Capital Projects/Development

The Modernization/Capital Programs Division is responsible for the management of the Housing Commission’s Capital Fund and development activity, including all modernization work at the agency. Contract administration and management are essential functions of this department. In the last two years, this division expended $2.45 million in Capital and Replacement Housing Funds while achieving the following:
 

• Installed barrier free access doors at Davenport Manor. Budget $8,355

•  Replaced concrete pads and sidewalks around the Normans Street Office. Budget $47,814

•  Hired a security firm to provide security services to all Commission owned public housing developments. Budget $122,112

•  Replaced the fire alarm panel at Rosien Towers. Budget $117,750

• Replaced the roof and intercom system at Elmwood Manor. Budget $94,876

• Constructed 17 new public housing homes. Budget $1,778,736

• Repaired the brick columns and facade at Pinewood Manor. Budget $91,237

• Conducted an organizational review. Budget $11,168

• Conducted comprehensive needs assessments at Davenport Manor, Rosien Towers and the Norman Street Office. Budget $23,800

• Expanded the parking lot at Rosien Towers. Budget $99,386

• Replaced the trash compactors at Davenport Manor, Elmwood Manor, Maplewood Manor and Rosien Towers, Budget $53,600

Public Housing

The Public Housing Division provides housing assistance for eligible low-income families. Available housing includes:

• Five high rises for seniors, and persons with disabilities;

• One family development consisting or 92 two and three bedroom duplexes;

• 76 family housing scattered throughout the City of Saginaw

The Public Housing Division administers all occupancy initiatives including applications and admissions, continued occupancy, lease enforcement, inspections, grievances and evictions.

Eligibility for housing assistance is based on income. Qualified families pay rent equal to no more that 30% of their adjusted gross income per month. The following income limits apply. Income cannot exceed the amounts listed below according the number of persons in the household.

Section 8 Housing

The Section 8 Division assists low and moderate income families in paying fair market rent and finding standard housing in the City and County of Saginaw.  A family that is determined eligible for Section 8 assistance will be issued a voucher and they will have 60 days to find a unit that meets the Housing Quality Standards (HQS) for the program. The Commission will inspect the unit to ensure the unit meets HQS for the program. When the unit passes inspection, the landlord will prepare his or her own lease, the SHC will prepare a contract, and assistance will begin. The family’s rent is based on 30% of their monthly-adjusted income and the balance of the rent is paid by the SHC directly to the landlord.

In October 2004, we were awarded an additional 56 vouchers bringing the SHC's total count to 1197 Section 8 vouchers to assist families. At the end of the June 2004 fiscal year, the division had a voucher utilization rate of 98.4%.

The Saginaw Housing Commission also maintains a Family Self-Sufficiency program that provides assistance to families in the Section 8 program with public and private resources to enable participating families to become self-sufficient and independent of all forms of assistance. Since April 2002, two Family Self-Sufficiency Coordinators have been available to work with families in setting and obtaining their goals.

The Saginaw Housing Commission also maintains a Shelter-Plus Care Program that is designed to provide housing and supportive services for homeless persons with disabilities (primarily those with mental illness or chronic problems with alcohol and/or drugs) and their families who are living in emergency shelters, places not intended for human habitation, or in emergency shelters. The program allows for a variety of housing choices and a range of supportive services funded by other sources. At this time, we have 51 vouchers that are in the Shelter Plus Care Program.

Of the 1197 Section 8 vouchers, 230 are utilized for the Family Unification Program which provides assistance to families where the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in keeping the children in the home of having the children returned to the home.

Finance

The primary functions of the Finance Department are as follows:

• Manage and control SHC accounting activities such as payroll, budget, ledgers, tenant payments, investments, capitalization, and procurement for compliance with HUD and State regulations and guidelines.

• Collection and deposit of all SHC receipts and posting of all transactions including the issuance of checks and vouchers as needed.

• Ensures SHC budgets meet HUD requirements by monitoring operating needs, program requests, HUD changes with monetary impact, equipment and maintenance needs, consideration of annual subsidy calculations and the writing and justification of all line items.

• Preparation of financial reports and related documents for the Executive Director and Board of Commissioners.

• Ensures effective operation of computer activities and related hardware/software needs.

• Provides timely electronic filing of all financial reports to HUD through the REAC submission process.

• Provides support capabilities and financial reporting information for all SHC departments as needed.

In summary, Finance maintains and manages the Housing Commission's fiscal affairs to optimize the agency's financial efficiency.

Maintenance

The Maintenance Department is responsible for maintaining all Housing Commission owned properties. Maintenance is responsible for addressing all emergency and routine work orders called in by residents and Uniform Physical Condition Standards (UPCS) annual inspection. The Maintenance Department has maintained an average response time of four days or less for routine work orders and closed over 4,160 service work orders and also closed 428 emergency work orders within 24 hours during the last fiscal year.

Below are examples of emergency and routine work orders.  All emergency work orders are abated within 24 hours of the service call.  The Housing Commission has an emergency on-call service that residents may call after business hours.  Our maintenance staff handles all of these calls.

• Routine work orders: floor tile replacement, fixing broken window panes, pest control.

• Emergency work orders: fires, broken or leaking gas/water lines, loss of power or exposed electrical lines.

Preventative maintenance work is completed regularly at the Housing Commission including:

• Monthly fire extinguisher checks by maintenance personnel and annually by contract.

• Mechanical equipment checks in all high-rises by the building custodians along with maintenance staff on a monthly basis.

• Visual inspections of playgrounds and equipment to check for hazardous conditions which are then corrected by maintenance.

• Resident custodians check roofs, exhaust fans, electrical rooms and air handlers.

The Maintenance Department is also responsible for preparing apartments for re-occupancy, grounds maintenance, building systems repairs, plumbing, electrical and general carpentry work at all properties.

Resident Services

The Resident Services Division enhances the lives of our residents by providing a wide variety of support service programs geared towards self-improvement. This Division monitors and manages our drug elimination funding, Computer Learning Center (CLC), Service Coordinator Program and the twelve special needs programs for the homeless provided by the Saginaw Continuum of Care. The division also assists residents and refers participants to other social service programs in the city. Additionally, this division prepares grant submissions to support the operational and service needs of the agency.

This year, we were able to reinstate the ROSS Service Coordinator Grant Program.  This grant provides support services to our elderly and disabled residents residing in our five senior high-rise buildings. The role of the Service Coordinator is to identify the particular needs and characteristics of our elderly and disabled families.  After those needs and characteristics are identified, the Service Coordinator, through other established resources, provides services specific to each individual's needs.  Speakers and other agencies are also brought in to keep residents up to date on issues of importance to them.  Some of the speakers and services have included grief counseling, therapy dogs, blood pressure screening, cancer awareness and eye exams.  By providing these follow-up and supportive services, our residents are able to remain self-sufficient and live independently in their apartments longer.

Under the Drug Elimination Grant, the Saginaw Housing Commission provides supportive services to our residents residing in our family units and high-rise buildings.  This grant provides:

• A community policing officer who patrols our properties, works with our resident associations, and enjoys interacting
  with and participating in activities provided for our youth.

• A security guard which compliments the services provided by our community policing officer by providing additional patrolling of our properties.

• A Computer Learning Center (CLC) which provides assistance to our youth with their homework as well as educating them on the function and use of a computer.  The CLC has over 200 educational software programs and also provides our adult residents with access to computers to update their resumes and to learn software programs that are used in the business world.