Based on the agency’s 2011 performance, the Columbus Housing Authority was rated as a high performer by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“We scored a 95, which is our highest score,” CHA Executive Director Earl Weeks said. “I think it is pretty amazing when you consider that most of our housing units have been in service for almost 60 years and have had some pretty rough treatment over the years.”
Weeks noted criteria for the assessment was calculated by scores in four areas: physical appearance, financial, management and capital fund.
“This is great for us, because we will receive extra funding for this recognition,” Weeks said. “We are not funded by the city or state. We are fully funded by rents collected and through HUD operating subsidies. This will allow us to get more money for our capital fund grants to allow us to do more improvements.”
Weeks said his department operates on a $1.6 million annual budget, which is used to oversee 480 apartments as well as pay the salaries of 15 employees. The Columbus office only deals with public housing.
To qualify for HUD housing, an applicant must make less than 80 percent of the median income for the area and have no drug arrest or violent crime history, among other requirements.
“We screen our applicants well,” Weeks said. “We pay an officer from the Columbus Police Department to help with the screening process and investigate any incidents that occur in our public housing.”
Of Columbus’ estimated 1,100 public housing residents, the average annual income is $8,797 and 49 percent of the residents are living on Social Security or disability incomes. The average tenant rent is $100 per month.
“Public housing is intended as temporary housing,” Weeks said. “56 percent of our residents have lived with (Columbus Housing Authority) for less than five years. On the other hand, we have 32 families who have resided in public housing for more than 20 years.”
Weeks also addressed a common misconception of public housing.
“The apartments in Columbus are nice places to live,” Weeks said. “They are energy-efficient and they are well maintained. I would also say that crime statistics are actually lower in our public housing than elsewhere.”
Columbus Police Chief Selvian McQueen agreed.
“There are a lot of Neighborhood Watch programs in the public housing in Columbus,” McQueen said. “They are being proactive, instead of reactive, to crime. This has decreased the level of crime in these neighborhoods.”
With additional grant funding available for improvements, Weeks noted several projects being considered for the CHA, including new front porches, kitchen renovations, remodeling of meeting rooms and more.
Weeks estimated the planned work will generate more than $1 million in contract activity within the local community.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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