yet, relayed info on DHA owning boarded-up property which for the past few years, they have not repaired or attempted to rehab, despite promising to do so.  

I felt this was a valid concern and after finding out that the Grant Funds were CoC funds , contacted Manager Bonfield, as well as the City Council Members since my understanding was that CoC funds specifically were designated to reduce homelessness through enhancing opportunities for "quick transition."  The matter was referred to Mr. Reginald Johnson who immediately -and professionally- sent me a letter confirming my assertion that Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the CoC Homeless Assistance Competition does state:  The purpose of the CoC Homeless Assistance Programs is to reduce the incidence of homelessness in CoC communities, by assisting homeless individuals and families in quickly transitioning to self-sufficiency and permanent housing, as authorized under Title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

My thoughts were that it would seem like a "quicker" solution to repair existing boarded-up properties which were already owned by DHA (which would allow us to not have to address the ownership/enforcement restrictions which Mr. Wilson raised as a potential concern).

The update is as follows:

1.  DHA is autonomous and frankly, can do whatever it wants with its funding;

2.  The Homeless Services Advisory Committee can only make recommendations to the Durham Housing Commission, to make the determinations as to how DHA can, or must, utilize the funds (the City was nothing more than the provider of the application solicitation).  The Housing Board, consistent with the HUD-issued NOFA, has the authority to include any preferences for rehabilitation of existing properties, using the grant funds.

So, for anyone that has concerns about DHA being motivated by someone who has authority over them, to rehab the downtrodden/boarded-up properties, it seems the sole route for resolution is to take it to the Housing Commission.

The Members of the HSAC are as follows:

Cora Cole-McFadden, Mayor Pro Tem, Durham City Council 
Kaaren Johanson, Measurement, Inc. 
Stephen Hopkins, Old Five Points Neighborhood Association
Chris Tuttle, Westminster Presbyterian Church
Warren Herndon
Jackie Love, Durham Public Schools
Minnie Forte-Brown, Durham Public School Board
Fred Stoppelkamp, Durham Economic Resources Center
Sue Jackson, Durham Technical Community College
John Bowman, Maxwell, Freeman & Bowman 
Robert Glenn
Joyce Payne
Michael Page, Chairman, Durham County Commission
Drew Cummings, Durham County Manager’s office
Lou Washington, Durham County Veteran’s Services
Thomas J. Bonfield, Durham City Manager
M. Keith Daniel, Duke University
Deborah Bailey, North Carolina Central University
Bob Williamson, Durham VA Medical Center



The Members of the Housing Commission, are as follows:

Barbara Fletcher Lofton
saltpac4 at yahoo.com
George Quick
finance at durhamcountync.gov
David J. Haley
david at haleype.com
Tom Niemann
tom at niemanncapital.com
Gloria Nottingham
gloria.nottingham at dpsnc.net
Issac Robinson 
irobinson2 at hotmail.com
John Ramsey
theramseys at mindspring.com





- Darius





--------------------
Darius M. Little 
Executive Business Consultant  and
Strategic Marketing Analyst

(web) www.linkedin.com/in/dariuslittle
 
Manta Business Profile/Report:  
http://www.manta.com/c/mtlwj1m/little-s-business-consulting


 
"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." [Matt 21:22]


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://rtpnet.org/pipermail/inc-list/attachments/20111017/3d3b9c22/attachment.html>