Best Practice: Contract For Deed Conversion Initiative

Contract For Deed Conversion Initiative Turns Colonia Residents into Homeowners

Austin. The focus of the Contract For Deed Conversion Initiative is to help Colonia residents become property homeowners by converting their contract for deed into a traditional mortgage. The program provides Colonia residents with the opportunity to seek funding for construction, rehabilitation and other benefits of homeownership. In addition, pre- and post-counseling is conducted for all eligible Colonia residents. In a contract for deed, the buyer pays the purchase price and interest in regular payments within a certain period of time before acquiring title to the property. Unlike a traditional mortgage, a buyer purchasing land using a contract for deed does not have the benefit of building equity in the property. To date, the department has expended $3,415,713 on this initiative and assisted 278 Colonia households, with an average household size of five, convert to a traditional mortgage and bring their homes to Colonia housing standards.

Contact: Susana Garza, Phone: (512) 475-4610
Tracking Number: 1183
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: Texas Rural Development Resource Partnership Team

Rural Resource Teams Support Community Planning Efforts

Austin. In June of 1999, the Texas Rural Development Council and HUD entered into a formal Memorandum of Agreement. All Community Builders in Texas were invited to attend a one-day training session; 25 attended and became a part of the Rural Resource Team process. To date, Community Builders have served on 10 resource teams in rural communities. A rural resource team provides a community with in-depth attention from federal, state, and private professionals. A team leader works with a local leader that will gain the local support and handle all logistics. A team meets with the local leaders, tours the community, and then researches other pertinent information. The team holds focus groups with area peer groups, youth, faith-based and neighborhood associations, and the business sector. The team then goes back and writes an in-depth report and presents the report at an open forum. The report then serves as a business plan for the community’s organization and structuring projects or planning for the next 3 to 10 years.

Contact: Julie Johncox, Phone: (817) 978-5983
Tracking Number: 549
Winning Category: Program (Community Builders)

Best Practice: Oaks of Baytown Mutual Housing Association, Inc.

Creating High-Quality Affordable Housing and New Homeownership

Baytown. Oaks of Baytown Mutual Housing Association, Inc., was created to acquire, operate and renovate a 248-unit apartment community located in Baytown, East Harris County, Texas. In this socially-, educationally- and economically-underprivileged area, residents had the energy and desire to improve their circumstances, but they did not have professional guidance or appropriate expertise. Families at or below the 80 percent median income level had little or no hope of affording their own home. By emphasizing homeownership but requiring only participation, Oaks of Baytown Mutual Housing has filled this gap; more than 50 percent of participants have become homeowners. The Oaks of Baytown Mutual Housing project has been completely renovated and appears more as a townhouse/condominium community. Each occupant has access to state-of-the-art facilities, including computer laboratories, pools, playgrounds and park areas.

Contact: David Mandell, Phone: (281) 686-9146
Tracking Number: 2572
Winning Category: Program (Community Builders)

Best Practice: Collaborative Maintenance Training Program

Fort Worth Housing Authority Maintenance Staff Learns A Valuable Lesson

Fort Worth. Thanks to the Collaborative Maintenance Training Program, the Fort Worth Housing Authority maintenance staff has decreased its repair work turn around time from 20 to 2.04 days. Not only have they increased their efficiency, but the workmanship has improved, and there is increased resident satisfaction and a better living environment. The staff must have specific training appropriate to the technology that they maintain. Based on an evaluation of its maintenance operation, it was clear that the housing authority was spending a great deal of time and money without expected results and that it must train its personnel to a competent level or contract the maintenance work to others. Housing authority maintenance personnel were frustrated as they were trying to correct problems that were outside their expertise. The housing authority partnered with the Apartment Association of Tarrant County to facilitate a Certified Apartment Maintenance Technical Program at the housing authority’s central maintenance location. Private sector staff uses the facility free of charge and in exchange, they train housing authority employees.

Contact: Barbara Holston, Phone: (817) 336-2419 Ext.117
Tracking Number: 3190
Winning Category: Program (Public and Indian Housing)

Best Practice: Harlingen Housing Authority Tenant Patrol

Tenant Patrol Program Cuts Crime in Harlingen Public Housing

Harlingen. The Harlingen Housing Authority (HHA) Tenant Patrol Program trains residents from public housing to be security guards. Once the training is completed, the resident volunteers do foot patrol for the Housing Authority. Prior to the program, HHA residents were living in fear due to the criminal and drug activities that were going on in their neighborhood. The HHA Tenant Patrol was implemented in a collaborative effort between HHA, the residents of the Housing Authority, and the Resident Councils with the goal of eliminating or decreasing all criminal activities throughout public housing in the city of Harlingen. The Tenant Patrol agreed to patrol for 24 hours within six months and continued to do so even after the contract was fulfilled. This joint effort resulted in crimes being cut in half. The Tenant Patrols have assisted in arrests and evictions of residents that were suspected of selling drugs or committing other criminal activity.

Contact: Mary Atkinson, Phone: (956) 423-2521 Ext.20
Tracking Number: 555
Winning Category: Program (Public and Indian Housing)

Best Practice: Windstar Apartment Homes

Apartments Cater to Lower-Income and Disabled Residents

Harlingen. The high housing occupancy rates in Harlingen suggested the need for additional construction of affordable owner-occupied homes and rental properties. However, new construction in Harlingen, as elsewhere, is expensive. The Windstar Apartments were made available to families with incomes at 60 percent of the area's median income. Six percent of the development's units are set aside for persons with disabilities. The development addresses the need for affordable rental housing in the community. The 80-unit apartment building is built on a site with approximately 8.45 acres. There are 40 two-bedroom units and 40 three-bedroom units. Since its opening, the apartment building has continuously maintained 100 percent occupancy. The development provides specific social services for the elderly, physically disabled and families with at-risk children.

Contact: Alfredo Huerta, Phone: (956) 421-2351
Tracking Number: 1399
Winning Category: Program (Community Planning and Development)

Best Practice: Lubbock Housing Authority Parents As Teachers Program

Parents as Teachers Furthers Childhood Development in Lubbock

Lubbock. Parents as Teachers is a 2½-year-old project that uses a developmentally-based curriculum and professionals in such areas as housing, health care, education and social services, to provide help and support to children and their parents. It was designed to help high-risk children of low-income families. Often, these children do not get the opportunity to develop cognitively, emotionally or socially, to realize their full potential as creative and successful citizens. Parents as Teachers provides weekly visits with the parents and children to stimulate brain development. Due to the age of the children, short- or long-term results are still being determined, although national results report that early identification of developmental delays or deficits reduces school drop-out rates, drug and alcohol abuse and teen pregnancy. Families are reported to be more active in their children's educational endeavors and grades for children who participated in the program were higher than their non-participating peers.

Contact: Quincy White, Phone: (806) 762-1191 Ext.201
Tracking Number: 2239
Winning Category: Program (Public and Indian Housing)

Best Practice: Midland County Housing Authority Restoration Project

Midland County Housing Authority Reorganizes

Midland. The Midland County Housing Authority (MCHA) developed a plan to restore credibility to a program that appeared to have serious fiscal problems and was perceived to be inefficient. In March 1999, the new Executive Director of the MCHA recommended a reorganization plan to the Board of Commissioners of MCHA. Priority changes presented to the MCHA Board of Commissioners were re-organization of the staff, development of a program that promoted a sense of pride, emphasized team oriented goals and outcomes, and downsized the staff from a 13-member team to a 10-member team. It appeared that radical changes had to be implemented to overcome such insurmountable liabilities imbedded within the housing agency. The MCHA cut payroll waste, cut personnel, relocated offices to increase efficiency, streamlined financial processes, and developed a "Plan of Action" to preserve the Housing Authority in the face of emergency situations that continued to arise. As a result of these changes, cash brought in combined with reductions and savings amounted to over half a million dollars.

Contact: Sharon Nieto, Phone: (915) 620-1570
Tracking Number: 791
Winning Category: Program (Public and Indian Housing)

Best Practice: Southeast Texas Coalition for the Homeless

Southeast Texas Coalition Improves Provision of Services to the Homeless

Nederland. The Southeast Texas Coalition has generated a regional consensus enabling local officials and homeless service providers to identify existing services, target service gaps, structure a Homeless Services Coordinating Council, and develop a Tri-County Continuum of Care Consolidated Application. The Coalition is designed to assist homeless individuals achieve self-sufficiency and permanent housing. It was created in large part through the efforts of U. S. Representatives Nick Lampson and Jim Turner. The counties of Hardin, Jefferson and Orange, known as the Golden Triangle, suffer an unemployment rate nearly triple the national and state averages. Before the Southeast Texas Coalition for the Homeless was formed, homeless service providers in the tri-county area worked independently. The formation of the Coalition joined over 10 homeless service provider groups with approximately 40 local/state government agencies, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. The establishment of a support system provides homeless individuals with a chance to advance through the Continuum, become self-sufficient, connect to the community, achieve economic empowerment, and reside in permanent housing.

Contact: Angelyque Campbell, Phone: (713) 313-2274 Ext. 7024
Tracking Number: 2924
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: Housing Partnership MOU

Memorandum of Understanding Provides Basis for Affordable Housing Initiative

San Antonio. On November 3, 1999, HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo announced San Antonio’s selection as a Pilot City in the Building Homes in America's Cities program, a joint nationwide initiative of HUD, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Association of Home Builders. San Antonio was one of 14 cities selected as a "Pilot City." The charge of the "Pilot Cities" is to create model-housing programs that will lead to the construction of an additional one million new homes in America's cities over the next 10 years. Upon learning that San Antonio was being considered as a "Pilot City", the City of San Antonio, the Greater San Antonio Builders Association and the HUD Senior Community Builder worked together to produce a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU creates a "Housing Partnership" between the three entities involved in the partnership. This document creates an "officially" -stated working relationship between the local home builders, the City and HUD and will be utilized as the basis for future affordable housing "Partnership" activities involving these and other San Antonio "Housing Partners."

Contact: George Pedraza, Phone: (210) 207-6990
Tracking Number: 1698
Winning Category: Program (Community Builders)

Best Practice: Job Creation through Small Business Development & Retention

Creating Jobs to Create a Skilled Community

Marshall. The strategy for enhanced economic opportunity in the community is to provide education and employment. To make this happen, a community must make jobs available that pay well. Second, to attract skilled jobs that have higher wages, communities must have high-quality training in basic academic skills and advanced technologies. The community of Marshall undertook four programs. They developed the campus of Texas State Technical College in the city of Marshall to provide the high-quality technical training that is demanded by high wage-paying employers. Texas State Technical College opened in 1993 with 70 students and now has over 400 enrolled. They support literacy education and undertake an aggressive small business development program to create jobs. The Business Development Center was created to make funds available to support small business development. It has been responsible for the creation or expansion of 61 micro-businesses, resulting in 195 jobs. Low- and moderate-income workers have held approximately 55 percent of these jobs.

Contact: Janet Cook, Phone: (903) 935-4455
Tracking Number: 304
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: Texoma Housing Partners

PHA Partnership Cuts Costs and Improves Performance

Bonham. Texoma Housing Partners is a regional partnership of Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) covering four north central Texas counties. In January 1993, eight administrative contracts were initiated providing professional management services. To date, 16 PHAs have joined the partnership. Texoma Council of Governments devised the partnership in response to the growing need for smaller housing authorities and the expectations HUD has placed on PHAs. The PHAs range in size from 6 to 104 units, totaling approximately 500 units. Each PHA selects one of their existing board members to represent them on the larger partnership board. By consolidating the cost of administrative and capital expenses, each of the PHAs gain because the partnership cuts costs by having one board, budget, administrative staff, and a centralized maintenance crew instead of 16. The one large entity is more efficient, and more powerful than 16 smaller separate entities. In addition, capital improvements such as foundation issues are now being addressed, vacancy rates are improving as a result of capital improvements and improved marketing, and HUD monitoring staff can now work with one administrative staff.

Contact: Frances Pelley, Phone: (800) 677-8264
Tracking Number: 552
Winning Program: Program (Public and Indian Housing)

Best Practice: The Village at Fox Creek

The Village at Fox Creek Provides New Housing with Access to Amenities

Killeen. The Village at Fox Creek provides low- [60 percent of Average Median Income (AMI)] and very low- [50 percent AMI] income families access to new housing units located near a main thoroughfare as well as life enhancing amenities. This is the first affordable housing development within the community that combines housing units near multiple services—employment opportunities, shopping and medical services—specifically for the low- and very low-income community. Thirteen percent of the 128 new affordable housing units provided by the program are designed to meet accessibility for individuals who have visual, physical and mobility impairments. The development was made possible through the collaborative funding efforts of private sector funding, HOME Investment Partnerships Program funding, and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program.

Contact: Cinda Hayward, Phone: (254) 501-7841
Tracking Number: 852
Winning Category: Program (Community Planning and Development)

Best Practice: Austin Works Together

"Austin Works Together" Project Moves Welfare Recipients to Self-Sufficiency

Austin. The Housing Authority of the City of Austin developed the Austin Works Together Project to help welfare recipients and other eligible individuals make the transition from welfare dependence to self-sufficiency. The combination of welfare reform, a disjointed, inefficient service delivery system, and local economic factors generated a great need for a comprehensive, intensive welfare-to-work program. A 1998 survey of public housing residents revealed that 62 percent have no high school diploma or GOD, and 27 percent have an education level of ninth grade or below. The absence of strong collaboration acted as a barrier to effective approaches to welfare reform in Austin. For example, an agency that helped someone obtain a job did not have the services to allow that person to retain the job and earn higher wages. Austin Works Together was designed to help break this pattern of isolation. Case managers assess client interests, strengths and needs and tailor the services accordingly. The program then provides partners for education, training and job placement services. To date, 67 project participants are employed, and the project is projected to exceed its enrollment goals by up to 25 percent.

Contact: James Hargrove, Phone: (512) 477-4488
Tracking Number: 1174
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Sidewalk Job Training Project

CDBG Sidewalk Job Training Project Provides Both Job Skills and Better Sidewalks

Wichita Falls. The CDBG Sidewalk Job Training Project fulfills two purposes: sidewalks at existing public facilities are reconstructed and meaningful job training opportunities are provided. This unique program is a six-month job training opportunity for unemployed or low/no skill workers that teaches participants the basics of concrete work using sidewalk construction. Unskilled yet employable workers need training and opportunity to increase their marketability in the labor force. The program develops skills that can be transferred to the local labor market and teaches workers about job responsibility and meeting performance standards. Work crews replace defective sidewalks and construct new ones where none existed in CDBG target areas within the city. In the last four years, crews laid 75,520 square feet of concrete. Since the project’s inception, 48 individuals gained skills and work experience through the program, 18 were promoted to full-time employment with the City of Wichita Falls and 16 others were hired by local private/construction firms, entered college or were hired by other employers.

Contact: Catherine Fitch, Phone: (940) 761-7454
Tracking Number: 2539
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: Central Dallas Ministries-Church Health Ministries

Central Dallas Ministries Lend A Hand to the Community

Dallas. Central Dallas Ministries provide food pantries, GOD training and life skill programs, kids’ summer camp and a variety of social services. This collaborative effort stemmed from a gap in residents' health care services that was identified as a major issue. The Church Health Ministries (CHM) organization observed an increasing number of hospital and emergency room admissions from the East Dallas community at the same time that the East Dallas Weed and Seed program was challenged to reduce drug use and violence in the neighborhood. The problems in the community had a direct impact on hospital usage, as a result, Central Dallas Ministries was a natural partner in the CHM collaboration and provides leadership in determining appropriate services needed to pull the community and projects together. The program was expanded to include a preventive clinic that offers physicals, pap smears, well-women exams, cancer screenings and other health services. A community-based advisory committee governs the CHM. Services continue to expand and now include a no-cost, walk-in clinic at a neighborhood community church.

Contact: Larry James, Phone: (214) 823-8710 Ext.17
Tracking Number: 912
Winning Category: Program (Public and Indian Housing)

Best Practice: Lubbock Habitat for Humanity-Increasing Affordable Housing

Building a Better Future through Vocational Education

Lubbock. A partnership between Habitat for Humanity in Lubbock, Texas, the Lubbock Independent School District, and the Windham School District of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has provided six homes to families who could not otherwise afford a home or are currently living in substandard or shared housing. The partnership helps address the real need for affordable housing for low-to very low-income families, the need for skilled construction workers and the need for vocational education to provide marketable skills for both students and prisoners.

The vocational education consists of classroom time and hands-on experience. Lubbock Habitat provided the funding for the materials and the licensed labor needed to build a house. The students build the house in a parking lot, and after completion of the students’ portion, the home is moved to its site where Habitat volunteers complete the home. The first home built under this partnership wad dedicated in November 1998. Since that time, two more homes have been completed.

The partnership with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice was established in September 1998, and the first home was constructed as part of two 90-day courses. The inmates built the home, did the rough plumbing and wiring, as well as put in the insulation, windows and doors. This program teaches inmates marketable skills that they can use when they leave the correctional facility, and the inmates will see tangible results of their labor.

Lubbock Habitat not only instituted a creative way to provide labor for the construction of homes, but also provided students and inmates with a program that gives them valuable trade skills. Taxpayers benefit because the tax base has increased.

The Lubbock partnership can be replicated in three easy steps:

• Determine a source of funds for materials and paid labor. Grants or charitable contributions can be used. Although Lubbock Habitat used no HUD funding, the program could easily be modified to use HUD funds. Providing both housing and vocational education is a good way to leverage funds.
• Determine a basic outline for the proposed partnership, i.e., who will provide the materials and services.
• Seek and obtain a partnership with school or correctional facility.

Contact: John Mallory, Phone: (806) 763-4663
Tracking Number: 872
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: Valley Community Ministries (Doing Business as Loaves and Fishes)

Loaves and Fishes Helps Homeless with Meals and Job Placement Services

Harlingen. The "Loaves and Fishes" organization brings together government funds, local church organizations, and 19 varied and diverse agencies/entities to provide comprehensive services to help homeless persons in the city of Harlingen become productive members of the community. In its first year, "Loaves and Fishes" goal was simply to feed the hungry. That year 11,189 meals were served. The annual number of meals provided now exceeds 70,000. In addition to feeding the hungry, it became apparent that job placement services were needed in the city of Harlingen for these individuals. The "Job Shop" is designed to put people who are currently on welfare back into the community as taxpayers. While these individuals are volunteering, they are provided with on-the-job training that prepares them to enter the work force. The activities of the "Job Shop" include assessing client skills and abilities, resume preparation, providing employment placement leads, additional follow-up after employment, providing facilities for language skills education, and preparation for citizenship testing. Software is available for clients who are pursuing their GED certificates. Out of 196 clients assisted during 1999, 103 individuals found employment through the "Job Shop." To date over 150 employers in the Harlingen area have given "Job Shop" clients a chance at self-sufficiency.

Contact: George John, Phone: (956) 423-1444
Tracking Number: 1592
Category: Program (Community Planning and Development)

Content Archived: April 20, 2011