News. Massachusetts Chapter National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials March 2011

Transcription

1 Massachusetts Chapter National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials March 2011 News Published by Massachusetts NAHRO Boston, MA Vol. XXXV No. 3 Annual Legislative Day March 22 MassNAHRO s 2011 Legislative Education Day will be held on March 22 at the State House in Boston. This annual event is a key step in advancing the effort to preserve and revitalize the public housing program. The agenda begins with a 10 a.m. briefing for officials on state public housing and housing authorities, the fiscal 2012 budget priorities, and proposed legislation that merits consideration. Registration materials and a detailed agenda appear online at A traditional luncheon, to which all state Senators and Representatives are warmly invited, will begin with a brief speaking program at 12 noon in the Great Hall of the State House. Reservations are required. MassNAHRO members are strongly encouraged to visit with their state legislators after 11 a.m., at the luncheon in the Great Hall, or after lunch. The fee for MassNAHRO members and their guests is $35.00 which includes continental breakfast, informative materials and lunch. The NAHRO DC Conference To Oppose Deep Cuts to PHA Programs Local housing officials are streaming to NAHRO s Legislative Conference in Washington from March 27 - March 30 to advocate for reasonable funding levels in the HUD budget for the remainder of fiscal 2011 and all of fiscal The possibility of major cutbacks to public housing operating and capital funding levels are very real. Public housing has been targeted specifically by the new majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Cut backs to 2010 levels or even deeper to 2006 levels are on the table. A government shutdown on March 4 is a real possibility as neither Democrats nor Republicans want to blink during this cost cutting fever. It will be ultimately up to the Senate and the President to determine which HUD programs take the biggest hit. Without question severe program cutbacks threaten to greatly impair the ability of PHAs to repair and provide housing to the lowest income residents nationally. Additionally, the President has suggested funding the Public Housing Operating Fund in FY 2012 in part by using an offset of a PHA s reserves locally. Recapture of housing authority reserves only threatens to leave PHAs without adequate resources for emergencies. HUD has warned PHAs not to spend down their reserves. Hot button items like SEVRA, Choice Neighborhoods, PHDEP and others will be placed on hold as the battle between budget cutting and meeting the operational and capital needs of the PHAs takes place. As in the past, delegations from each Massachusetts Congressional District will meet with their respective congressmen or their staff. MassNAHRO is coordinating a meeting with Senator Scott Brown and will be contacting all NAHRO conference registrants from Massachusetts to assemble a master list of meeting times and dates. NERC/NAHRO is hosting a Legislative Breakfast at the Washington Renaissance Hotel on March 29 at 8 a.m. exclusively for delegates from the six New England states. For registration information visit and click on Upcoming Events. The deadline for registering for the breakfast is Monday, March 21, and the fee is $40. In anticipation of the conference, National NAHRO will e mail out the National Legislative Agenda to all NAHRO members. Please review continued on page 2 fee for lunch for legislators is $20. Over 60 legislators attended last year. Mass NAHRO urges housing authority officials to bring local budget impact information on their developments and programs, plus information on how the authority serves the housing and social service needs in their communities. Invited guests include the Legislative Leadership and the Chairs of the Joint Committee on Housing. Call the MassNAHRO office at with questions. Housing Committee Meets With DHCD On February 3, 2011, the Housing Committee of MassNAHRO met with officials from DHCD including Acting Associate Director for Public Housing and Rental Assistance Lizbeth Heyer, Associate Director for Stabilization Bob Pulster, Director of Housing Management Laura Taylor and Asset Management Coordinator Paul McPartland. Several key agenda items are outlined below. Budget The impact on the ANUEL of $62.5 million for subsidy in fiscal 2012 is not known. A number of state developments have been rejected by HUD for federal conversion under ARRA. Accordingly, MassNAHRO respectfully requested that the Governor not veto additional funds if so voted by the Legislature. Three years of 4.7% cuts to expense caps has reduced housing authority operational viability. The actual number of vacancies over 61 days needs to be clarified as consistency is key in advocating with Ways and Means. DHCD supplies information on the vacancies as reported by LHAs. The seemingly very low number of only 350 vacancies, as sent to the Ways and Means Committees, omitted 94 non reporting housing authorities including continued on page 3

2 2 Massachusetts Public Housing Administrator (MPHA) Personnel Atty. Jeffrey L. Driscoll March 4 - Franklin H.A. Finance Maintenance & Mod Teresa Ewald, CPA Gene Capoccia March 15 - Auburn H.A. Professional Relationships/Procurement Atty. Jeffrey L. Driscoll April 8 - Natick H.A. For information including registration materials visit the Upcoming Events page at Board Member Certification Program Finance Saturday, March 12 Waltham H.A. 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Personnel Friday, March 25 Plymouth H.A. 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Attendance carries credits towards Board Member Certification. For information including registration materials visit the Upcoming Events page at Residents, Board, Employees Eligible for College Scholarships The MassNAHRO Past Presidents Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to provide tuition assistance to eligible residents, board members, employees and their families pursuing college educations. Each year the Scholarship Committee holds its annual competition, evaluating applications and awarding over $20,000 in scholarships. The one-page application will be available on the MassNAHRO web site in early March on the Annual Conference page under Upcoming Events. Member agencies are encouraged to share the information with all residents, board members and employees as they and their families are eligible. The deadline to apply is April 15. Winners will be announced at the 2011 MassNAHRO Annual Conference in May. President s Corner March 2011 In a past conversation, I spoke of a period in my life growing up in the streets of East Boston. Moving forward to another phase of my adolescent days, my family and I separated from the life we only knew. I suddenly awoke to complete and utter silence, something I had never experienced in the first eleven years of my life in the inner city of Boston. You see, my city born and bred parents bought their first and last home in quiet, suburban Wilmington, Mass. For the first several years life in the suburbs was terrible. We lived right on Silver Lake, and behind our house there was a field. However, my old friends were history. My ability to hustle a buck was gone. My Dad would preach to me that I had to adapt. There was no choice. I was desperate to learn new ways! Eventually I did and came to realize what a great place it was to grow up in the Lake Area. Playing make-up football at Melzar s Field, swimming and playing hockey on the lake well into the night, it couldn t get any better. Let s fast forward from the late fifties and sixties to February I m driving with my wife through the old neighborhood. I stare out onto the lake, and there it is a big bonfire and a large group playing several games of hockey on the freshly shoveled ice. Old school, no uniforms, no parents driving SUV s to the arenas, no refs, just plain neighborhood competition and satisfaction! That Currier & Ives-like scene immediately sent me back to those simple days when our mothers had a hard time getting us in to eat supper. Once inside we'd stand over the heating grate listening to the ice on our clothes sizzle as it melted from our frozen coats and pants. Today I m in another phase of life and looking at what has been accomplished since those wonderful years of my youth. As I near retirement I will remember those days in public housing much in the same way as when lacing up the skates brought so many smiles to my face. Please excuse me for taking such liberty and writing with such self-indulgence. (I tend to just say what is on my mind at times). Looking forward to Spring, I leave with a quote from William Faulkner, a favorite author of mine: Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don t bother just to be better that your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself. DC CONFERENCE continued from page 1 the items listed for action in Washington this year. Also, visit the online NAHRO Advocacy page at for the very latest developments in the Congress. Then, contact your Congressman and Senators and request their support. The battle to preserve public housing and community development will this year be of epic and historic proportions.

3 March 2011 HOUSING continued from page 1 Boston and Cambridge. HomeBASE Associate Director Pulster outlined a program designed to provide meaningful housing assistance to homeless families rather than just temporary shelter. There is $20 million set-aside in short term assistance for both rent subsidy and case management. There will be different levels of benefits. Overcrowding may account for 60% of the HomeBASE funding. The tenant based assistance is provided for 3 years if certain stabilization benchmarks are met by the client family. Assistance is tenant based so program participants may choose to move to either public housing or other affordable housing. The first year will include up to $8,000 in assistance for rent, utilities, bills, arrears, security deposits, etc. The program is in the design stage with hearings scheduled on a regional basis to aid in formulating a final product. The roll out will be July 1, Housing authorities requested that they should not have operating subsidy reduced if they participate in HomeBASE as any new funds are needed to turn units over. Participants must meet eligibility and qualification requirements for public housing emergency status. The group discussed working with case management contractors. After 3 years or a family flunks out, they are ineligible for EA assistance under HomeBASE for two years. No one tracks those families housed but then end up back in shelters. The LHAs requested that HomeBASE operate like the Transitional Housing Program in that a legal tenancy is not established but an agreement between the provider and the family is used that can be terminated without an eviction. In concept, the program has merit as rental assistance with case management is a great improvement over a simple cash outlay for emergency housing in a motel room for 8 months. There will be no change in the eligibility/qualification for public housing. DHCD acknowledged that the mandatory service component is vital to viable tenancies. Mr. Pulster has urged regional providers (ICHH contractors) to reach out to housing authority officials. The Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness now realizes the value and importance of including experienced housing authority officials in any planning. The number of homeless housed by housing authorities should be documented by DHCD. It was strongly suggested that the HomeBASE contact persons at the regional agencies be credible has many authority staff have had bad experiences. Mr. Pulster noted that any bad experience should be reported to him and to Lizbeth Heyer. The impact of special needs pupils on local school budgets ($40,000) was discussed and termed a 40B issue by DHCD. Also the possibility of acquisition with the new rental assistance for debt service was suggested. Housing authority participation on a block grant basis was not ruled out as community integration is a HomeBase priority. Many housing authorities are in high homelessness areas and already have mediation panels. Also, several legislators made it clear any savings in Emergency Assistance should go into preserving public housing. The public hearings list has been published. DHCD is re procuring the Section 8 Program per HUD audit. AIMM The response is underwhelming so far for a number of reasons. Only 5 HAs are approved with 5 more under review. Some LHAs fear it might reduce future assistance from DHCD if needed. Others are being discouraged from applying by DHCD staff. RSA The Request for Proposals for the Regional Service Agencies is still in legal with release due soon. Concerns include the contractual issues between agencies. It was noted the pooling of substantial modernization funds is needed to make a Regional Service Agency program sustainable. DOR Contact It was requested again that a contact at either DOR or at DHCD be established to deal with the LHA filing issues related to using the wage match system. Audit Criteria A spirited discussion followed on the need to maintain a hand written master ledger at the LHA. The LHAs contended it was inefficient and 3 unnecessary as the software today has backups. MassNAHRO noted the master ledger veracity issue is bogus and that an agency striving for excellence should not have any trivial findings for an obsolete requirement. This will be discussed with the Office of the State Auditors. Rent Study The Subcommittee felt the draft was good with minor modifications to the scope. Rent data would be collected from a representative sample of LHAs, perhaps by computer vendors. Deductions and exclusions from income should include education. The data collected should include income by source and household composition. Parking fees and excess appliance fees will be deferred or possibly considered in a separate survey. It was agreed rent simplification and transitioning out of public housing were the goals. Experienced staff from Cambridge Housing Authority will be invited to aid the study on the stratified flat rent model as used in the Cambridge. Concern was expressed that, if rents are reduced, will there be additional subsidy to fund the shortfall. Participating on behalf of MassNAH RO were Housing Committee Chairman Colleen Doherty and members John Coddington of Everett, Rosalie Deane of Holyoke, Dan McDonald of Fall River, Gene Capoccia of Leominster, Brian Cloonan of Brookline, Ed Santos of Natick, Bob Hill of Fitchburg, Steve Merritt of Norwood, Kelley Cronin of Acton and Mark Roy of Canton Annual Conference & Exhibition May The Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis For information on: Registration, Program Book Advertising, Hotel Accommodations, Golf Tournament, Scholarship Competition... visit Upcoming Events at

4 4 State Public Housing Legislation Fiscal 2012 (7/1/11) Budget Items: Operating Subsidy of $71 million: The need for subsidy in excess of $115 million is well documented by DHCD s Real Cost Study of Public Housing, the Harvard Cost Study, the State Auditor s Report, and the Public Housing Subcommittee of Housing Committee of the Legislature. The subsidy line item received only $62.5 million in 2010 and 2011, or $ a month on average. Budgets were cut by 4.7%, despite millions in non discretionary operating cost increases. Housing authority income is capped by state law. Spending is also capped based solely on the level of subsidy appropriated, not actual costs. These Allowable Non Utility Expense Level caps, imposed by the state on housing authority spending levels, have increased by only $22.39 a month for a senior apartment, $40.72 a month for a veterans/family multi bedroom apartment, and by $44.56 for a scattered site family apartment since fiscal 2002, ten years ago! The understandable result is apartments become economically unsustainable. Vacated units go unoccupied due to the lack of resources for needed repairs prior to re-occupancy. Supportive Senior Housing and Mixed Population Service Coordinators: MassNAHRO requests $5 million for the expansion of supportive housing in line item and $1 million for the mixed population service coordinator program line item # Both programs greatly enhance the quality of life and maintain independent living for low income seniors. HUD Names New Regional Administrator On Friday, February 18, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced President Barack Obama s selection of Barbara Fields to serve as HUD s Regional Administrator for the six states in HUD s New England Region. Ms. Fields most recently served as the Executive Director of the Rhode Island office of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the nation s leading community development intermediary. Created by the Ford Foundation, LISC finances urban and rural revitalization efforts nationwide by leveraging philanthropic dollars with private and public investment capital to stimulate economic recovery of depressed communities. Under Ms. Fields leadership, a LISC office was established in Rhode Island in 1991 as a single person operation. Since then, Rhode Island LISC has become a significant local institution investing more than $280 million to support nearly $1 billion of development in communities across the state. In addition to her proven record of building a strong community development sector that produces affordable housing, Ms. Fields has successfully linked housing development in low income communities with strategic community economic development, education and public safety initiatives. Barbara s extensive knowledge of affordable housing and her comprehensive approach to community revitalization are a perfect complement to the Obama Administration, said Secretary Donovan. When you look at Barbara s track record, March 2011 Other Housing Bills Supported: An Act Relative to Public Housing Innovation: For a competitive demonstration to streamline regulatory and statutory requirements, lessening reliance on subsidy for not more than 10 applicant housing authorities. (Re-file) An Act to Provide Additional Protection to Housing Authority Residents and Property From Entry By Persons After Being Forbidden as Trespass: Seeks to keep disruptive and threatening persons away from public developments by use of penalties in Ch. 266, sec An Act Relative to the Investigation of Fraudulent Reporting of Income and Assets: Implementation of the recommendation of the State Auditor relative to enhancing rent verification integrity by authorizing the Bureau of Special Investigations to review cases of suspected fraud. An Act Relative To Local Determination of Maintenance Wage Rates: Rates would be set locally by the authority through either collective bargaining or by a determination of comparable pertinent local public practice. An Act Relative to Uniform Minimum Rents: Would set minimum rents uniformly to the federal level of $50. The hardship rent exemption language is already in statute. An Act To Sustain Community Preservation: Would ensure lasting success of the CPA, broaden participation in cities and clarify allowable uses to promote sustainable communities. her commitment to helping those in need comes across loud and clear. She will be a tremendous asset to us in carrying out HUD s mission to build strong, sustainable communities that offer affordable and healthy housing options for all Americans. This is a tremendous honor. I share President Obama and Secretary Donovan s vision and enthusiasm for creating strong and sustainable communities of choice, said Ms. Fields. During this important time of economic challenge and opportunity, I look forward to applying my expertise to help address the housing and community development challenges confronting the people and places of New England. I am determined to bring people to the table, link agendas and get results. In her new position, Ms. Fields will serve as HUD s liaison to mayors, city managers, elected representatives, state and local officials, members of Congress, private and non-profit developers, stakeholders and customers. She is one of 10 regional administrators in the United States. Prior to her service at LISC, Ms. Fields worked for the Massachusetts Government Land Bank, a quasi-public state development finance agency, and the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the City s main redevelopment agency. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Providence Housing Authority. Ms. Fields has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and German from Tufts University and a Masters degree in City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology

5 March 2011 Public Relations Initiative Announced On February 8, the Board of Directors of MassNAHRO voted unanimously to begin a public relations program as a member service to aid housing authorities to rebut negative images and uninformed public perceptions about the state s most successful and cost-effective low income housing program: 47,000 public housing apartments. For decades, after the demolition or redevelopment of high rise projects, misconceptions have persisted. These inaccurate views are fueled by massive negative reporting of a few isolated incidents at local developments. Massachusetts public housing includes no high rises for families. All units are on one, two and three story walks ups. Many developments are garden style with front ant back doors and green space, but the urban myths persist. Those myths need to be debunked at the local level. How to Telephone Your Congressman Be Sure You Have the Right Person - First, ask to speak to the Legislative Assistant who handles housing for the Congressperson (unless you happen to be on a first name basis with the Congressperson). - If you are told the Legislative Assistant is not in or not available, verify that he or she is the proper person to speak to about the issue. - If he or she is the proper person, ask when they might be available. If the response is they will not be returning until next Tuesday, ask to speak to the person handling the issue for him or her. This may get you to a Legislative Aide who is the support person to the Legislative Assistant. The Legislative Aide answers the mail and screens phone calls. - Tell the Aide what you want the Congressperson to do, following the talking points provided by NAHRO. Leave a Message - If no one is available to talk with you, leave a message stating the subject of your call and who you want to talk to. Piles of phone messages which tell a Congressional office that a subject is hot in his Beginning immediately, MassNAHRO will provide member agencies with public relations information that has helped change the public perception of low income housing in communities across the state. To oversee the program a PR Committee has been appointed that includes Colleen Doherty of Taunton, Ray Mariano of Worcester, Rick Leco of North Attleborough, Gene Capoccia of Leominster and Rosalie Deane of Holyoke. The Committee is charged with working with consultants in drafting a strategy to get the positive news about public housing out to the public. Materials available to the membership to download/order from the MassNAHRO website include: - NAHRO s Strategies for Crisis Communication/Media Tips - NAHRO Public Relations Guide for 5 Local Agencies - NAHRO Public Relations Handbook (cost $15) - Effective PR Strategies NAHRO Memo NAHRO s Strategies for Crisis Communications and Media Tips is reprinted on the next page for the information of board members and administrators. Future conferences will include public relations seminars. Additionally, an industry wide media directory will be compiled to aid members in the distribution of local press releases. Because of the severe fiscal and operational challenges facing the membership today, this attempt to build public support and promote the good news about public housing will hopefully result in a better understanding of the mission of public housing and how effective the program can be when reasonably funded. District or State have an impact. And the calls are usually returned. Call Early and Often - If you do not get a return call by the end of the day, call back and go through the same drill again. - Always leave a message with your name, name of your agency, telephone number and subject of your call. - Persistence is the name of the game. - Call early and often. Action Alert Talking Points For the most part, the NAHRO AC- TION ALERT will be a series of talking points for you to use in talking or writing to your Congressperson. They will be cast as steps you want your Congressperson to take and not as general questions such as How does the Congressman stand on housing assistance for the homeless? That sort of question inevitably evokes an equally bland response such as The Congressman has long favored housing assistance for the homeless. We will be in a pro-active mode, telling Congress what to do, not asking them. Stick to the Script - It is important that NAHRO s message be clear and uniform to all Members of Congress. - Nothing destroys an organization s credibility and effectiveness more than its members speaking in many tongues. - Follow NAHRO talking points. Do Not Engage in Modifying a Position In your conversation with Hill Staff, you may be asked by Hill Staff if you, or NAHRO, would support something different than the talking points. If you are asked this, say you will have to think about it and suggest that Hill Staff call Cortney Watson, NAHRO Legislative Liaison in Washington at (202) ext directly so that we can keep up-to-date on options, consult affected partied and reformulate a position (if necessary). Please remember this. Oftentimes, the NAHRO position has been developed as a result of long and careful deliberation by NAHRO committees and the Board of Governors. It may be part of a larger effort involving a number of other public interest groups and associations. Straying from the course can have calamitous results, not only for NAHRO, but for you and your agency.

6 6 Strategies for Crisis Communication and Media Tips BEFORE THE CRISIS - Develop a crisis communications plan. Rehearse the plan and evaluate its effectiveness by periodically staging a crisis situation. - Designate a crisis communications team with the appropriate department and legal representation. Make sure your team, when needed, will be available around the clock. - Select a designated spokesperson. - Have telephone numbers of other people in the agency. Make sure someone is available to talk days, nights and weekends. - Have a contingency plan in place. - Provide ongoing public relations. It is important to maintain a positive image with your staff, the community, and the residents you serve. - Know your allies. Maintain a list of these agencies/organizations and be ready to call on them. - Provide media training for agency heads, commissioners, and other appropriate staff. WHEN BAD NEWS STRIKES - Have your designated spokesperson respond quickly. Don t stonewall the press. Say something, even if it s We don t know all the facts yet. We are looking into the matter. - Be credible, and, most importantly, be honest. - Be proactive. - Consult a lawyer. - If appropriate, accept responsibility, express regrets, and offer compensation. Do so only under the advisement of legal counsel - Create a media event to respond (i.e. news conference, community meeting). Rehearse your response. Anticipate questions from the opposition. Know who your opposition is going to be. - Prepare and present the facts. Depending on the situation, have allies on hand to support your case. - Explain how the incident compares to other occurrences. - Explain precautionary measures currently in place and why they may not have worked. - Indicate what steps your agency will take to prevent the situation from reoccurring (i.e. plan an investigation, hire new employees, push for more resident involvement, make needed repairs/improvements in the community). Schedule a meeting with staff, community leaders, the press, and residents. If you feel it s necessary, invest in paid advertising to counteract negative press. AFTER THE CRISIS - Give the same media who reported the bad news a chance to do a follow up story reflecting what improvements or changes your agency has made as a result of the incident. Give the media all the necessary facts. Be available to answer questions or provide further explanations. Evaluate your crisis communication plan based on this occurrence and revise as necessary. Hints for the Non Professional: (From a Media Guidebook) Based on our research and interviews with newspeople we d like to offer some hints on dealing with newspapers, radio stations and television stations. Newspeople are vitally interested in what is happening in their coverage area. Our hints are intended to show you how to furnish essential information so that the March 2011 newspeople can put it into proper form. In general, the media simply want you always to tell them WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and WHY. By doing this, you will have a much better chance of having your story appear in print. Brevity is a must. NEWSPAPERS 1. Who is your local correspondent? (The larger the newspaper, the more likely it is that there is one.) Get together with the correspondent and determine whether it is best to work with that person or whether you should work directly with the newspaper. 2. Type your copy (at least double spaced) and be sure that your name, organization, address, and phone number are at the top. Start your copy one third of the way down the page. 3. If your release is short, still use a full size sheet of paper to minimize the possibility of loss. 4. If it is dated, try to get your release to the newspaper in advance. 5. Avoid telephoning your information. This increases the possibility of error through misunderstanding. 6. Photos must be clear and sharp. If you want the photo returned, clearly list the name and address of the person to whom the photo should be sent. If you constantly send out photos, a rubber stamp is a good investment since it makes an impression on the back of the photo without damaging it. RADIO/TELEVISION NEWS 1. Don t send old news. 2. If it s news right now, call; don t mail. 3. Don t worry about style. Simply present the facts at the very beginning. Your news release is almost always rewritten. Very few news releases are aired in the same form in which they were submitted. 4. Stations are always looking for a story with an unusual angle or interesting approach. 5. Since television is a visual/action medium, a news story with action will usually receive top priority, particularly if there is substantial citizen participation. If this is the case, the station will very likely cover the event. 6. Know which stations carry a community calendar feature. Such calendars are an excellent way to publicize an event. 7. Most stations that carry news will tape interviews over the phone for broadcast use at a later date. 8. Most radio stations air news items taken over the phone. Contact the news director. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT (PSAs) 1. Most stations air PSA s on an ongoing basis for services provided by a community group. The length of time and number of times that a PSA will be aired vary from station to station. 2. Some stations assist in the production of PSA s. Contact the public service director for further information. 3. Be as brief and thorough as possible. 4. Work closely with the station s public service director in planning your public service campaign. He or she is interested in helping with your arrangement or approach. 5. Clearly identify your PSA as such at the top of the announcement or it may go into File Should you have any questions, call the public service director.

7 March Slate of Candidates Announced Greeetings from Lizbeth Heyer The MassNAHRO Nominating Committee met in Westborough on February 23, 2011 to select a slate of candidates for consideration at the Annual Election, and to nominate Life Members. The Committee included Bob Barrell of Hudson, Tom Wade of Watertown, Steve Merritt of Norwood, Joan Pimental of Plymouth, and Dan Kelly of Westfield. Chairing the Committee once again was Past President Ray Murphy of Holyoke. Three items were considered by the Committee. Officers The Committee reviewed the meeting attendance records of all incumbents, and their detailed resumes. After due consideration, the following were nominated as officers for one-year terms beginning on June 1, 2011: President Richard Leco of North Attleborough Vice Pres. Large LHAs Robert Hill of Fitchburg Vice Pres. Medium LHAs Gene Capoccia of Leominster Vice Pres. Small LHAs Mark Roy of Canton Vice Pres. Commissioner Joe D Ascoli of East Longmeadow Vice Pres. CR&D David Hedison of Chelmsford Treasurer Lisa Audette of Franklin Directorships The Committee reviewed the qualifications of the persons seeking to serve two-year terms on the Board of Directors. Four Directors were seeking reelection. All of the incumbents have good attendance records and audit reports. A geographic representation was sought. The following motion was voted by the Committee: To nominate the following six as Directors for terms beginning June 1, 2011 until May 31, 2013: Leila Botsford of Mashpee, Betty Burnham of Easthampton, Connie Desbiens of Dartmouth, Francine Kouis of Seekonk/Swansea, Joanne Toomey of Dedham and Ray Mariano of Worcester. Additional nominations can be made from the floor at the Annual Election at the Convention Center in Hyannis on May 23, 2011 at 4 p.m. if the person so nominated is present, is a member in good standing, and is willing to serve. Life Members - Under the bylaws of the Association, candidates for Life Membership are screened by the Nominating Committee for eligibility before their names are submitted to the Board for consideration. Persons qualify based upon their dedication and service to the Association. Nominated unanimously for Life Membership were Bob Powilatis, formerly of Holbrook, and Peter Garbati of Malden. Both have made major contributions to the advancement of the Association. New Life Members are recognized on the Annual Conference Awards Night. Newsletters - Only Please be advised that the MassNAHRO Board of Directors has voted that effective March 1 all newsletters will be distributed via . If MassNAHRO does not have your current address, and therefore you are not receiving your newsletter, please Mike at mlazdowsky@massnahro.org with your updated information. MARCHing on together to Formula Funding What s new and what s to be expected this month... I know that you share my joy in welcoming Spring and saying goodbye to the snow and all its associated costs and headaches! I am excited to announce that the new Capital Improvement Management System (CIMS) software is ready and available via the Web! Hopefully by now you ve read last week s PHN , announcing the hands-on regional training sessions for both the Capital Planning System (CPS) and Capital Improvements Management System (CIMS) software. These companion systems provide two essential functions that will continue to support our successful transition to Formula Funding. First, on a local level, these systems are integral to planning and managing your authority s capital needs. Second, at the state-wide level, they will provide DHCD with timely, accurate information with which to advocate on behalf of program needs and to demonstrate your collective success and efficiency using allocated funds. I encourage you and your staff to take full advantage of these training opportunities. A team of DHCD staff are also available to provide technical assistance over the phone and you can access their help by contacting your project manager who will refer you to the appropriate team member. We are putting some final touches on the Formula Funding Program Guidelines, a user friendly manual providing you with relevant, timely information to guide and support you as you move to Formula Funding. The Program Guidelines will be updated as necessary and available on DHCD s website. We will issue a public housing notice announcing their availability in early March Also in March, DHCD will be issuing the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Regional Service Agency (RSA) program. DHCD is seeking proposals from qualified LHAs who want to provide capital and operating services to other LHAs through collaborative partnerships. The RSA Program is intended to supplement and expand LHA capacity and to harness untapped economies of scale. In order to be qualified to be an RSA, your LHA must have AIMM status. We look forward to reviewing thoughtful proposals from LHAs of all sizes and locations throughout the state as we pilot the RSA Program. If you have questions about the RSA program or how to become an AIMM authority, please contact your housing management specialist. Thank you for your continued dedication as we work together to revitalize our public housing stock. Lizbeth

8 c a l e n d a r trainings, conferences & events MARCH 4 Massachusetts Public Housing Administrator Program (MPHA) Topic: Personnel Franklin Housing Authority Jeffrey L. Driscoll, Esq. will present! Sign up today! MARCH 12 Board Member Certification Program Topic: Finance Waltham Housing Authority Teresa Ewald, CPA of Fenton, Ewald & Associates will present! Register at MARCH 15 Massachusetts Public Housing Administrator Program (MPHA) Topic: Finance/Maintenance & Mod Auburn Housing Authority Teresa Ewald, CPA will present Finance, Gene Capoccia will present Maintenance & Mod! Visit to register! March 2011 MARCH Legislative Education Day State House, Boston Registration information is now available online at Invite your local legislators. MAY MassNAHRO Annual Conference & Exhibition The Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis Register today! All registration forms are available at Massachusetts Chapter National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials 11 Beacon Street, Suite 722 Boston, MA ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

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