2000 Best Practice Awards

Best Practice: Atlanta Office of Counsel/HUD Headquarters Closing Procedures for Public Housing Mixed Finance Developments

1255 Housing Units To Be Produced By Atlanta Housing Authority

Atlanta. Since May 1999, the Atlanta Office of Counsel has reviewed and approved the legal documentation for five mixed-finance developments undertaken by the Atlanta Housing Authority. These closings will produce 1,255 total housing units, of which 571 will be public housing units. The Public Housing Mixed Finance program is administered by HUD’s Central Office, and usually, the legal review necessary to close the transactions is performed by Office of General Counsel attorneys in the central office. HUD field legal staff support helped these mixed-finance developments to efficiently issue tax-exempt bonds, secure tax credits, and meet other business deadlines. These financing strategies help revitalize distressed public housing developments and their neighborhoods, improve schools and community services, and increase supportive services to public housing residents enabling them to become self-sufficient. The developments relied on a partnership between government agencies, non-profit organizations, and private business for a total investment of approximately $130 million, which includes about $42 million in Public Housing funds, $22 million from FHA and $66 million from other sources.

Contact: Dhoya Bentley, Phone: (404) 331-5001 Ext. 2020
Tracking Number: 2849
Winning Category: Program (Office of General Counsel)

Best Practice: Computer Learning for Elderly Russian Residents

Computer Technology Teaches Elderly Russian Resident English

Atlanta. Computer training is taught twice a week for three hours to Russian residents who live in a 100-unit elderly and disabled mid-rise in North Fulton County. Using the computer, elderly Russian residents are being taught how to speak English as a Second Language (ESL). This program creatively addresses a language barrier issue by using technology to empower people and enable a diverse community of elderly and disabled families to effectively communicate. Before this program, none of the 14 Russians could speak conversational English, but all had a strong desire to participate in resident association activities. Since the program’s initiation, they can actively participate in the services and programs offered by the resident association. The entire community benefits due to increased involvement of these residents in the on-site activities and programs. HUD funds the equipment, administrative costs of the resident association, and the labor expenses of the one ESL teacher and computer lab instructor through the Tenant Opportunities Program.

Contact: Janet Verdier, Phone: (404) 843-0279
Tracking Number: 2803
Winning Category: Program (Public and Indian Housing)

Best Practice: Disabled Dealer Magazine of Georgia

Disabled Dealer Magazine Presents Issues that Affects the Disabled Population

Atlanta. Disabled Dealer Magazine is a monthly publication dedicated to improving the lives of the disabled, their friends and families and promoting public awareness. It features houses that are handicap-accessible and articles on conventions, seminars and other issues of special interest. The focus is to help the disabled participate fully in society. For three years, the magazine has collaborated with organizations to present a three-day international conference, The World Congress & Exposition on Disabilities.

Contact: Cynthia Kimball, Phone: (770) 457-9851
Tracking Number: 1167
Winning Category: Program (Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity)

Best Practice: Fair Housing Presentations by Attorneys of the Office of General Counsel in Atlanta

Attorneys of the Office of General Counsel in Atlanta Educates the Public by Disseminating Fair Housing Information

Atlanta. Civil rights attorneys at the Office of General Counsel in Atlanta have taken an active role in advancing fair housing by disseminating vital information on a variety of fair housing issues at conferences, seminars, community forums and training programs. Their audiences include individuals seeking information about civil rights, industry and trade associations seeking information about civil rights responsibilities, and state and local fair housing agencies and their attorneys who partner with HUD. They co-authored "The Difference is Important," an article published in The Journal of Manufactured Housing, which explains the importance of meeting the requirements of the Housing for Older Persons Exemption. Also, they developed "Theories of Discrimination," a Power Point presentation and training guide which has been used to train the Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity office, and state and local investigators. Office of General Counsel attorneys continued their active involvement in community service and outreach as founding members of the Atlanta Civil Rights Consortium, a group of federal agency attorneys and civil rights professionals promoting the effective delivery of civil rights services to citizens of Atlanta.

Contact: Steven J. Edelstein, Phone: (404) 331-5001 Ext. 2021
Tracking Number: 651
Winning Category: Program (Office of General Counsel)

Best Practice: Neighborhood and Community Revitalization

Centennial Place Revitalization Initiative is Designed to Attract Residents from Diverse Income Groups

Atlanta. Techwood Homes, the first federally-funded housing project in the United States, was demolished and redeveloped as Centennial Place in the mid 1990s under HUD’s HOPE VI initiative to revitalize a historic public housing community. Centennial Place incorporates various design elements to create a community with numerous amenities that will attract residents from diverse income groups. Utilizing the principles of New Urbanism, the development combines historic renovation, contemporary residential design, and infrastructure improvements to create a desirable living environment where public housing is indistinguishable from market rate housing. Upon completion, Centennial Place will consist of 900 units in a mixed-income community, integrating market rate, tax credit eligible and public housing families in one development. Additional components of the plan include development of a new K-5 magnet elementary school, a state-of-the-art YMCA family and children’s center, a mini-police precinct, a neighborhood retail center, renovation of the community center, and job training and education for families. A team of legal, financial and state entities, including Georgia Tech and the City of Atlanta partnered in this initiative.

Contact: Carol Naughton, Phone: (404) 892-4700
Tracking Number: 1726
Winning Category: Program (Public and Indian Housing)

Best Practice: Olympic Legacy Program

Olympic Legacy Program Encourages Revitalization in the Atlanta Area

Atlanta. The Atlanta Housing Authority created the Olympic Legacy Program in 1994 to leverage the opportunities created by HUD’s HOPE VI Program to reposition the authority’s severely distressed housing stock. As the recipient of a HOPE VI grant for the revitalization of Techwood Homes and Clark Howell Homes, the housing authority was challenged to create a better way to deliver affordable housing for families living in these and other communities. To integrate public housing families into the mainstream community and create revenue for housing redevelopment and job training programs, the housing authority initiated five housing complexes mixing public housing, other low income and market rate housing units. Resident programs focus on job training and education, appropriate recreation for seniors and youth, and a welfare-to-work program developed by The Integral Partnership of Atlanta. The housing authority partnered with a private sector developer to leverage conventional financial resources to revitalize the units and earned income from the lease of the non-public housing units. This program is encouraging revitalization throughout Atlanta and is attracting significant public and private investment.

Contact: Carol Naughton, Phone: (404) 892-4700
Tracking Number: 1754
Winning Category: Geographical and Program (Public and Indian Housing)

Best Practice: STAR Program (Successfully Teaching Academic Readiness) After-School Education Component

The STAR Program Tutoring Sessions are Paying Off—Student are more Enthusiastic About their School Work

Decatur. The After School Tutoring Program is an enhancement of the Decatur Housing Authority’s existing Successfully Teaching Academic Readiness (STAR) Program. The Tutoring Program, operating three days a week, began in the fall of 1999 for approximately 40 children in grades K-3 who attend three neighborhood schools. After school, the children who have been identified as needing mentoring and additional help, are provided tutoring sessions. In addition, the children experience other academic enrichment activities such as homework assistance, reading, or using the on-site computer lab. The tutoring is performed at a five to one student to teacher ratio. Teachers work directly with the children in a customized fashion as the work relates to their progress in school. The cost of this intensive program is shared. The Decatur City Schools pay 75 percent of the cost and the Decatur Housing Authority pay 25 percent. At one of two elementary schools serving the public housing community, grade retention was reduced in one year by 80 percent, and teachers have commented that the children have become more enthusiastic on finishing homework and cultivating their curiosity to learn.

Contact: Paul A. Pierce, Phone: (404) 377-0425 Ext.266
Tracking Number: 2059
Winning Category: Program (Public and Indian Housing)

Best Practice: Family Counseling Center of Middle Georgia

Family Counseling Center of Middle Georgia Empowers Public Housing Development Residents to Acquire Skills to Improve their Lives

Macon. The Family Counseling Center of Central Georgia provides clinical therapy in the Family Investment Center in Macon. The Center seeks to empower residents of public housing developments and other low-income areas to acquire skills and services to overcome low self-esteem, unemployment, and substance abuse problems and to centrally locate services to reduce duplication of efforts. The Center also develops short-term skills training programs to meet job demands in Macon. Center services include counseling, parenting education and referrals to community resources. The Center works with an integrated team of agencies to improve the quality of life and economic situation of these families. Clinical therapists evaluate each individual using Quality of Life Assessments to measure more than 16 indicators such as emotional satisfaction within the home, community, job, and family. In a single year, the Center referred 6,500 persons to 28 different agencies. The program used $4,950 Community Development Block Grant funds to leverage $1,670 of funds from United Way, and 30 agencies in Macon have agreed to offer coordinated services to the Center.

Contact: Kathy G. O’Neal, Phone: (912) 745-2811
Tracking Number: 2821
Winning Category: Program (Community Planning and Development)

Best Practice: Adelante Hispano con Warner Robins

Adelante Hispano con Warner Robins Fair Housing Workshop Educated Residents About Housing Issues

Warner Robins. Warner Robins Community Development Department, in collaboration with Middle Georgia Technical Institute, Houston County Joint Certified Literate Community Program and the National Hispanic Housing Council, held a successful Home Buyer Education and Fair Housing Workshop, "Adelante Hispano con Warner Robins," (Move Forward Hispanics with Warner Robins), for its growing Hispanic population. Due to a language barrier, this community is not often aware of fair housing laws and can easily be discriminated against by landlords, mortgage lenders and insurance agencies. The workshop educated approximately 35 participants on such issues as home purchase as an investment, tax deductions through interest and property tax, how to apply for a loan, loan closing, fair housing education and training for equality in housing, how to understand credit reports, and selecting a professional realtor. The workshop, financed by CDBG funds, served as a catalyst to involve these and potentially more Hispanics of Warner Robins in fair housing programs.

Contact: Kathy M. Hart, Phone: (921) 929-1118
Tracking Number: 1542
Winning Category: Program (Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity)

Best Practice: Wellston Villas

Wellston Villas Provides a Safe Haven for Homeowners

Warner Robins. The Wellston Villas was designed in downtown Warner Robins as part of a creative crime prevention and affordable housing scheme. Using CDBG funds, a dynamic team of duplex owners, local building lenders, and the public works and other city departments, worked to revitalize the downtown area and privatize the housing. They demolished the rental duplexes, installed more street lighting, resurfaced some streets, and constructed new affordable single-family homes for homeownership. This teamwork has so far provided 102 affordable single-family homes for homeownership in a safe environment, and the parties are working to acquire an additional 20-30 units to complete demolition and begin new construction. The program has held two successful housing fairs that target the entire county and involve all local governments.

Contact: Kathy M. Hart, Phone: (912) 929-1118
Tracking Number: 1685
Winning Category: Program (Housing - Single Family)

Best Practice: HomeStretch

HomeStretch Assist Homeless Families in Their Quest for Self-Sufficiency

Roswell. Housing Initiative of North Fulton addresses the lack of emergency, transitional and affordable housing in North Fulton County through HomeStretch, a transitional housing program. Staff and volunteers collaborate to assist homeless families better manage their life, money and future to return to housing self-sufficiency. Each eligible family is offered a fully furnished house with the training and service support necessary to regroup and regain lost independence. Also, each family is assigned a Family Sponsor Team that offers support through budgeting, mentoring and resource provision. The budget team works with the family to develop and sustain a workable budget. The mentors provide emotional support for parents and children. The resource team helps the family solve the myriad of problems that challenge these families on a daily basis such as lack of transportation, childcare, child support, and dealing with collection agencies. A HomeStretch Family Coordinator develops a detailed, tailored Goal Achievement Plan for each family, and volunteers, representing churches, civic and corporate groups work directly with each family to achieve the Goal Achievement Plan. This housing program has empowered over 150 families and over 20 individuals through its counseling, financial training, and skills development services.

Contact: John E. Smith III, Phone: (770) 642-9185
Tracking Number: 1461
Winning Category: Program (Community Planning and Development)

Best Practice: PASSAGE Program

"Children Are Our Future"—PASSAGE Program Prevents High-Risk Behavior in Youths

Atlanta. PASSAGE (Promoting Alternatives, Suggesting Solutions and Generating Excellence) is a technology based, after-school program that has served over 1,200 public housing children and youth over a six-year period. Its primary goal is to support and educate children and youth by increasing individual and group development, and encouraging alternative lifestyles that prevent high-risk behavior. These goals are achieved through four key objectives: education, socialization, economic development, and cultural awareness. The Housing Authority of Fulton County created this program in partnership with other public and private partners in order to address the poor attendance and poor report card grades of students that reside in public housing communities. There are approximately 400 school-aged children that reside in one public housing community in unincorporated Fulton, and PASSAGE helps monitor these children’s progress and academic success. The partnerships of local education and health agencies, the local school system, volunteers, and college students have implemented a successful program that has resulted in increasing attendance, higher high school seniors graduating, and improved reading levels.

Contact: Bettye A. Davis, Phone: (404) 730-5842
Tracking Number: 2319
Winning Category: Program (Public and Indian Housing)

Best Practice: The Pavilion at Campbell-Stone

The Pavilion at Campbell-Stone Apartments Meet the Needs of Alzheimer’s Residents

Atlanta. Campbell-Stone Apartments, a Section 202-funded senior facility, added an assisted living center to serve its growing number of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. To meet the need for assisted living services of existing and future senior residents, Campbell-Stone in 1995 launched a fund-raising campaign to renovate three floors of its existing building and add a new one. In early 1996, HUD’s Atlanta office staff met with the Campbell-Stone steering committee and representatives of the Atlanta Alzheimer's Association, Area Agency on Aging, Piedmont Hospital, and the Georgia Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. The steering committee approved the concept of a 54-unit facility and engaged Continental Wingate as the lender. The project was financed with tax-exempt bonds issued by the Development Authority of Fulton County, Ga., and insured under HUD's Section 232 program. Tax-exempt bonds, sold at a premium, provided additional equity to close the transaction.

Contact: Jeffrey A. Fleming, Phone: (404) 331-5001 Ext. 2316
Tracking Number: 2729
Winning Category: Program (Housing - Multifamily)

Best Practice: Hampton East Mixed Use

Hampton East Development – Providing Homes After the Flood

Albany. Helping a community rebuild housing after a natural disaster is one of the first goals for local, state and governmental agencies. Finding the most effective and creative way to address the needs of the distressed community is the biggest challenge. The needs may vary from community to community and ranging from repair efforts on some homes to total replacement for others.

Hampton East is a development in Albany, Georgia that was created as a replacement for the unprecedented number of low- to moderate-income homes that were destroyed in a 1994 flood. The flood damaged 5,805 housing units, or 23 percent of the housing units in the Albany area. Approximately 90 acres of mostly vacant land was developed to provide modern, affordable housing for an estimated 200 low- and moderate-income families, some of whom were flood victims. These were homes that were deemed in fair to substandard condition before the flood, making repair efforts difficult. Many of the homes were rental properties. The most effective option was to replace the homes instead of focusing on repair efforts.

Hampton East also sought to address the entire needs of the community. Although housing was the most immediate need for the residents, the previous community lacked the necessary support services for its residents. This planned community provides, not only affordable housing, a daycare center, recreation facilities, a shopping center but small business development opportunities as well. Residents of the new community also are included in the planning process for their new home. Qualified applicants can select a home plan and construct it with financing provided by local banks and the city’s Affordable Home Ownership Program.

Hampton East is an 87-acre development in Albany that can be a model for combined-use subdivision development. Hampton East is an ideal program for communities in need of quality housing in low- to moderate-income areas with available affordable land. Cooperation between local planning and construction boards and agencies, local residents and businesses, as well as funding from private and public agencies is key. An essential component of this program are the housing counseling sessions offered to participants to ensure permanent placement in the homes.

Although Hampton East was developed to address the specific need for housing after a natural disaster, the program went above and beyond the call for replacement housing. Hampton East saw that as the lack of community services in the poorer areas and decided to build those as well.

Contact: Rudolf Goddard, Phone: (912) 430-5283
Tracking Number: 2193
Winning Category: Geographical

Content Archived: April 20, 2011