2000 Best Practice Awards

2000-3234 Niagara Falls Housing Authority Job Faire and Employment Workshops

The Niagara Falls Housing Authority (NFHA) is committed to empowering the low-very-low income population that the Housing Authority serves. In response to prepare residents and the community at large to welfare reform issues related to the workforce, the Niagara Falls Housing Authority has sponsored a Job Faire along with Employment Workshops every year since 1998 and will continue to provide thee resources on an annual basis. The first priority of the NFHA was to provide residents and the community with the empowerment tools that are necessary for the job search. Thus, a collaborative team made up of Housing Authority staff, representatives from Niagara County Employment and Training, Teletech Holdings Inc., Niagara County Department of Social Service and the Niagara Falls Board of Education, developed the Employment Workshops. topics discussed include: Dressing for Success, Resume Writing, Interview Techniques, Time Management and Mock Interviews. The second priority and main objective was to help residents and the community, secure and maintain self-sufficiency. In 1998, over 130 eager participants attended our "Get a Job...Now! - Employment Tools for the Under and Unemployed: Employment Workshops and Job Faire. In 1999, participation grew to over 160 participants at our "J-Y2K Jobs for the New Millennium" Employment Workshops and Job Faire. In 1998 and 1999 both the Job Faire and Employment Workshops were held at the Niagara Falls Housing Authority's Family Resource Building, which is located at 3001 Ninth Street, Niagara Falls. The Family Resource Building is a state of the art community building built in 1991 by NFHA to provide a safe, drug free facility for community members to meet, congregate, socialize and participate in cultural, educational, and developmental activities. In addition to the actual job fair, the NFHA provides free transportation to and from each employment workshop. Free babysitting is also offered to accommodate great participation. For our "Jobs 200" Job Faire and Employment Workshops (which was held on April 12, 2000) we felt that more employers were needed to meet a wide variety of skills. Thus, the NFHA decided to extend its collaborating effort to more community agencies, increasing the resources that were available. All partners in this collaboration were considered equal, each playing a vital part in its success. Partners included: The New York State Department of Labor, Niagara county Employment and Training, Niagara county Department of Social Services, Every woman Opportunity Center, Niagara County Community Co9llege, Niagara Falls Board of Education and Orleans/Niagara Boces. In order to accommodate a great number of participants, this year's Job Faire was held at the Niagara Falls Convention and Civic Center. Over 100 potential employers were in attendance. In the first hour alone, over 300 eager participants were served. The estimated total attendance was over 600.

2000-302 City of Oswego - New Horizons Fair Housing Task Force

Oswego has scheduled fair housing events through a well managed Fair Housing Plan since 1984. The city of Oswego has effectively collaborated with not for profits and citizen groups, and has systematically utilized HUD resources to educate and share Fair Housing issues and programs with its citizens. Since 1994, the Oswego New Horizons Fair Housing Task Force has produced programs on: Housing Discrimination Against Children and Families (1994). First Time Homebuyers Workshop (1995), Rental Housing in Oswego (1996). First Time Homebuyers Seminar (1997), Challenges in Housing for the Mentally and Physically Disabled. Oswego’s Fair Housing Poster Contest is also a major educational vehicle in which the entire community is made aware of Oswego’s commitment to fair housing. All of the local school children are notified of the contest through annual meetings. This kick-off takes place the week before Dr. Martin Luther King Day, giving faculty a lead-in from Civil Rights legislation to the Fair Housing Law. Posters are due in March. Press releases occur during "Black History Month" in February to remind students of the Poster Contest. In April, the Fair Housing Poster Awards are made at the Common Council Meeting and the Mayor reads the proclamation of Fair Housing Month. The entire awards program is aired on local cable television and all 40 or so students and their families are encouraged to show up and be awarded their prizes. The local Savings Bank also provides City wide prizes for the Fair Housing Poster Contest and then displays the winning posters at several bank branches during Fair Housing Month. Oswego also started a new initiative to outreach to college students in the community through the collaborative effort of producing a College Community Relations Calendar in 1998. April is prominently displayed as "Fair Housing Month" and students are educated on the City of Oswego’s Fair Housing Policy.

2000-385Cohoes Acting Troupe

As a result of the 1998 PHDEP funding, the Cohoes Housing Authority contracted with the Clifton Park Players' Director (the resident group for the Cohoes Music Hall) to work with up to 40 youth from 7 to 19 to teach them all aspects of the theater. During the group's first year of operation, they performed two plays, one in August 1999 and one in December 1999. The group is presently working with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students to develop a video presentation and a third play is planned for late summer of 2000. The group has worked with costumes, set designs, just plain housekeeping, learning script and music. Four members of the Cohoes Acting Troupe were actually given roles in major productions of the Clifton Park Players. Three participated in a special holiday Choral Group and played at a well-known Inn in Troy, as well at the Cohoes Music Hall. The group has attended field trips productions in the area and Massachusetts and were given an opportunity to ask questions after the performances. One member has been given a one-year voice scholarship. This program not only teaches the youth theater skills, but also voice and presentation skills that can help in any chosen career. The program has also given the youth a sense of self-worth and accomplishment.

2000-397 Fort Hill Square

This is a neighborhood redevelopment project undertaken in partnership by the City of Auburn's Office of Planning and Economic Development, Cayuga County Homesite Development Corporation, Inc. of Auburn, and Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc. of Syracuse, New York. The goal of this project is to effect a comprehensive redevelopment of the neighborhood by reducing the rental unit and housing density, appropriately repairing the blighted residential structures, selectively demolishing appropriate structures, encouraging home ownership, and ensuring the long term stability of the neighborhood. The project involves the rehabilitation of 8 single family properties along Westlake Avenue and Fort Street, demolition of 4 properties, rehabilitation of 3 multifamily structures, and the new construction of 2 single family homes. All single family homes will encourage first time homebuyers, whereas the multifamily units will be rented to low and moderate income persons and families.

2000-439 Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority, Section 3 Program, Schenectady NY

The Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority has an on-going program of expanding supportive services to its residents and certificate holders. Services are provided both authority-wide and at specific developments, and have successfully been developed with a variety of funding sources. The Authority’s Section 3 program is an important part of this continuum. Staffing for these efforts has been provided in large part through a series of HUD Drug-Elimination grants which the Authority has aggressively pursued. Education and training facilities have been established in the Authority’s largest family developments. The Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority has been a partner in a vocational training consortium between the Urban League and five Housing Authorities in the Capital District of New York State. Initiatives to train and employ residents and to provide contracts for section 3 businesses have been developed for the every day operations of this large urban Housing Authority and in their modernization and new project development activities. These initiatives include strong local enforcement of Section 3 in the pre-bid, pre-construction, construction monitoring functions, and day to day contracting and maintenance functions. As a result of theses efforts, residents have been hired by construction contractors, the Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs of Schenectady, the YWCA Children’s Centers and Wackenhut Security Company. The Authority has also developed a Resident Self Employment Program, RESP, which assists residents who are interested in starting their own businesses. Residents receive assistance with writing their business plans, market research, and securing funding. Resident owned businesses developed to date include; a delicatessen, a home daycare, a cleaning contractor. The authority is currently assisting a resident who wishes to develop a medical transport business.

2000-443 Homeownership Services

The Housing Council’s Home Ownership Services Program addresses all aspects of home ownership in order to ensure sustainable home ownership in Rochester and Monroe County. They help first-time buyers prepare for home ownership by enhancing their consumer skills and explaining the home buying process through Prepurchase Counseling. They assist homeowners who are facing foreclosure to negotiate realistic repayment plans with their lenders and loan servicers. They offer deferred payment loans to qualifying homeowners who demonstrate an ability to maintain mortgage payments when their loan is again current. And finally, they help older homeowners with limited incomes to remain in the family home by providing required counseling for seniors applying for HUD’s Home Equity Conversion Mortgage. All homeownership services are available in English, Spanish and American Sign.

2000-535 Binghamton Housing Authority Saratoga Boys & Girls Club

In 1989, the Binghamton Housing Authority (BHA) and the Boys and Girls Club of Binghamton were selected as one of five communities across the country to pilot a new venture: establishing a Boys and Girls Club within a housing development. The Club was first housed in a community room provided by BHA, but when the program proved to be so successful a new facility was built by BHA at Saratoga Terrace in 1996. The site includes a modern gymnasium, a computer classroom, a game room and an activity area. The program serves youth residents 5 - 18 providing them with afterschool and evening educational and recreational programming. Its curriculum revolves around six core areas: character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, arts and sports, and fitness and recreation. Just recently, BHA in collaboration with Boys and Girls Club, installed NovaNet an integrated computer learning system in an effort to enhance the educational opportunities of the youth attending the club. The new system provides the Club's youth with access to over 40,000 education, career and life skill training lessons, as well as giving them a positive educational experience.

2000-809 Geneva Courtyard Apartments Library Partnership

The need for enhancement of available materials and services in the Geneva Courtyard Apartments Library was identified by many of the residents and area service providers. For this reason, a partnership was formed with the Geneva Free Library in an effort to develop these additional resources. As a result, the Geneva Free Library, with assistance from Geneva Housing Authority, has successfully applied for and received funding for two programs that directly benefit the Courtyard Apartments Library. To this day, over $20,000 in funding has been received for the two new programs, Project Link and Families Read! The partnership between the Geneva Housing Authority and the Geneva Free Library can be defined by the implementation of the programs described below. Although additional agencies have provided support for these programs, the main collaborative effort comes from this partnership. The goal of Project Link 1998/1999 was to support individuals in their literacy efforts. The Geneva Housing Authority and the Geneva Free Library created a partnership to enhance literacy services. The partnership was also expanded to include local providers of literacy based services including GED and ESL (English as a Second Language) classes. The project enabled the Geneva Courtyard Apartments Library to develop a new collection of adult literacy materials and to develop programs to introduce on-site GED and ESL students to library resources. The collaborative effort was the most effective way to bring together residents, students, trained instructors, and the needed materials. The 1999/2000 Families Read Program created a partnership between the Geneva Housing Authority, the Geneva Free Library, and the Geneva Head-Start Program to promote family literacy skills. The project aims to reach 130 low-income, low-literacy families who live at the Geneva Courtyard Apartments or participate in Head-Start. The project goals are: to strengthen the partnerships with these organizations; to promote families reading together by providing age appropriate materials in convenient locations; and to promote enjoyment of reading together by providing reading related activities and special programs. Each of these programs are funded for one year, however, materials purchased obviously remain available indefinitely. Funding for each of these programs was provided by the New York State Library Services and Technology Act. In addition, the Geneva Housing Authority has provided three computers for use in the library as well as Internet accessibility. CD-ROM materials were included in the Project Link Program and are greatly utilized. Geneva Housing Authority and the Geneva Free Library have worked and continue to work closely on the implementation of these programs. Currently, the Geneva Courtyard Apartments Library is staffed by a resident who was completely trained by Housing Authority staff. Daily supervision of library usage, outreach to residents and recruitment for programs are also included in the Authority's responsibilities. Additional collaboration with other agencies has led to the success of the library. It should be noted that the Ontario County Department of Employment and Training has been involved in the recruitment of library staff and continues to provide support for the position. Finger Lakes Community College Adult Literacy Program currently provides GED and ESL classes for residents and regularly utilizes the library and promotes its use among students and their families.

2000-1053The Ark, Inc.

The Ark is a community based after-school educational center providing services that promote and reinforce positive development for at-risk youth in the City of Troy. The Ark is based at the John P. Taylor Apartments (NY012-2), a four building high-rise complex with 278 apartments managed by the Troy Housing Authority. The Ark provides educational and enrichment programs so that the children and young adults in attendance will have the daily academic support needed to form a community of learners. By offering a place of hospitality and safety where children and young adults can encounter the challenges provided by educational programs they can be properly prepared for a richer, fuller life of capability and responsibility. The Ark ensures that the children and young adults in attendance have counselors available for them and have every opportunity necessary to embrace a creative alternative to hanging out, destructiveness, criminality and chemical dependency. Once they become involved in the program the children and young adults find The Ark to be a place for discovery, transformation and celebration; a place for developing vision and broadening horizons. Daily Tutoring: The children are able to access the latest information for homework projects and enrichment through The Ark’s excellent library and on-line computer center. Individual tutors from area colleges and the community work daily with the children. Arts Education: For children who otherwise would be unable to afford weekly classes, The Ark provides access to the arts. The arts help children express themselves through using the creative right side of the brain. In schools, many children are evaluated primarily on activities that draw solely from the left side of the brain. With this is mind educators have an obligation to support learners who 'see' in terms of pattern and form as well as those who 'see' reason. At The Ark, we recognize all modalities as vital to the learning process. Reading Education: The Ark provides daily reading activities designed by a reading coordinator and weekly classes in the Sage Reading Program. At the beginning of the school year, The Ark targets all kindergartners and first graders to be a part of the Sage Reading Program. This early intervention program is designed to promote the reader’s strengths and identify needs. Sage graduate students work with their selected child over the course of the academic year, diagnosing reading difficulty, then creating and implementing a plan for remediation through an intensive six week reading clinic. The Ark provides some of the necessary home literacy experiences (e.g., reading to children, listening to them read) teaching them good reading strategies which distinguish a good reader from a poor reader. A sizable number of children are now awakening to literature and a number of children have reached grade-level reading ability within a very short time. Computer Technology and Video Production: The Ark provides weekly classes and job training in computer technology and video production. Young adults learn computer skills and are then paid to mentor adults in the low-income community. The younger children participate in the computer lab by learning the fundamentals of the computer and basic computer skills. Summer Youth Employment Program: The Ark focuses on Communications and Technology in the provision of a Summer Youth Employment Program. Students at The Ark prepare for this course during the academic year and are hired in the summer, using county summer employment funds, for an intensive 6-week job education and training program. Funded by Rensselaer County, this program is a joint project of The Ark and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Wyred Enterprises – A Youth Entrepreneurial Program at The Ark (WE) trains committed members of The Ark in the latest web design technology. WE interns will use their skills to operate a web page design business that creates sites for community members and paying commercial clients. Interns will develop technical, employment, and professional skills while concentrating on collaborative decision-making and project management. Technical training (incorporated at all levels of the training process) will focus advanced skills: advanced HTML (including DHTML), interactivity, JavaScript, interface design, advanced graphic design principles, and large-scale project management. Counseling and Advocacy: The Ark provides counseling for the children and their families. Through the counseling program, children and young adults form small peer counseling groups under the direction of a professional advisor. This allows them to be active participants in their own healing and transformation as well as in the healing and transformation of others. It is through this partnership process that individuals understand their innate ability to successfully manage their own lives and to understand, appreciate and help to resolve the challenges faced by others. Since the counseling is by choice, it is once again a conscious learning process. Evenstart (coming soon): The Ark, The Troy School District and Questar III are partners in a funding request to establish an Evenstart Program on site at The Ark. The Evenstart Program involves working with the entire family to promote the child’s healthy development during the preschool years.

2000-1272 HOMEowner Substantial Rehabilitation and HOMEbuyer First-Time Homebuyer Program

The 7-year running HOME programs construct single-family houses in the Old Town and Kenilworth neighborhoods, the oldest in the Town of Tonawanda, a first-ring suburb north of the City of Buffalo. Both components involve the clearance and reconstruction of deteriorated structures, for occupancy by low/moderate income homeowners. Demolition and relocation costs (if applicable) are paid out of the Town's CDBG program budget, while house reconstruction is assisted with HOME funds, provided to the homeowner/homebuyer as a 0% Deferred Payment Loan, which is only repaid upon sale or transfer of title. The HOMEowner Program involves replacement of low/moderate income owner-occupied homes deteriorated beyond repair, many of them built in the 1920's and known as "Sattler" cottage-style homes (a do-it-yourself kit available by catalogue in the first part of the 20th century). The homeowner is provided temporary relocation benefits during the demolition and reconstruction phase, and equity they have built up in the original home is preserved in the structuring of the finance package, so that the amount of the HOME deferred payment loan is variable. Mortgage holders (including the FHA, for insured mortgages) are also contacted for authorization to temporarily remove the original structure that secured the existing mortgage. The HOMEbuyer Program starts with the Town's purchase and demolition of severely deteriorated houses that are being sold on the open market. The vacant lots are then sold for $1 to New Opportunities, the Town's CHDO, which builds a new house on the site and sells it to the next qualified first-time homebuyer on the waiting list established by lottery. Up to $30,000 in HOME funding is available to each first-time homebuyer as a deferred payment loan.

2000-1773 Revitalization of Housing Stock in the Community

Then Councilman Robert Carlson, now Mayor, apprised the Executed Director of the Housing Authority on the possibility of taking over ownership or management of a very deteriorated drug infested apartment complex of 100 units in the City of Watervliet. After two years of negotiation we finally took over management. After two years of hard work, dedicated staff we took a 38% occupied complex and are at now 96% occupied. The units were poorly insulated, unrentable and a disgrace to the area. We feel we have turned Van Rensselear Village into a very attractive apartment complex without any federal dollars and only recently received some State funding for some major rehabilitation. We feel with the trust and confidence of the City had in the Housing Authority and our record as a apartment manager we were able to maintain a 100 unit complex for moderate to low income residents.

2000-1786 TECHNOLOGY CENTER - Binghamton Housing Authority/Broome County Urban League

In cooperation with the Broome County Urban League, the Binghamton Housing Authority recently opened a jointly sponsored Technology Center. The purpose of the Center is to provide the community's economically disadvantaged youth, adults and seniors access to the world of technology. This project began when the Urban League was awarded one of six technology grants from the National Urban League and its corporate partner Bell Atlantic. To provide a home for this program, Binghamton Housing Authority re-designed plans for a building they were planning to construct and added another floor to house the Center. With some additional money from the City of Binghamton's Community Development Block Grant, the new structure was completed and is located at the corner of Lisle and Exchange Streets in Binghamton, New York. Specifically, the new Technology Center provides a variety of classes for youth, adults and senior citizens. Weekly classes are offered in basic computer usage, keyboarding, and internet and program specific training. Interested participants receive unlimited access. The center is beginning to receive regular referrals from local agencies such as the Office for Aging, Welfare to Work and the local school district and offers special classes for out-of-school suspension students, the developmentally disabled and children enrolled in afterschool programming.

2000-1818 In Home Education

The Watervliet Housing Authority has its own TV Channel. It provides educational commercials produced by students of the Housing Authority and others in both the elementary and High schools. They produce their own daily morning news and will use it as a Community Bulletin board.

2000-1931 Transitional Apartments and Parenting Center

Provides 25 transitional efficiency apartments for pregnant, parenting, or at-risk youth ages 16-21 with up to two children under the age of 4. Program includes housing, living skills instruction, parenting classes, and case management services within the secure building with 24 hour support staff.

2000-2291 Tri City Faith Based Collaborative

The Tri City Faith based Collaborative is approximately 800 Faith based and community organizations in Western New York, the three cities of Buffalo, Rochester, and Niagara Falls. Each city has its own collaborative and collectively have joined to form the three city collaborative. The collaborative are results of the efforts of Community Builders Cecilia " CC" Holloman and Angelo Lamberty, working with minority Faith groups and community organizations to help develop capacity and help these groups access HUD resources to address extreme poverty in each of the cities. The Tri City Collaborative has projects in housing, economic development, social action, youth and family services, and cultural tourism. Collaboratives have now formed CDC' and CHDO's in each of the communities and have applied for and received for the first time, HUD funds to address needs of the most distressed communities in these cities.

2000-2724 Association of Block Coalitions

The Association of Block Coalitions was formed under the sponsorship of Mayor Edward A. Hanna and Utica Neighborhood Housing Services. The initial mission was to organize neighborhood watch groups and connect residents with various community organizations. The block associations have grown into a tremendous voice for city residents and their concerns.

2000-2869 The Minister Rehab Initiative

The Mayor's pilot initiative is to work closely with ministers and churches/religious groups throughout the City of Buffalo to rehab approximately 20 houses in concentrated areas that are affected by slum and blighted conditions. The churches are asked to identify houses within a two to three block radius surrounding their community. This would be advantageous to the concentrated areas already receiving rehab or where there is new construction activity. The properties will undergo rehabilitation to bring them up to the city's standard of codes and marketability. Members of the church's congregation or the surrounding community will then be considered to purchase the rehabilitated houses. The participating church should have a homebuyers club already established or in contact with a community based organization that can provide this type of service. Also, the church should have a list of potential homebuyers prepared to participate in this project. The City of Buffalo will assist in the acquisition of pre-existing houses identified for rehab. This service may vary on an as-needed basis. If the church or not-for-profit entity has ownership of a pre-existing house in need of rehab, this property may be incorporated in the program. Properties may be acquired from the ownership of City-owned property from the Division of In-Rem and the Buffalo Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation and HUD-owned properties. The Minister Rehab Initiative is a housing rehab program iin the City of Buffalo. The project is in partnership with local ministers throughout the City. The City's Department of Community Development and other lenders will provide first time homeowners the opportunity to purchase and renovate homes from a select inventory from HUD, City In-rem or private sectors. The City of Buffalo will assist potential first time homebuyers who qualify for additional closing costs and down payment assistance. First time homebuyers will be provided with low cost mortgages from local lenders such as 4% for 20 years. The City of Buffalo will provide technical assistance in the development of rehab specifications and cost estimates. Construction monitoring as well as homeowners educational classes will be conducted by local community based organizations. The impact of this project is directed at low and moderate income families to help them realize the dream of homeownership

2000-3076 Natural Gas Aggregate Procurement Contract

The city of Buffalo, Buffalo Sewer Authority, Buffalo Board of Education and the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority entered into an aggregate agreement for the procurement of natural gas. It is felt that through the combination of all respective agencies' usage, a cheaper price pe3r thousand cubic feet of natural gas can be procured.

2000-3132 Husted Diary

The first nominee is a privately owned and operated local business here in the Syracuse area. Several months ago, members of the City's Lead Abatement staff approached Husted Diary with a partnership proposal. The City's program was desperately looking for a new mode of advertising and getting out message to the public. We wanted to be creative and innovative. Meeting with the owners of the local diary gave us a good indication that this family-operated business cared about their community. Using milk as a healthy -source product in the fight against lead paint poisoning, we felt it only appropriate to put our messages on the back of their milk cartons.

2000-3185 SHA Homeownership Voucher Program

Facilitate the ability of low-income section 8 recipients to become homeowners

2000-666 Demolition Partnership

The City of Buffalo, NY has the oldest residential housing stock in the nation. Several neighborhoods have severely declined and the real estate market is very poor. Demand for housing in these declining areas is virtually non-existent. Because of the age of the housing stock, FHA foreclosed properties will not sell because the cost of rehabilitation exceeds the repaired value of the property. As a result, a number of properties acquired by HUD were sitting in disrepair and were unmarketable. Recognizing that it was very costly to continue to market these properties an agreement was forged between the Philadelphia HOC and the City of Buffalo whereby all properties valued less than $5,000 will be removed from the market and evaluated to determine if their condition warrants demolition which would be more cost effective than holding unto the property. The first group of 48 properties priced under $5,000 listings was evaluated and HUD has agreed to demolish 22 of the properties. Under this unique agreement the properties will be demolished at HUD's expense and turned over to the City of Buffalo for a dollar. The city will use the vacant lots for redevelopment or as green space. The agreement is a "win win" situation for the city, HUD and First Preston the M & M Contractor responsible for maintaining and marketing the properties.

Content Archived: April 20, 2011