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Five Year Plan
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As required by Section 511 of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998, the Maryville Housing Authority (MHA) has prepared this Agency Plan. The Plan was prepared in consultation with and the cooperation of the residents of MHA's Public Housing and Section 8 Programs, citizens of the City of Maryville and representatives of the City of Maryville. As such, this Plan represents the culmination of many hours of planning, negotiating, and structuring a plan to guide this Agency into the new millennium.
MHA has adopted a mission statement that states MHA is to provide a quality living environment for the qualified families of this community that is affordable and safe while promoting opportunities for economic development and family self-sufficiency, without discrimination.
To accomplish our mission, we have set a number of goals and objectives that represent the thrust of this Agency's effort to assure our mission is achieved. These goals and objectives are set forth in this Plan beginning on Page one of the Plan Template provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
In developing this Plan, the staff of MHA has taken the opportunity to visit virtually every policy, plan of action, procedure or activity that we use on a day-to-day basis. The purpose of this review was two fold: First of all, to update, revise, change, etc., these policies and procedures to reflect a more entrepreneurial plan of operation; and, Secondly, to make the necessary changes to conform to the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998. The results of that effort together with any additional changes necessitated by our consultation with resident and the local community can be found in a number of policy and procedural changes, all of which are on file at the local MHA office or are attached and made a part of this Plan.
MHA has been an affordable housing provider in this community for over 30 years. Not only has MHA been an affordable housing provider; but, over the past several years, MHA has been recognized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development as a high performing agency in the administration of our public housing program. One of the major goals of MHA in the future will be to maintain that high performing status in the public housing program and obtain the same status in the new Section 8 Management Assessment Program. Achievement of this goal and the other goals and objectives identified in our Annual Plan will allow MHA to accomplish its Mission Statement.
MHA's Annual Plan and the components thereof, outline a comprehensive approach toward achievement of our goals and objectives that are consistent with the State of Tennessee's Consolidated Plan as well as the City of Maryville's objectives for the City. Some of the highlights of MHA's Plan include:
Establishment of 2 local preferences - - for working applicants who earn the equivalent of 40 hours at a minimum wage (seniors and people with disabilities automatically get this preference), and applicants displaced by state or local government
Establishment of a minimum rent of $25
Establishment of flat rents for every development
Establishment of an aggressive screening policy for public housing and Section 8 residents within the confines of existing laws and fair housing requirement to ensure that all admissions, to the extent possible, will be good neighbors
Establishment of the published FMRs as our payment standard for the Section 8 Program
Establishment of a pet policy in accordance with HUD guidelines
Establishment of a community service policy in accordance with HUD guidelines
Applicants for housing will be selected from the waiting list based on date and time of application
MHA has no plans in the immediate future to convert any of its public housing property to Section 8
MHA has no plans to demolish or dispose of any public housing property
MHA is providing a long and varied list of program, opportunities, and activities for its residents
MHA is committed to providing a safe living environment to all of its residents
In summary, MHA believes that this Plan will not only guide the Agency into the new millennium; but, will be our roadmap to continue to provide, and possibly in the future increase, the availability of a quality, affordable and safe living environment for the qualified families of Maryville.
YEAR 2001 UPDATE:
The preceding information is basically the same as was forwarded with the 5-year and annual plans submitted for 2000. The only changes include the preparation of two new policies, as directed by HUD, which are the pet and the community service policies both of which were dictated by the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998.
For the year 2001 Annual Plan, MHA is including the information required by HUD for the Capital Fund, Operating Fund and Public Housing Drug Elimination Program Programs. Funding for these programs, although anticipated at some level, is unknown at the time of this submission. Each of the three programs are funded by formulas that have yet to be calculated for the 2001 federal fiscal year; and, of course are subject to the limitations contained within HUD's budget for the fiscal year.
The funds for each of these program areas will be used consistent with information contained within MHA's 5-year Plan that was approved by HUD on April 10, 2000. The funds will be used to continue our efforts to modernize our public housing units, administer and maintain MHA's housing programs, and provide programs that will help eradicate the use of drugs and other illegal activities in our housing programs. All of these activities are aimed toward meeting the mission of MHA to provide a quality, affordable and safe living environment for the qualified families of Maryville.
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