As we know, public housing funding for April is at a 73% proration level. HUD plans to issue a second funding to bring the April proration level up to 79%.
The business of owning and managing affordable housing in decent, safe, and sanitary condition and in good repair remains our mission. PHAs need to plan more strategically than ever before. So, as all businesses must ask in tough times: How can we maximize dollars and cut costs?
Reduce costs
All good businesses know that they not only need to bring in revenue, they need to watch costs. Just like our waistlines, costs can balloon without us even noticing. Unlike revenue, reducing costs doesn't have just one or two big-ticket items like occupancy and collection. You may have one or two glaring money pits, but you may also have a lot of little things that are adding up — just like those calories that affect our waistlines.
Tip #10: Set performance standards and manage to them.
A key to productivity is letting employees know what's expected. Are there performance standards at your PHA, and are supervisors supervising to those expectations? Are managers supervising the supervisors? Are performance metrics being tracked?
Administrative salaries and benefits are always one of the largest costs at a PHA. Your PHA needs highly competent employees, and if things get really crunched, you want a fair and transparent way to keep the highly competent staff. Clear expectations, and clear and respectful communication, will be your lodestar to guide you through stormy times.
Next: Working with sequestration in the public housing program: Tip #11
NMA senior associate Cara Gillette trains, consults, and provides technical assistance nationwide in fair housing, public housing management, hearings, economic self-sufficiency, and governing boards. Prior to joining NMA, Ms. Gillette served at the San Diego Housing Commission, administering its public housing and Section 8 waiting lists, serving as hearing officer, managing public housing, and overseeing resident economic development programs. She has previously written for the NMA blog about blended occupancy projects.
If you find that you need staffing help during sequestration, NMA can assist your agency with recertifications (done remotely), quality control, outsourced hearing officer services (done remotely), HQS inspections, and more. Email sales@nanmckay.com for more information.
