Pinellas County Housing Authority Receives Two National Merit Awards for Administrative Innovation

NAHRO Press Release – July 18, 2013

Pinellas County Housing Authority has been chosen as a winner of two prestigious National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Awards of Merit for their innovative administrative work.

The award recognizes outstanding achievement in housing and community development programs throughout the nation. The award will be presented to:

• Educational Contractor Workshops: The Pinellas County Housing Authority (PCHA) determined that many contractors view the housing authority bidding procedures overwhelming due to the amount of paperwork and bonding requirements.   In an effort to better inform the local contracting community on the various types of solicitations and their differing requirements, PCHA held educational workshops for contractors providing various types of services. Two types of workshops were presented: 1. a general how-to workshop titled “How to Do Business with PCHA”, and 2. a workshop aimed to simplify contractors’ understanding of the requirements relating to the Davis Bacon Related Act.
• Peer to Peer Training Program: As HUD regulations change and PHA policies are revised, training is key to maintaining efficient and effective operations in the Housing Choice Voucher program. Continuous learning opportunities are necessary to reinforce regulatory requirements and agency policies and procedures to maintain high performance. In a climate of significant funding decreases it is more important than ever that innovative, cost-saving techniques are used to maintain a level of staff training to continuously improve and maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of HCV program operations without significantly impacting the budget. The implementation of the Peer to Peer Training Program provides the solution.

“NAHRO members have been leading the way with innovative solutions to address resident services, management and operations, affordable housing preservation and sustainable development, and economic revitalization in their communities,” said NAHRO President Betsey Martens.  “They have stepped up, taken advantage of opportunities to find new and creative ways to address local housing needs and we are proud to recognize their achievements.”

The 2013 NAHRO Awards of Merit recognize outstanding achievement in housing and community development programs in five categories.

Administrative Innovation recognizes innovative methods in areas such as maintenance, community relations, and interagency cooperation. Program Innovation — Affordable Housing includes special programs for homeownership, public/private partnerships, and innovative financing. Program Innovation — Community Revitalization includes innovative use of programs in areas such as economic development, neighborhood preservation, and creative financing. Program Innovation — Resident and Client Services includes innovative use of programs such as special activities for children, families, and the elderly, anti-drug programs, social services, and self-sufficiency. Project Design includes efforts such as new housing design, housing modernization, enduring design, and landscape design.

About NAHRO

The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, established in 1933, is a membership organization of over 23,000 housing and community development agencies and professionals throughout the United States whose mission is to create affordable housing and safe, viable communities that enhance the quality of life for all Americans, especially those of low- and moderate-income. NAHRO’s membership administers more than 3 million housing units for 7.6 million people. 

About Pinellas County Housing Authority

Pinellas County Housing Authority is the largest housing authority in Pinellas County; they currently provide housing and rental assistance to approximately 8500 individuals through agency-owned affordable housing, public housing, assisted living and the administration of the Housing Choice Voucher program. Their area of operation for the public housing and housing voucher program includes all unincorporated and incorporated areas of Pinellas County with the exception of the Cities of Clearwater, Dunedin, St. Petersburg and Tarpon Springs.