2000 Best Practice Awards

Best Practice: Technical Assistance to Community-based Organizations in Augadilla, Puerto Rico

Unique Position Affords Assistance to Nonprofit and Grass Root Organizations

Aguadilla. To assist nonprofit and grass roots organizations in their administration and organization, a Sub-Recipient Monitor position was created. The Community Development Office recognized that nonprofit and grass root organizations in the area had a need for guidance in their administration and organization skills. The result – a Sub-Recipient Monitor position. This position coordinates with the Special Needs Coordinator to create a strategy for providing technical and systematic assistance to these organizations. The Sub-Recipient Monitor and Special Needs Coordinator assisted a number of workshops and researched nonprofit organizations’ statutes and laws in order to properly train the organizations that were requesting assistance. The Municipal of Aguadilla’s staff developed a workshop involving project and program managers, accountants, and proposal technicians of these organizations. In 1999, through a variety of municipal departments and other entities, 16 organizations received assistance in the following areas: accounting, financial management, proposal writing, incorporation procedures, development and writing of by-laws, Federal Tax exemption 501(c)3, state tax exemption, funding opportunities, and program operations. The training allowed these nonprofits to obtain expanded funding and continue to grow as organizations.

Contact: Melanie Catalfomo, Phone: (787) 891-3965
Tracking Number: 3064
Winning Category: Program (Community Builders)

Best Practice: Mora Housing Management, Inc.

Successful Management Efforts and Funding Invests in Social Services for Mora Housing

San Juan. Mora Housing Management was structured to achieve full compliance with HUD and mortgagee requirements, community participation of its low- to moderate-income residents, and improved quality of life of its resident communities. Mora Housing is a well-recognized company that currently has a total of 2,231 units, a 79% increase from the 1993 figure. Assisted by several entities such as the Puerto Rico Housing Finance Corporation, the Health Department, Social Services Department of Puerto Rico, Bilbao Vizcaya Bank, this program relies on a vast team effort to meet the needs of its communities and maintain a level of excellence in program and staff management. Mora provides affordable housing through several homebuying training sessions and workshops, employment incentive programs, and home rehabilitation systems. Social assistance of Mora Housing include a drug prevention program, employment and educational opportunities (such as the Stipend Program and Head Start), and recreational activities for the youth and employment fairs for all residents. Mora has proven to run efficiently for its residents and meets all funders’ standards by implementing a project monitoring system, which reviews all projects on a regular basis.

Contact: María Rubí, Phone: (787) 793-8181
Tracking number: 2104
Winning Category: Program (Multifamily Housing)

Best Practice: San Juan, Puerto Rico Builds Accessible Recreation with CDBG

Disability Accessible Recreation Center Benefits 20,000

San Juan. The Municipality of Hormigueros, developed a comprehensive idea for the planning, design and construction of a recreation and sports complex for low- and moderate-income families, including the elderly and persons with disabilities. Planned activities carried out under this project included the acquisition of land, plans and design of the project, and construction of the facilities. The project, which demonstrates enforcement of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, also promotes the creation of job opportunities in the area, economic development and the use and benefits of recreation facilities by disabled residents. This project was as a result of a partnership with various agencies such as Recreation and Sports Department of Puerto Rico, the Municipality of Homigueros, other municipalities, and the Office of the Commissioner of Municipal Affairs. As a result of the project, the economic base of the community was strengthened and several obstacles of the disabled population were overcome. The recreation center has benefited more than 20,000 people.

Contact: Maria R. Ortiz, Phone: (787) 754-1600
Tracking Number: 3015
Winning Category: Program (Fair Housing and Equal Opportuntiy)

Best Practice: San Juan, Puerto Rico Resident Survey Marketing

Targeted Marketing Materials Reach 60,000 Public Housing Residents

San Juan. The Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration has taken several steps to inform the nearly one million residents of public housing about the HUD resident survey and it’s process. In 1999, HUD began a historic national survey of residents who live in public housing to assess their level of satisfaction with living conditions. Public housing agencies are required to educate residents about the survey and encourage them to participate. To assist their residents in understanding the materials, all marketing and media materials, including the resident survey poster, have been translated into Spanish. An informative brochure about the survey was produced and distributed to all tenants and managing agents at all 7,200 properties, and HUD provided education about the resident survey to all of the Public Housing Administration’s Administrative Agents. Over 60,000 residents were reached through these materials.

Contact: John Blakeman, Phone: (787) 753-4409
Tracking Number: 1929
Winning Category: Program (Real Estate Assessment Center)

Best Practice: "Rayo de Luz (Ray of Light)" in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Rayo de Luz Shines on 100+ Hurricane Devastated Residents

Ponce. This comprehensive 2-year project is slated to assist six public housing communities in three municipalities of Puerto Rico, which suffered severe effects on their economic and service infrastructures due to the passage of Hurricanes Hortense in 1996 and Georges in 1998. The Sister Isolina Ferré Centers, a nonprofit organization focusing on community development and social service programs, received a grant from HUD for the Emergency Economic Development and Supportive Services Program. From each of the six housing communities, Rayo de Luz Project is serving at least 100 residents, selected on the basis of their need for personal, academic, and career development services and their potential to achieve economic self-sufficiency within the 2-year period. The program offers job training and employment search components, self-improvement and individual and group counseling opportunities and academic tutoring and computer training. The program also advocates self-employment and small business opportunities and has a goal of achieving at least six small enterprises in the target areas through program incentives. Integrating various entities such as public agencies, residence councils, universities, non-profit organizations, and private management firms to create effective partnerships, Rayo de Luz efficiently promoted the "one-stop-shop" concept and involved the residents in a community effort of economic development.

Contact: Allan Cintron, Phone: (787) 844-7720
Tracking Number: 2040
Winning Category: Geographical

Content Archived: April 20, 2011