2000 Best Practice Awards
Program and Geographical Winners: HUD Headquarters
Best Practice: At Home With Diversity: One America
Training Course for Real Estate Professionals
Emphasizes Increasing Homeownership Opportunities
National.
At Home With Diversity: One America is a groundbreaking educational initiative
created by the National Association of Realtors and supported by HUD. It
provides real estate professionals with training to expand homeownership
opportunities in America's rapidly changing, culturally diverse population.
The initiative increases the sensitivity and adaptability of real estate
professionals to an expanding multicultural housing market and its curriculum
explores the perceptions about home buying among different ethnic groups.
Upon successful completion of the one-day course and remaining free of fair
housing violations, real estate professionals are eligible to use the HUD
One America logo on business and advertising materials. HUD promotes the
One America initiative through such vehicles as Federal Housing Administration
advertising and HUD's Web site where it recommends the use of One America-certified
real estate professionals. Since the first training two years ago, more
than 4,000 real estate professionals from state and local real estate boards
and businesses, such as Century 21 and Coldwell Banker, have completed the
course and partners, such as Freddie Mac and the National Council of La
Raza, have joined the initiative.
Contact: Dennis Cronk , Phone: (312) 329-8200
Tracking Number: 1279
Winning Category: Program (Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity)
Best Practice: Best Practice in Project Management -- Year 2000 Project
Office (Team 2000)
Successful Y2K Preparedness Efforts Also
Result in Staff Education and Systems Documentation
National.
Without the Year 2000 Project Office, a Y2K glitch at HUD could have left
families nationwide without housing certificates and other vital services.
HUD responded proactively to Y2K by establishing the Year 2000 Project Office
(Team 2000). This project took an aggressive approach to identifying and
correcting problems in HUDs information systems, forms, computer platforms,
embedded microchips and telecommunications. Team 2000 then went a step further
by educating, preparing and involving HUDs business partners to ensure
they, too, would be able to correctly process or handle computer transactions
on and beyond January 1, 2000. Team 2000 worked with Year 2000 experts,
vendors, HUD computer system owners, HUDs development community, HUDs
computer services group, building administrators, business partners and
other government entities to make HUD Year 2000 compliant. HUD staff now
can handle many of their own information technology issues. An unanticipated
outcome included the depiction of HUDs systems and business processes,
which had never been documented.
Contact: Gloria Parker, Phone: (202) 708-1008
Tracking Number: 3022
Winning Category: Program (Chief Information Officer)
Best Practice: Credit Alert Interactive Voice
Response System
System Pre-Screens Federal Program Loan
Candidates for Existing Loan Defaults
National.
The Credit Alert Interactive Voice Response System is a collaborative, cost-effective
multi-agency effort to ensure that limited federal loan funds are directed
to borrowers most likely to repay them. This system was established to pre-screen
HUD loan candidates for any defaults. It has expanded to the Departments
of Veteran Affairs, Education and Justice; the Rural Housing Service within
the USDA; and the Small Business Administration, which have computer matching
agreements with HUD. Primary lenders from grantee programs can access the
system to pre-screen applicants. Credit Alert easily supports itself, annually
recovering from federal borrowers more than four times the cost to operate
and maintain the system. More than 35 million borrowers have been pre-screened
through the system since 1987. HUD has avoided more than $21.1 billion in
potential claims and $7.7 billion in potential losses as a direct result
of Credit Alert.
Contact: Gloria Parker, Phone: (202) 708-1008
Tracking Number: 3026
Winning Category: Program (Chief Information Officer)
Best Practice: Determining Whether Waiting
Time After Lead Paint Abatement Work Can Be Shortened
New Methods to Measure Lead Dust Re-Evaluate
the Waiting Period Required Before Sampling
National.
If time costs money, how much does two hours cost? Two hours is the approximate
waiting period required after lead-based paint has been removed before conducting
a clearance test of lead dust. The waiting period is required between final
clean-up and clearance testing to allow settling of airborne dust particles.
This study used an innovative combination of real-time measurement of airborne
dust and mathematical methods to evaluate whether the waiting time can be
shortened. A bedroom-size environmental test chamber was built for the project,
complete with sophisticated ventilation and air purifying systems. Wooden
doors with lead-based paint were dry sanded or scraped to generate the highest
possible airborne lead concentration levels. By measuring the amount of
airborne dust and using the measurements to project the amount of lead on
the floor, the study instituted a more precise alternative to old methods
of directly measuring lead dust on the floor. The study provided experimental
evidence that the waiting period is necessary and should not be shortened
or increased.
Contact: Sergey Grinshpun, Phone: (513) 558-0504
Tracking Number: 2014
Winning Category: Program (Office of Lead Hazard Control)
Best Practice: Electronic Forms Distribution
Easily Accessible Electronic Copies of
HUD Forms Save Money and Time
National.
This electronic forms distribution project provides the public with immediate
direct electronic access to nearly 700 HUD forms. An estimated 600 forms
are available via the Internet for direct downloading 24 hours a day. Many
of these forms can be completed on-line, thereby minimizing the need for
data entry by HUD staff. This project supports the Government Paperwork
Elimination Act, which requires that government agencies make forms electronically
accessible through the Internet for use by the public. The project provides
immediate service to customers, saves customer and staff time, and increases
data quality through customer on-line form completion. In addition, the
project saves thousands of dollars in printing, shipping and storage costs.
Contact: Gloria Parker, Phone: (202) 708-1008
Tracking Number: 2987
Winning Category: Program (Chief Information Officer)
Best Practice: FHA Connection
Web-based Communication System Transforms
How FHA Does Business
National.
The FHA Connection in an Internet-based communication system that improves
HUDs ability to interact with its customers. The technological innovation
allows HUD customers and employees to transmit and receive data directly
from several of the major automated systems within the Office of Housing.
FHA Connection processes more than 100,000 transactions each day. The Web-based
nature of the system frees lenders from having to use phone lines or the
mail to send and receive data. FHA Connection also contributes to higher
levels of efficiency at HUD: since lenders complete the data entry instead
of HUD employees, accuracy is increased. This means that HUD employees can
shift their focus to finding solutions for problems and conducting quality
reviews. In the future, FHA Connection will expand its operations to continue
to provide enhanced customer service.
Contact: Kris D. Lasley, Phone: (202) 708-0614
Ext. 3480
Tracking Number: 2318
Winning Category: Program (Housing - Single Family)
Best Practice: Housing Development and Law
Institute
Institute Improves Public Housing Programs
By Linking HUD and Public Housing Agencies
National.
The Housing Development and Law Institute is a national organization of
attorneys who represent public housing agencies and others with an interest
in the public housing program and the Section 8 assisted housing program.
The institute serves as liaison between the public housing agencies and
HUD. In that role, by helping improve relations between HUD and housing
agencies, the organization has helped improve public housing programs. The
institute solicits HUD comments on actions affecting multiple sites, such
as the model state code for public housing agencies enabling legislation
that would allow agencies to take advantage of new HUD initiatives, such
as HOPE VI.
Contact: William Maher, Phone: (202) 289-3400
Tracking Number: 2186
Winning Category: Program (Office of General Counsel)
Best Practice: HUD's Center for Community and
Interfaith Partnerships
Partnership Links HUD with Community- and
Faith-Based Organizations
National.
The Center for Community and Interfaith Partnerships links HUD to community-
and faith-based organizations. The HUD Secretary established the center
to expand HUDs relationship with these nontraditional groups. The
Center holds regional conferences to identify community needs, provides
information on HUD programs and builds a network of organizations to maximize
the impact of local and national community development projects. Through
sessions, educational forums, coordination and partnership building, the
center brings HUD programs to neighborhoods nationwide. The centers
participation in the Appalachian Summit following the President Clintons
New Markets Initiative resulted in $1 million in new technical assistance
for West Virginia and Kentucky.
Contact: Shannon Hefter, Phone: (202) 708-0614
Ext. 5191
Tracking Number: 1529
Winning Category: Program (Office of Administration)
Best Practice: HUD's Partnership with the America
Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Partnership Facilitates Acceptance of Electronic
Filing Requirements
National.
The America Institute of Certified Public Accountants was instrumental in
winning the support of certified public accountants in accepting the federal
electronic submission requirement of financial information from entities
in which HUD has a financial interest. The institute supported the Real
Estate Assessment Center in its implementation of the electronic submission
requirements by identifying accounting and auditing issues. The center also
provided access to accounting professionals by hosting meetings and conferences
and institute staff attended meetings convened by the center. In addition,
the institute invited the center to present on HUD electronic filing requirements
at several industry conferences.
Contact: Ian MacKay, Phone: (202) 434-9253
Tracking Number: 641
Winning Category: Program (Real Estate Assessment Center)
Best Practice: HUDWeb
Award-Winning HUD Intranet Site Improves
Efficiency and Internal Communication
HUD began its Intranet siteHUDWebto
improve internal communication and provide a tool to help staff members
gain access to the information they need to effectively do their jobs. With
more than 550,000 hits each month, HUDWeb has proved to be highly successful.
HUDWeb serves as a management tool, fostering communication on policy and
procedures, providing a departmental clearinghouse, and streamlining internal
operations. For example, rather than print and distribute thousands of job
announcements to HUD offices nationwide, HUD simply posts the notices on
HUDWeb. Staff used HUDWebs chat rooms extensively during management
reform as a forum to discuss issues and concerns related to the reform initiative.
Homepages for headquarters and local offices give staff the opportunity
to share lessons learned between HUD offices. The site posts new information
daily and the main page is updated weekly to draw attention to breaking
news, events or initiatives. For two years in a row, HUDWeb has been recognized
by CIO Magazine as one of the best Intranet sites in the public and private
sector.
Contact: Phyllis Preston/Candis Harrison,
Phone: (202) 708-1547
Tracking Number: 25
Winning Category: Program (Office of Departmental Operations and Coordination)
Best Practice: Information Technology Investment
Portfolio System (I-TIPS)
Computer System Enables HUD to Boost Efficiency,
Meet Goals, and Maintain Compliance
National.
The federal government established the Information Technology Investment
Portfolio System, an innovative Web-based, Government-Off-The-Shelf decision-support
and project management package to manage information technology investments
in a uniform manner within and across agencies. The system is readily accessible
through the Internet and is easily tailored to meet organizational needs.
It includes an evaluation component that measures the degree to which each
completed and fully-operational information technology initiative within
the HUDs portfolio met its functional, technical, cost and schedule
goals, and the degree to which the initiative fulfilled its contribution
to HUDs mission. The system has promoted greater communication and
collaboration among all stakeholders in HUDs information technology
investment process. The system provides a standard database of information
that has streamlined the process of submitting standard reports to the Office
of Management and Budget, thereby improving HUDs compliance with OMB.
Contact: Gloria Parker, Phone: (202) 708-1008
Tracking Number: 3006
Winning Category: Program (Chief Information Center)
Best Practice: Integrated Assessment Subsystem
System Assesses Operations of Public Housing
Agencies to Improve Management Practices
National.
In 1997, HUD used an innovative tool called an Integrated Assessment Subsystem
to launch an aggressive effort to improve monitoring and oversight of the
nations public housing stock. The department developed regulations
creating a Public Housing Assessment System that assesses the physical,
financial and management operations of each public housing agency as well
as resident satisfaction. HUDs Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC)
was created to develop and manage the processes needed to complete these
assessments. To gauge the overall condition of an agency and assign a numeric
score for comparing agencies with each other, REAC developed the Integrated
Assessment Subsystem (NASS). The system is a totally electronic application
that consolidates the data from each of REACs four assessment subsystems
to produce an overall score. NASS also produces a series of Internet-based
reports that public housing agencies can access throughout the year to monitor
the status of their assessments. By scoring each agency, HUD pushes those
with lower scores to improve their operations and encourages those with
high scores to keep up the good work.
Contact: Andrew Nelson, Phone: (202) 708-4932
Ext. 3951
Tracking Number: 1813
Winning Category: Program (Real Estate Assessment Center)
Best Practice: Inventory Assessment System
Construction of Comprehensive HUD Database
Facilitated by Use of Auto IDs
National.
HUDs Inventory Assessment Subsystem (VASS) is an initiative to compile
a central database housing a complete and accurate inventory of all HUD
properties, buildings and units, as well as other critical information for
matching unit-based funding requests to funding needs. Collection of the
VASS data involves performing a walk-through of housing properties while
using a hand-held data collection tool that has user-friendly data entry
screens to capture information electronically. While validating a standard
set of data for the property inventory, the VASS team installs Auto IDs
on all buildings. At the end of FY 1999, a successful pilot with the Alexandria
Housing and Redevelopment Authority in Alexandria, VA, demonstrated the
feasibility of using Auto ID technology and contract assistance in the creation
of a baseline inventory for a public housing authority. The Auto ID will
enable HUD to treat rental units as fixed assets that are tracked and accounted
for in a systematic and consistent manner. The on-site, carefully managed
Auto ID installation and data validation is the first time that HUD has
undertaken a focused effort to record every building and unit for every
property. With an accurate inventory of HUDs properties and units,
the department can maximize the use of its funding and become more accountable
to the people it serves.
Contact: Richard Santangelo, Phone: (202)
708-4932 Ext. 3002
Tracking Number: 1923
Winning Category: Program (Real Estate Assessment Center)
Best Practice: Management Assessment Subsystem
Electronic System Used to Evaluate and
Improve Performance of Public Housing Agencies
National.
The Management Assessment Subsystem (MASS) is one of four key tools that
HUDs Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) uses to evaluate the performance
of a public housing agency. MASS allows public housing agencies to submit
their management operations certification electronically and scores each
submission automatically. The system assesses the management and operational
effectiveness of agencies by measuring vacant unit turnaround, capital funds,
work orders, annual inspections, security, and economic self-sufficiency.
MASS replaces the manual submission of the form HUD-50072 and represents
an appropriate use of available computer technology, as well as a substantial
improvement in monitoring, tracking and communications efficiency. The MASS
score is combined with three other Public Housing Assessment System indicator
scoresphysical condition, financial health and resident services and
satisfactionto arrive at an overall automated score for each agency.
Ultimately, MASS will facilitate communication between HUD and individual
agencies, encouraging improvements in the delivery of services to residents
of public housing.
Contact: Wanda Funk, Phone: (202) 708-4932
Ext. 3276
Tracking Number: 542
Winning Category: Program (Real Estate Assessment Center)
Best Practice: REAC on the Web
HUD REAC Web Site Encourages Electronic
Submission of Documents
National.
HUDs Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) uses its Web site at www.hud.gov/reac
as its primary means of communicating with customers, business partners
and the public. In February 2000, REAC completed a major overhaul of the
site, incorporating the best elements of a daily newspaper, public library
and workstation for public and multifamily housing partners. REAC redesigned
all the pages. The "Whats New" section features expiration
dates for articles to ensure that posted information remains current. REAC
developed a Web Publication Standards Guide detailing the content and technical
requirements for postings on the site and trained a Web team to report and
edit content. A new submission tracking database tracks posting status and
facilitates performance reporting. A monthly "Partner Profile"
section highlights the accomplishments of business partners. More than 1,500
customers visit the REAC Web site each month. Since January, more than 10,000
customers have electronically submitted financial statements and 90 percent
of all public housing authorities have completed certification requirements
for the resident survey process using the Web site.
Contact: Laurie Maggiano, Phone: (202) 708-4932
Ext. 3269
Tracking Number: 306
Winning Category: Program (Real Estate Assessment Center)
Best Practice: Single Family Appraisal Examination
Task Force
Partnership Develops Appraisal Examination
for FHA Appraisers
National.
A committee of public and private partners assembled to develop a qualifying
examination for appraisers who wish to be placed or remain on FHAs
roster. The examination ensures that appraisers are knowledgeable about
the FHA appraisal processes. The roster is composed of appraisers approved
to appraise properties in association with the FHAs single-family
mortgage insurance program. HUD joined with representatives from a number
of industriesappraisal, homebuilding, mortgage banking and residential
real estateto develop the qualifying examination that enhances HUDs
ability to monitor and improve the quality of FHA appraisals. The members
of the committee developed 200 questions that were beta-tested by 425 appraisers.
Applicants wishing to qualify for the roster or remain on it are tested
on 50 questions randomly selected from the pool of 200 developed by the
committee. The test is administered at more than 350 test centers in all
50 states and the U.S. territories. Between June 1999 and April 2000, more
than 27,000 appraisers took and passed the examination.
Contact: Leonard Nowak, Phone: (202) 708-4932
Ext. 3075
Tracking Number: 2189
Winning Category: Program (Real Estate Assessment Center)
Best Practice: Streamlining the Data Input
Process for Multifamily Financial Assessment
Supplemental Data Sheet Facilitates Entry
of Financial Information Into Electronic System
National.
Multifamily Financial Assessment (MF-FASS) is a new HUD system developed
by the Real Estate Assessment Center to collect financial information electronically
from owners of HUD-insured and HUD-assisted multifamily housing developments
via the Internet. Mr. Darren Johnson of Miller, Mayer, Sullivan and Stevens,
LLP, is a certified public accountant who represents a number of multifamily
property owners. Mr. Johnson recognized that his clients were having some
difficulty gathering data to comply with the new HUD requirements because
the MF-FASS submission contains several data elements not normally found
in an audited financial statement. Volunteering his time, Mr. Johnson developed
a supplemental data sheet to facilitate the entry of financial information
into MF-FASS. The supplemental data form helps the person doing the submission
by filling the gap between the audited financial statements and data required
by MF-FASS. Mr. Johnson and members of his firm successfully submitted financial
information for 160 multifamily projects. In addition, he was able to provide
the Real Estate Assessment Center staff with valuable assistance in testing
the MF-FASS application and providing feedback to HUD contractors who developed
the system.
Contact: Darren C. Johnson, Phone: (606) 223-3095
Ext. 215
Tracking Number: 947
Winning Category: Program (Real Estate Assessment Center)
Best Practice: USDA Pilot of HUDs Property
Inspection System
Electronic Inspection System Enables Innovative
Uses of Collected Data
National.
The USDA Pilot of HUDs Property Inspection System will enable the
USDAs Rural Development Agency to more efficiently inspect all properties
that it financially supports, as is required of all federal agencies. USDA
currently uses a manual process, which critics call subjective. The reliance
on paper has prevented the agency from developing a database of property
information or completing any meaningful analysis of inspection data. To
avoid requiring multiple inspections on properties receiving USDA and HUD
funding, USDA elected to test the new physical property inspection program
developed by HUDs Real Estate Assessment Center on its multifamily
rural housing inventory in Nevada. Properties are logged on hand-held computers
using HUDs inspection software. The USDA pilot is the first step in
establishing a national standard that will benefit tenants, taxpayers, property
owners and the agencies involved. With 30 properties logged so far, the
Nevada pilot is already considered a success. Plans are underway to extend
the pilot to more than 350 USDA properties in the State of Washington.
Contact: William Brewer, Phone: (775) 887-1222
Ext.13
Tracking Number: 307
Winning Category: Program (Real Estate Assessment Center)
Best Practice: Working for Jobs
Pre-apprenticeship Program Connects Public
Housing Residents With Construction Jobs
National.
Working for Jobs (WTJ) is a multi-city effort created by America Works
Partnership to build local pre-apprenticeship training programs linking
the building and construction industry with public housing authorities.
This program builds locally-sustained centers providing career and economic
development opportunities for low-income public housing residents. It relies
on local relationships and leveraged resources that span government, labor
unions, private industry and local community leaders. Working for Jobs provides
technical assistance for housing authorities so they can develop a pre-apprenticeship
program offering residents paid apprenticeship opportunities in the construction
industry. Graduates gain access to a union-approved apprenticeship program.
The training model provides incentives, supervision, internal support and
exposure to work experience that helps residents transition to sustained
employment. The program has been successfully replicated in more than 10
cities.
Contact: Edward Gorman, Phone: (202) 639-8811
Tracking Number: 1919
Winning Category: Program (Public and Indian Housing)
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