2000 Best Practice Awards

2000-259 Social Service Coordination

The National Church Residences (NCR) resident service (RSC) program is national in scope and encompasses low-to-moderate income people of all ages. The objective of the RSC program is to provide residents of NCR communities with those necessary resources needed to live vital, productive, contributory lives, that may fall outside the auspices of NCR’s mission of providing quality, affordable housing. At the start of 1999, 29 NCR communities were staffed with RSCs; by the end of the year, the RSC program had grown to include 45 NCR communities, an increase of 64%. The continual growth and expansion of the NCR RSC program is one of the many mechanisms that the organization employs to ensure that NCR’s produces good for those whom it serves. The purpose of NCR’s RSC program is to ensure that the low-to moderate-income residents in our communities throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico are afforded access to various community, educational, and health care resources. By its nature, the RSC program extends service outreach to residents whom might otherwise have no recourse but to go without the basic services needed to live productive lives.

2000-2829 Preserving Ohio’s Affordable Housing (POAH)

Preserving Ohio’s Affordable Housing (POAH) is a project of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO). This effort was undertaken in response to new HUD policies which are changing the character of many project-based Section-8 projects. The current Mark-to-Market process is leading to some projects opting-out of the Section 8 program, other projects changing ownership, and others going through full restructuring, which often includes renovation and changes in management.

COHHIO, with the financial support of HUD and the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, is reaching out to residents, local tenant groups, housing providers, community partners, and advocates to support local efforts to save and enhance Section 8 subsidized projects. COHHIO is an association of housing activists from across Ohio who came together in 1984 to end homelessness and promote decent, safe, fair, and affordable housing in Ohio. COHHIO is working to create and strengthen tenant organizations in HUD subsidized buildings and to organize and support local community groups as they get involved in the Mark-to-Market program. COHHIO is also providing technical assistance to owners, developers, non-profits organizations, and public officials as they work to devise ways to preserve subsidized developments. COHHIO is assisting tenants by helping them form tenant organizations and by helping them participate fully in the restructuring process.

2000-1225 Ohio Office of Housing & Community Partnerships Fair Housing Program

The Office of Housing and Community Partnerships (OHCP) is responsible for administering over $87 million in HUD funds every year in non-entitlement cities and counties, and OHCP takes very seriously the fact that those funds, as well as the many additional dollars of state and local funds, are to be expended in a way that affirmatively furthers fair housing. Because of its strong commitment to fair housing, OHCP has moved ahead of most other states in developing an ambitious fair housing program that both enables and requires small communities around the state to proactively promote fair housing rights and aggressively enforce fair housing laws. This state-wide program, with its emphasis on local capacity and responsibility, is a model that many other states could emulate to better assure that fair housing rights are protected.

The components of the program include: 1) A Standard Fair Housing Program; 2) New Horizons Fair Housing Program; 3) Fair Housing Training Opportunities; and 4) On-going Technical Assistance 1) Standard Fair Housing Program All Ohio Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and HOME Investment Partnerships Program grant recipients must certify that they will affirmatively further fair housing and implement the state’s Standard Fair Housing Program.

2000-1587 Project Homeline - Licking County, Ohio

Project Homeline is an innovative "one-stop shop" for housing resources, and a homeless prevention program. It provides the public with information regarding the range of current housing options as well as educational opportunities in Licking County. Although anyone can avail themselves of Project Homeline's services, the program is primarily targeted to families with incomes below 35 percent of median and individuals/families at risk of homelessness. Project Homeline contains a database of over 4,000 assisted, affordable, and market rate rental housing units which are currently available throughout Licking County.

Individuals accessing the database can do a search by community, bedroom size, price, and other descriptive information to quickly identify and locate available rental housing which meets their needs. The program also provides funds for security deposits and first month's rent to families needing financial assistance in order to secure the unit and avoid becoming homeless. Project Homeline is used by many of the local community and social service agencies to support their program operations.

2000-1966 Central AIDS Services for Central Ohio

Exploration into the best model for service delivery resulted in an obvious solution: A SERVICES INTEGRATION MODEL. Using this model, inter- and intra-agency collaborations are formalized and community resources are maximized to provide needed services. Beginning with the two largest agencies (CATF and MRS) individuals met to determine the extent to which real collaboration might occur.

2000-2180 Economic Opportunity Authority of Savannah Home Buyer Education Program

The Economic Opportunity Authority of Savannah's "Home Buyer Education Program" is a four week, 10-hour educational course held each Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The course introduces low and moderate income clients to all key players in the home buying process, including realtors, lenders, attorneys, and home inspectors. Clients completing the course are awarded a Certificate of Completion which entitles them to receive down payment and closing cost assistance from various agencies. In 1999, 330 CDBG clients successfully completed the course and were awarded certificates. Of those, 19 became home owners in 1999.

2000-2115 Youthbuild Columbus

Youthbuild Columbus provides Academic (GED) instruction, life skills and leadership training, vocational and computer instruction, and quality job placement to 16-24 year old high school dropouts who learn construction skills by building new affordable houses for low-income homebuyers.

2000-2576 New Construction Single Family Homes

As a HUD certified Homebuyer Local Counseling agency, we were aware of the need for homes in this price range and had built up a client base of over 100 households looking for decent, safe, affordable housing. This project is working and we currently have three families closed on their mortgages with the four to close sometime in June. We used an Ohio Department of Development Office of Housing and Community Partnerships grant under the Housing Development Assistance Program.

2000-92 Ohio Homeownership Alliance

The National Mortgage Banker’s Presidents Award winning Ohio Homeownership Alliance is an alliance of the housing industry associations formed for the purpose of pooling resources and expertise for the purpose of increasing home ownership for low and moderate income families. This project provides a module of training and counseling curriculum developed for knowledge conveyance to membership association members and potential home buyers.

2000-2738 Computer Learning Centers

Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority’s Computer Learning Centers function as complete family resource centers, offering programs for participants starting at age seven. In the mornings, the Centers focus on fulfilling the educational and economic needs of the adults by offering programs such as the clerical training program, medical terminology course, emergency medical technician training, GED classes, computer training, and resume assistance. In the afternoons, the Centers offer a safe environment within which youth receive after-school tutoring, training on computers, and mentoring. The Centers also offer off-site programs such as summer swimming classes and monthly educational field trips.

2000-1107 Gender Road (The Meadows)

Construction of new Hope 6 Project in an underserved / non traditional location was a challenge for HUD. This project met a need to relocate existing units to "suburb" locations, which proved to be economic areas of opportunity.

2000-137 City of Columbus 2000-2003 Consolidated Plan

The city of Columbus recently submitted its 2000-2003 Consolidated Plan as required by HUD. This submission completed an extensive 14-month process of citizen participation, data analysis, and strategic planning by city staff and citizens. Highlights from this process include over 1,500 citizen participants, interactive Internet site, 40 member inter-departmental planning team, an executive summary document, and a focused strategic plan.

2000-1014 Rosewind, Section 3 Job Development

This Hope 6 development in Columbus, Ohio established a Section 3 program that allowed public housing residents and community neighbors to build units. They were provided construction trade training while they participated "hands on" in building new public housing units.

2000-970 The Ohio Fair Housing Congress

The Ohio Fair Housing Congress (OFHC) was founded in 1974 in an effort to bring together agencies, community organizations and individuals seeking to eliminate discrimination through the promotion of open housing practices and policies. The many members of the OFHC provide housing, counseling, advice and representation to the citizens of Ohio, especially to those persons whose basic right to housing has been violated. OFHC members work to enhance and enforce federal, state and local fair housing laws. While OFHC services are aimed toward organizations who primary purpose is dedicated to the enforcement of equal housing opportunity through the elimination of discrimination and the promotion of open housing, experience has evidenced the need for a close alliance between private and public agencies, community leaders, and public officials in the successful accomplishment or open housing. Therefore, OFHC solicits all fair housing advocates to join in the cause as one.

2000-808 First Home Lima

The city of Lima, Ohio and cooperating agencies have helped 100 first-time homebuyers through an unusual method for earning funds for downpayment and closing costs combined with an extensive homeownership education program. Participants earn up to $3,000 in credits tied to traditional lender underwriting criteria and to ties with neighborhood and housing activities. Credits are earned for completing homeownership classes, employment, paying rent and utilities on time, reviewing a credit report, meeting with homeownership and fair housing advocates, attending neighborhood meetings, volunteering for neighborhood activities, for regular savings as well as other activities.

After being accepted into the program by meeting income guidelines, participants are given verification forms to turn in when an activity is completed. Quarterly statements are sent to each participant showing the credits earned and informing them of classes and other special programs. Funds are available at loan closing. The modified IDA ( Individual Development Account) approach provides a way for people to earn the credits over a period of two years, if necessary. The periodic contacts encourage participants to keep working towards homeownership.

2000-416 Capital Advance Section 202/811 Closing Guide

Guide is intended to help clients prepare documents required to close a Capital Advance multifamily mortgage loan for Section 202 Supportive Housing for Elderly or a Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities projects located within the administrative jurisdiction of the Ohio State HUD Office. Although guide is directed mainly at closing attorneys and sponsors, some materials may be useful for other interested parties as well. It has been written to assist both new and experienced participants in HUD's Capital Advance Program. Topics are addressed in narrative form. Checklists, references and resources , along with illustrative sample formats are appended. Collectively considered the guide is similar to the picture on the jigsaw puzzle box with "some assembly required." Guide offers as close to a "one-stop" resource as practical with cross references to controlling regulations, policies and directives.

2000-273 Brightening our Future

A fair housing story book is written at a middle school level. The stories have as a principal theme, element(s) of fair housing The presenter tells the story and asks the students questions about the story. There is role playing by the presenter(s) and students. Correct answers are rewarded with prizes. The stories also have word searches for correct/incorrect spelling and correct/incorrect usage of words and terms. The program has been given to the students in 3 middle schools in Summit County, OH, with this
year in Highland Middle School, Barberton, OH, and Arlington Christian Academy, Akron, OH. The program has been running for 2 years.

2000-3094 Home Buying Info Nights

The Home Buying Info Nights provided participants with valuable information about the home buying process and on available affordable housing financing and downpayment assistance programs. In addition, participants received information on credit, the FHA/HUD Rehab programs, homes for sale in the various neighborhoods as well as information on the neighborhoods provided by area community development corporations (CDCs).

2000-2108 State of Ohio's Continuum of Care Strategy

Ohio's statewide Continuum of Care Strategy has been developed through extensive coordination and collaboration among state and local organizations concerned with programs for homeless persons. The lead statewide organization for this process has been the Ohio Department of Development. All components of a Continuum of Care Strategy are present in the non-entitlement area of Ohio, including homeless prevention, outreach, emergency shelter,transitional housing, permanent supportive housing and supportive services. Through comprehensive program development, collaborative planning, allocation of resources, training and technical assistance, Ohio is moving toward a continuum of care for homeless persons that covers the entire state. The process involves state government, statewide housing and homeless advocates, including homeless and formerly homeless persons, non-governmental funders and service providers, and is focused on achieving the following goals:

• Improving community strategies through collaboration of housing and human service providers at the state and local levels;
• Increasing the organizational capacity of local providers of housing and services for homeless person; and
• Securing public and private sector resources for Continuum of Care programs and projects.

Content Archived: April 20, 2011