2000 Best Practice Awards

Best Practice: Akron Lean Based Paint Hazard Control Program

Public Outreach Campaign Educates Community about Lead Hazards

Akron. The Akron Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Program works to eradicate childhood lead poisoning. A joint effort by the city of Akron’s Health Department and the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation, the program has established a public outreach campaign that includes education, blood lead screenings for children, and hazard reduction and prevention in high-risk dwellings. Funded through one of HUD’s Community Development Block Grants, the program also works with the Akron Childhood Lead Prevention Program to provide additional services such as data collection, training on cleaning methods and evaluation. Through the Akron Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Program, Akron has reduced lead hazards in the homes of more than 100 low-to-moderate income residents. Since 1998 the program has conducted more than 63 presentations and media events focused on the prevention of lead poisoning.

Contact: Karen O’Connor, Phone: (330) 375-2077
Tracking Number: 1137
Winning Category: Program (Office of Lead Hazard Control)

Best Practice: Brightening Our Future

Stories and Role-Playing Teach Children about Fair Housing

Akron. In the area surrounding Akron, middle school students are learning about fair housing through an interactive educational curriculum called Brightening Our Future. After reading fair housing stories, which appear in a book geared to middle school-age children, a storyteller encourages student involvement by asking questions and having students participate in role-playing games that incorporate fair housing terms. The stories also have word searches for correct/incorrect spelling and correct/incorrect usage of words and terms. Children have the opportunity to learn about fair housing and the concept of equality before they might experience the negative aspects of discrimination. Since its inception in 1998, Brightening Our Future has been presented at four middle schools in Summit County, including Highland Middle School and Arlington Christian Academy. The program is promoted through local school boards, administrations and educators. Brightening Our Future has been so successful that organizations in California, Virginia and Pennsylvania have replicated and implemented parts of it within their communities.

Contact: Vince Curry, Phone: (330) 253-2450
Tracking Number: 273
Winning Category: Program (Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity)

Best Practice: Charlotte Schmidlapp Women Build 2000

Renovation Training Program Empowers Women and Creates Affordable Housing

Cincinnati. The Charlotte Schmidlapp Women Build 2000 project involves the gutting and rehabilitation of a historic abandoned property in Avondale, an empowerment zone in Cincinnati. The building will be turned into two condominiums for resale to low-income families. The project, which will serve as a prototype for the redevelopment of large older homes throughout the urban core, also includes a training program for women in property renovation and repair, a mentoring program for girls and an extensive volunteer component. Without the combination of volunteer labor and the training program, the cost to renovate the property would be prohibitive. More than 20 corporations, nonprofit organizations and government agencies are involved in the project, and plans are already underway to begin another renovation upon completion of this first building.

Contact: Lawra J. Baumann, Phone: (513) 744-7001
Tracking Number: 1557
Winning Category: Program (Community Builders)

Best Practice: Tenant Based Assistance Program

Program Assists the Disabled with Rent and Security Deposits

Cincinnati. The Hamilton County Community Development’s Tenant Based Assistance Program, which closely resembles HUD’s Section 8 Voucher Program, provides low-income disabled individuals and families with ongoing monthly rental assistance as well as security deposit assistance. With support from a Tenant Based Assistance Grant, a resident can secure housing at participating housing developments at a higher rent limit than in Section 8 housing. A resident can move in only after the apartment passes Housing Quality Standards inspection. If needed, the resident can extend the location deadline to up to 120 days. Once a lease is signed, the lease is supplemented with monthly Housing Assistance Payments, the amount of which depends on a resident’s income. In order to renew an expired lease with the program, the tenant must requalify and units must once again pass inspection. The program was made possible with funds from HUD and the Hamilton County Community Development Department. Since its inception in 1996, the Tenant Based Assistance Program has helped approximately 160 low-income disabled individuals and families per year.

Contact: Susan Walsh, Phone: (513) 946-4882
Tracking Number: 874
Winning Category: Program (Community Planning and Development)

Best Practice: Volunteers of America Crossroads

Programs at Emergency Shelter Break Cycle of Homelessness

Sandusky. The Volunteers of America Crossroads assists homeless individuals and families in obtaining and maintaining appropriate permanent housing. The organization operates a 1,500 sq. ft. emergency shelter for homeless individuals and a transitional housing program for homeless veterans, individuals and families. Onsite services, such as case management, health care, drug and alcohol counseling, HIV/AIDS educational training, money management training and mental health case management, assist individuals in developing a self-sufficiency plan that meets their goals. Participants move through a series of tiers designed to break the cycle of homelessness and help them develop skills necessary to secure permanent housing. Since the program became fully operational in January 2000, 95 percent of participants have become employed; 33 percent are participating in substance abuse and/or mental health counseling and 50 percent have moved to permanent housing. The program is funded with $540,100 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; $1,203,884 from United Way; $105,000 from the U.S. Department Veterans Affairs; $82,401 from such foundations as The Frost Parker Foundation and The Dorn Foundation; and $586,000 from the local WalMart.

Contact: Sue Reamsnyder, Phone: (416) 621-9060
Tracking Number: 314
Winning Category: Program (Community Planning and Development)

Best Practice: Better Housing League, Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program

Emergency Mortgage Assistance Helps Low-Income Homeowners Pay the Bills

Cincinnati. The Better Housing League has established a pilot program—the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program—to provide grants and homeownership counseling to very low-income households in the Greater Cincinnati area. Low-income homeowners who are facing foreclosure due to job loss, illness, death of the primary wage earner, or other circumstances beyond their control can receive special assistance to bring their loan current if they have reestablished an income stream that will enable them to continue future mortgage payments. Housing counselors work with lenders to negotiate realistic repayment or forbearance agreements. Since the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program began in April 1997, a total of 144 low-income households, earning less than 35 percent of the area median income have avoided foreclosure. Of those families tracked 12 months after receiving a grant, 82 percent have been successful in maintaining regular mortgage payments.

Contact: Dot Christenson, Phone: (513) 721-6855
Tracking Number: 1968
Winning Category: Program (Single Family Housing)

Best Practice: Ohio Section 8 Tenant Based Program Survey

Survey of Public Housing Authorities Establishes Industry Norms

Cleveland. HUD’s Cleveland Public Housing HUB and Ohio Housing Authority Conference co-sponsored a survey of public housing authorities in Ohio administering the Section 8 program. Despite 25 years of program experience, little in the way of operating norms and workload measures are available for the Section 8 program. The project was designed to fill this need by benchmarking administrative practices, staffing, processing timeframes and workload measures, and identify good ideas. Extensive input was obtained from public housing authorities in developing the survey, and approximately 75 percent of all public housing authorities in the state responded. The HUD office analyzed and compiled a report, provided it to the public housing authorities and presented it at the conference. As a result of the project, public housing authorities for the first time could benchmark themselves against industry norms for the Section 8 program. In addition, HUD was able to better diagnose and solve problems because it could identify performance and operating and staffing norms, and departures from the norm.

Contact: Michael LaRiccia, Phone: (216) 522-4058 Ext. 7135
Tracking Number: 371
Winning Category: Geographic

Best Practice: Capital Advance Section 202/811 Closing Guide

Guide Clarifies Regulations and Expedites Closings on New Homes

Columbus. The Capital Advance Section 202/811Closing Guide is designed to help the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) clients in Ohio prepare documents required to close a Capital Advance multifamily mortgage loan for Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly or Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities. The guide serves as a virtual one-stop resource that cross-references controlling regulations, policies and directives. In an era of regulatory streamlining, the guide sets forth reliable standards promoting a common understanding of the expectations of program participants and the obligation of HUD to assure that conditions of the HUD Capital Advance Commitment are met. The guide is primarily for closing attorneys and sponsors, although it also contains materials that may be of interest to others in the housing industry. Intended to assist both new and experienced participants in HUD's Capital Advance Program, the guide arranges topics in a narrative form and contains checklists, references, resources, and illustrative sample formats. Because it clearly explains HUD’s role, the guide helps manage a client’s expectations in advance of the closing, expediting legal closing requirements. Delay is minimized and closings generally run smoothly.

Contact: William Cusack, Phone: (614) 469-5737 Ext. 8140
Tracking Number: 416
Winning Category: Program (Office of General Counsel)

Best Practice: Cleaning and HEPA Vacuum Videotapes

Instructional Videotapes Assist Parents of Lead Poisoned Children

Columbus. In Ohio, a set of videotapes provides instructions to parents of lead-poisoned children on how to prevent further poisoning. One tape illustrates how to use a cleaning kit to reduce lead dust in the home. Another set includes step-by-step instructions on how to use HEPA vacuums, which are provided to the public via local health districts across the state of Ohio. The videotapes also include specific instructions on how to change the vacuum bag and decontaminate the machine. Bowling Green State University and the Wood County Health District partnered with the Ohio Department of Health on the project, and in-house direction, production and filming greatly reduced costs. Thanks to the tapes, HEPA vacuums have been loaned to renters, homeowners and landlords across the state, and more than 500 cleaning kits have been dispersed to families with lead-poisoned children.

Contact: Daniel Chatfield, Phone: (614) 466-1450
Tracking Number: 3084
Winning Category: Program (Office of Lead Hazard Control)

Best Practice: Office of Housing and Community Partnerships’ Fair Housing Program

Funding Enables Small Communities to Focus on Fair Housing

Columbus. The Ohio Office of Housing and Community Partnerships is responsible for administering more than $87 million in HUD funds every year in nonentitlement cities and counties, and the office 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 this strong commitment to fair housing, the office has developed an ambitious fair housing program that both enables and requires small communities around the state to promote fair housing rights proactively and enforce fair housing laws aggressively. The program has four components: (1) Standard Fair Housing Program; (2) New Horizons Fair Housing Program; (3) Fair Housing Training Opportunities; and (4) Ongoing Technical Assistance. Thanks to this initiative, small communities around the state have a increased their capacity to address fair housing issues significantly.

Contact: Joyce A. Hill, Phone: (614) 466-2285
Tracking Number: 1225
Winning Category: Geographic

Best Practice: The Ohio Fair Housing Congress

Fair Housing Organization Pools Resources to Provide Services

Columbus. The Ohio Fair Housing Congress, which was established in 1974, is the only statewide fair housing organization in Ohio. Members include Community Development Block Grant recipients, fair housing advocates, the Urban League and nonprofit organizations. Members provide housing, counseling, advice and representation for individuals, especially those who are victims of fair housing violations. As a result of this work, the organization has developed closer ties with government agencies at the national, state and local levels. Three annual educational forums are held each year, and an organizational newsletter regularly informs members of current issues.

Contact: Carl White, Phone: (614) 224-5409
Tracking Number: 970
Winning Category: Program (Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity)

Best Practice: Somerset Homeownership Plan

Foreclosure Becomes Homeownership Opportunity

Columbus. In conjunction with a foreclosure sale on a housing development in Columbus, OH, the Somerset, a multifamily property formerly owned by HUD, the Columbus HUD staff formulated a plan under the auspices of the U. S. Bankruptcy Court that provided the Somerset’s residents the opportunity to become homeowners. With the assistance of the local Legal Aid Society, the city of Columbus Development Staff and the Somerset Resident Association, HUD developed a five-year program. In addition to providing residents the opportunity to purchase available units, HUD’s strategy included counseling and job training. The plan allowed the rest of the Somerset development to benefit from improved property values and the stability of homeowner occupancy in the rehabilitated units. It also provided an impetus for development in the areas surrounding Somerset.

Contact: Alan Coupland, Phone: (614) 469-5737 Ext. 8204
Tracking Number: 3071
Winning Category: Program (Multifamily Housing)

Best Practice: Visual Aid Kit for Lead Prevention

Visuals Educating Decision Makers about Lead Poisoning

Columbus. A simple kit from the Ohio Department of Health is serving as a visual tool to educate legislators and others in Ohio about how a small amount of lead dust can make a typical home unhealthy for children. The kit includes a Pelican case that contains vials of lead dust. Each vial contains 12 percent lead paint dust that shows how much dust it would take to contaminate a typical 1,500 square foot home. The amount matches a HUD action level for lead dust. The kit serves as an alternative to more traditional tools, such as brochures.

Contact: Daniel Chatfield, Phone: (614) 466-1450
Tracking Number 3085
Winning Category: Program (Office of Lead Hazard Control)

Best Practice: Dayton Rehabarama

Rehabilitation and Exhibition of Homes Boosts Sales and Property Values

Dayton. Dayton Rehabarama rehabilitates decaying neighborhoods by renovating abandoned and dilapidated homes in Dayton, Ohio. After the homes have been restored, Rehabarama showcases them in a festival with homes which were recently built. Rehabarama was held in 1993, 1995 and 1999. In each event, Rehabarama purchased the homes for as little as $10,000 and resold them at four times their value. The restoration of these homes has a positive effect on surrounding neighborhoods where property values have appreciated by at least 50 percent.

Contact: Michael Turner, Phone: (937) 333-3652
Tracking Number: 2551
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: Montgomery County Lead Hazard Reduction Program

Montgomery County Lead Hazard Reduction Program Has Educated the Community and Made 178 Homes Lead-Safe

Montgomery County. The Lead Hazard Reduction Program is a multi-jurisdictional effort to train workers and contractors in lead abatement techniques as well as to provide educational and outreach services to affected families. In 1999, 6.1 percent of the 3600 children screened for lead poisoning in Montgomery County had elevated blood lead levels, surpassing the national average of 4.4 percent. The program makes a special effort to focus its training on low- and moderate-income workers as well as Section 3 individuals in order to increase the number of qualified lead abatement workers while helping to decrease unemployment. Since the program’s inception in 1995, 446 homes have been assessed for lead hazards, and 178 units have been made lead-safe. Over 1500 cleaning kits have been distributed to reduce the amount of paint chips and contaminated dust found in aging homes. The program has presented over 1000 educational presentations and enabled 150 individuals to become certified to work in the lead industry. Referrals are also provided to social services such as food pantries and counseling centers for families with needs beyond lead hazard control.

Contact: Judy Mott, Phone: (937) 225-6318
Tracking Number: 2026
Winning Category: Program (Office of Lead Hazard Control)

Best Practice: Greene and Clark County Fair Housing Consortium

Consortium Offers Variety of Services to All Sectors of Community

Xenia. The Greene and Clark County Fair Housing Consortium was established after the report "Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice" highlighted the need to increase the community’s awareness about fair housing laws and practices. By pooling resources from the surrounding communities of Greene and Clark County, as well as the cities of Xenia and Beavercreek, the consortium has been able to offer a multitude of services. The consortium has conducted educational seminars on fair housing laws, tenant-landlord rights and responsibilities, and recorded fair housing law compliance. Traditional services, such as educational material, radio and video public service announcements developed in conjunction with the Springfield Fair Housing Office and the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center, are offered as well. The consortium has expanded its endeavors to include mobile home parks and the Hispanic migrant-farmer community. Members have researched mobile home park laws and provided training to park owners, operators and residents. In addition, fair housing materials have been translated into Spanish to help educate Ohio’s migrant-worker community. The consortium’s biggest success is its newsletter circulation with more than 10,000 subscribers from the housing industry.

Contact: Debra Mayes, Phone: (937) 562-5350
Tracking Number: 936
Winning Category: Program (Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity)

Content Archived: April 20, 2011