Table of Content
Vision ............................................................................................................... Mission ............................................................................................................. Message from the Mayor .............................................................................. Message from the Executive Director ......................................................... The history of Edinburg Housing Authority ................................................... Current Management Hierarchy ................................................................. EHA Programs and Properties ....................................................................... Goals & Objectives for 2016-2017 ................................................................ Financial Reports 2015-2016.......................................................................... Awards and Recognitions 2015-2016 ........................................................... Community Events and Initiatives 2015-2016 ..............................................
2 3 4 5 6 8 12 17 25 29 40
VISION
To ensure affordable, equal opportunity housing and provide a safe, suitable living environment for every resident of the city of Edinburg.
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MISSION
At the Edinburg Housing Authority, we take great pride in serving the needs of low-income families and do our best to: • increase the availability of satisfactory, safe and affordable housing; • ensure equal opportunity in housing; • promote self-sufficiency and asset development; • Improve community quality of life and economic viability.
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MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR
Photo credit: The Monitor
Richard Garcia
City of Edinburg Mayor
The Edinburg Housing Authority has consistently done an outstanding job serving low-income families in the Rio Grande Valley for more than 65 years. As one of the largest public housing authorities in South Texas, it has provided affordable housing for thousands of families in our city. Within these pages, I trust you will find information indicating the spirit of a hardworking agency. Like I have, I believe you will discover that the Edinburg Housing Authority is a vital component and generous contributor to our community. With this said, I would like to give special thanks to the Edinburg City Council and various city departments for their constant support to the Edinburg Housing Authority and the people of the Rio Grande Valley. Thanks to your help, the agency is able to continue offering Edinburg families and seniors the chance to live in a safe and affordable home where they can pursue educational opportunities, employment and ultimately be self-sufficient. Page 4
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR As the end of another year comes, it is time we reflect on the accomplishments the Edinburg Housing Authority has made in 2016. As I look back at the achievements that have taken place, I look forward to a new year with much optimism. With an amazing staff and dedicated, devoted professionals I know we will achieve all our year-round goals for 2017. As an agency we strive to revolutionize and redefine public housing in ways never done before. I feel truly blessed to have the support of many community leaders and organizations, because by working together we will not only change housing but the local communities. We want to break stereotypes of low-income families in housing and make Edinburg Housing Authority be one of the best housing agencies in Texas.
Rodolfo “Rudy� Ramirez Executive Director
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THE HISTORY OF EDINBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY The Edinburg Housing Authority (EHA) was established in 1949 through the Affordable Housing Act of 1939. Since its inception, EHA has been directly supervised and funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
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CURRENT MANAGEMENT HIERARCHY
MANAGEMENT HIERARCHY Board of Directors
Executive Director
Director of Finance And Human Resources
Director of Low Rent and Operations
Maintenance Supervisor
Section 8 Supervisor
Accounting Clerk
Case Manager
Receptionist
Application and Intake Clerk
Maintenance Assistant
Procurement Officer
Inspector
Property Managers
Office Clerk
Maintenance Crew
Interns
Support Staff
Janitor
Administrative Assistant
Note: As of October 31, 2016
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BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Joe Rodriguez Chairman
Eduardo "Ed" Gonzalez Commissioner
Armando Barrera Vice-Chairman
Elias Longoria Jr. Commissioner
Juan Guzman Resident Commissioner
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Note: As of November 31, 2015
EHA STAFF
Rodolfo “Rudy� Ramirez Executive Director
Elizabeth Rodriguez
Administrative Assistant
Public Housing Department
Finance Department
Interns
Maintenance Department
Receptionist
Section 8 Department Page 10 Note: As of October 31, 2016
EHA PROGRAMS AND PROPERTIES
HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER (SECTION 8) Administer rental vouchers to 970 Edinburg families
TAX CREDIT PROPERTY
The Edinburg Towers house 100 elderly/disabled families with 25 apartments under the Public Housing program and 75 apartments under the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8).
PUBLIC HOUSING Owns and manages 373 Public Housing units in six properties: Albores Courts, Viviendas M. Ramirez, El JardĂn, Peridot, Lantana and La Posada.
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PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAM, 2015-2016 Statistics for 2015-2016 • Total Move-in: 106 • Total Move-outs: 108 Major Achievements • Designated High Performer of the Year by Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS), HUD. • Increased public housing inventory by acquiring a new property based on six apartments, referred as Peridot. Other Highlights of the Year • Completion of all reference libraries has been completed, phase 2 Free Little Libraries have been built and installed. • Roof phase 1 has been completed at La Posada
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SECTION 8 PROGRAM, 2015-2016 Statistics for 2015-2016 • Total Move-ins: 153 • Total Move-outs: 160 Major Achievements • Designated High Performer of the Year by Section 8 Management Program (SEMAP), HUD.
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TAX CREDIT PROPERTY The Edinburg Towers house a total of 100 elderly/disabled families with 25 apartments under the Public Housing program and 75 apartments under the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8).
Statistics For 2015-2016 • Total Move-ins: 05 • Total Move-outs: 05
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GOALS & OBJECTIVES FOR 2016-2017
STRATEGIC GOALS FOR 2016-17 Opening more Doors to Education • Developing a pre-GED course plan for adult residents • Applying for more educational grants • Collaborating with different regional educational institutions
Applying for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit • Acquiring funds to construct new housing projects that are aligned with modern housing standards
Partnering with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
• Inviting students from various majors and departments to finish final projects at EHA • Offering specialized internships to graduate students Page 17
STRATEGIC GOALS FOR 2016-17 Staff Development Initiatives • Implementing a staff development workshop series • Setting new criteria for employee evaluation • Devising and implementing a Mentorship Plan
Focusing on Grant Development Process • Reaching out and applying for maximum number of grants offered by HUD and other Public & Private Sector organizations
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PROMOTING EDUCATION
Objective: Opening more doors to education for residents. Why: Education improves the quality of life by providing an opportunity to explore better income opportunities. This ultimately helps residents to move out of public housing so that another person/family in need could be served next. How: The target population consists of children and teenagers. They will be encouraged to seek better education through different Youth Leadership Association initiatives. The school district and other educational institutions in the region will also be brought on board to create different education opportunities for the community residents. Devising a pre-GED course is also part of the process. This will help the transition of less educated adult residents to draw a path towards their GED diploma. Page 19
LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT
Objective: Applying for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit for new development construction. Why: The Low Income Housing Tax Credit is a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. It helps acquire funds that can be used for building new housing developments. This is necessary due to the constantly rising maintenance cost of the older EHA developments. The demand of housing units is also increasing with time. Additionally, the public housing trends are rapidly changing. • How: HUD has a Tax Credit application process for the Public Housing agencies to follow. EHA intends to initiate the application process soon. Services from third party consultants and/or the attorney on board may also be requested.
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PARTNERING WITH UTRGV Objective: Partnering with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley for fresh-minded yet cost-effective human recourse utilization. Why: To utilize human resources on a no-or-low-cost basis. Like other public housings, EHA is also limited on hiring budgets. The students come with a fresh mind and are full of ideas. The University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley is an emerging school based in Edinburg and Brownsville. Some students have already pursued their final practicums and internships at EHA. Major areas of input required are the Strategic Planning, Staff Training, Youth Leadership Association (YLA) initiatives and several summer camp activities. How: Inviting students from various departments and majors to do their final projects at EHA, as well as offering specialized paid and unpaid Internships to the graduate students. Priority will be given to the Public Affairs, Social Service and Communication departments’ students. Page 21
STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Objective: Starting and implementing new staff development initiatives. Why: To offer a prime opportunity to expand the knowledge base of employees. The employee trainings are proven to help in addressing and overcoming weaknesses, acquiring certain skills and also improve performance and job satisfaction. How: A series of staff training workshops have been initiated in the first quarter of 2016. EHA plans to expand on the scope of these trainings to benefit employees. Several department-driven trainings are also part of the strategic plan for the year. Moreover, implementation of a professional Mentorship Plan is in process, along with a revised and more effective employee evaluation procedure.
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APPLYING FOR MORE GRANTS
Objective: Applying for more grants for different community initiatives. Why: To receive more findings to run additional community development programs and enterprises. These additional financial resources along with the HUD ’ s issued limited funds are helpful in achieving EHA’s goals for their residents. Several public and private sector grants help public housing agencies launch and run additional programs of their choice based on the target population needs. How: Specific staff members are charged to do an outreach for the available grants. For an additional support, an experienced part-time grant writer has also hired in early 2016. As a part of EHA-UTPA/UTRGV partnerships, EHA was chosen as an agency for grant writing for a grant development course. These kinds of efforts are aimed to be taken to the next level. EHA might also hire a fulltime grant developer or request services of a consultant in the future. Page 23
FINANCIAL REPORT 2015-2016
Condensed Statement of Revenues and Expenses for the year ending March 31, 2016 (Unaudited) Operating Revenues Tenant Revenue Grants – Operating Grants - Capital Other Revenue Total Operating Revenue Operating Expenses Administrative Expenses Ordinary Maintenance & Operations Housing Assistance Payments Protective Services Tenant Services Utilities Utilities General Expenses Total Operating Expenses Operating income (Loss) Interest Expense Depreciation Expense (non-Cash) Extraordinary items Excess (DeďŹ ciency) of Operating Revenue
$
$743,104 $5,325,762 $310,116 $125,643 6,504,625
$
$1,260,829 $931,230 $3,438,941 $55,555 $144,285 $55,761 $143,104 6,029,705
$
474,920
$
$0 $367,759 $818 (106,343) Page 25
Condensed Statement of Net Assets for the year ending March 31, 2016 (Unaudited) Assets Current Assets Capital Assets (net) Other Assets Total Assets Liabilities and Net Assets Current Liabilities Noncurrent Liabilities Total Liabilities
$
$1,645,084 $5,382,749 $93,747 7,121,580
$
$199,447 $247,937 447,384
Net Assets Invested in Capital Assets, Net of Related debt Restricted Net Assets Unrestricted Net Assets Total Net assets
$
$5,382,749 $32,281 $1,259,166 6,674,196
Total Liabilities and Net Assets
$
7,121,580 Page 26
EHA’S CONTRIBUTION IN 2016-2017 IN THE ECONOMY OF
• Public housing Annual Spending Amount (est): $2,300,000 • Section 8 Annual Spending HAP: $3,500,000 Admin Fees: $350,000 • Capital Fund Property Improvements Spent with various Contractors: $400,000
Total Estimated Spending: $ 6,550,000
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AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT OFFICIALS AWARDS 2016 2016 Agency Award Recipients Edinburg Housing Authority has been selected as the 2016 winner of the Annual Report. Edinburg Housing Authority has been selected as the 2016 winner of the Best Newsletter. Edinburg Housing Authority has been selected as the 2016 winner of the Other Agency Publications (Year in Review 2014-2015 report). Edinburg Housing Authority has been selected as the 2016 winner of the Media Recognition (News reports and articles).
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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT OFFICIALS AWARDS 2016 2016 Individual Award Recipients Maria Lozano has been selected as the 2016 winner of the Resident of the Year. Yuri Trevino has been selected as the 2016 winner of the Administrative Person of the Year. Zulema Garcia has been selected as the 2016 winner of the Management Person of the Year. Dr. Sudershan Pasupuleti has been selected as the 2016 winner of the Community Service Award. Rodolfo Ramirez has been selected as the 2016 winner of the Executive of the Year.
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EHA SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS  Edinburg Housing Authority would like to congratulate the EHA Scholarship recipients Gladys Sanchez, Juliany Zamora, Karla Trevino and Brandon Rodriguez! All four recipients are continuing their education by attending a University/College of their choice. We are so proud of these hardworking individuals and wish them the best on their new journey!
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EHA RESIDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS Brandon Rodriguez EHA resident becomes Southwest NAHRO Scholarship Recipient
We are extremely proud of Brandon Rodriguez, Albores Courts resident, for having been selected as Southwest NAHRO’s highest scholarship recipient. With the success of outstanding residents like Brandon, Edinburg Housing Authority (EHA) is meeting its goal of rethinking housing. At EHA, change starts with us.
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EHA RESIDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS First Resident, Fernando Sanchez from Texas A&M, to complete the EHA College Ring Challenge Mr. Sanchez is the first EHA resident to complete our College Ring Challenge, which encourages our young adults to pursue higher education and graduate from a university. Upon completion the student is awarded with a college ring from their respective university paid in full by the EHA Scholarship Fund. EHA staff, residents, friends and family are extremely proud of Mr. Sanchez for his great accomplishment! We hope his story encourages others to challenge themselves to pursue higher education and strive for better opportunities.
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& Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) program
Section Eight Management Assessment Program (SEMAP)
Recognitions 2016-2017
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT RECOGNITIONS – PUBLIC HOUSING DEPARTMENT
The EHA Public Housing department was designated a highperformer for the fourth consecutive time in 2015-16 in HUD’s Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS).
High-performer
2015-2016 Page 35
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT RECOGNITIONS – SECTION 8 DEPARTMENT
Section 8 was also a designated high-performer again in HUD’s Section Eight Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) for the fourth consecutive time in 2015-2016.
High-performer
2015-2016 Page 36
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND INITIATIVES
UTRGV INTERNS, 2016 The Edinburg Housing Authority has partnered with the UTRGV Social Work and Public Administration Departments for an internship initiative. Over the past two years, 23 students have participated in a semester-long internship practicum at EHA. This gives them a great opportunity to help their community and to get practical, hands-on experience in their chosen field while solving real world problems.
Fall Interns
Kenie Azamar
Maria Vargas
Anne Gonzalez
Stephanie Gonzalez
Gloria Jalife
Oscar Lopez
Summer Interns
Spring Interns Ericka L. Anderson
Felipe Carillo
Irene Ramirez
Larissa M. Barron
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 The public housing programs at EHA offer community involvement and partners with local service agencies to help meet the needs of the program families.  Work to help families become self-sufficient and improve their financial situation.  With the services they promote annual activities and encourages residents to participate in the events the EHA holds.
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EHA YOUTH BOOTCAMP 2016
This year, EHA along with the Youth Leadership Association held bi-weekly gatherings for youth from both El Jardin and Lantana developments in order to expose them to a variety of skills such as Photography, Computer Literacy, Healthy Eating and Exercise, etc. to build up good character and gain experience.
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EDINBURG
RD 34
ANNUAL ALL-AMERICAN 10K RUN/WALK
Staff, residents, YLA members and Gamma sisters participated in the Edinburg 34th Annual 10K Run/Walk. The 10K was held on February 06, 2016, and was organized by the Parks & Recreation Department, City of Edinburg. The purpose of participating in this event was to motivate staff and resident families to exercise in order to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
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CINDERELLA’S CLOSET In collaboration with Captivating Chi Beta Chapter of SLG National Sorority from UTRGV and EHA, dresses for a variety of occasions were collected in an effort to bring our young women from all our developments the opportunity to experience unforgettable moments without the pricey tag of having to buy a nice gown whether it be for prom, homecoming, a wedding or a quinceaùera.
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CATHOLIC CHARITIES EHA’s Youth Leadership Association (YLA) volunteered at Sacred Heart Church in McAllen, TX, as a part of their involvement in community service. The members volunteered at the church’s refugee center, a donation-based program under Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley that is directed by Sister Norma Seni Pimentel, which assists refugees seeking asylum in the United States. As refugees from Central America arrived, YLA members assisted them by providing them with a change of clothes, personal hygiene items and a meal.
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1ST ANNUAL EHA 5K FUN RUN/WALK Edinburg Housing Authority (EHA) held it’s First Annual EHA 5K on Aug. 6, 2016 in Edinburg, TX. Over 250 runners, 50 volunteers, 45 sponsors and donors, ten organizations, four drum lines and two cheerleading groups all made EHA’s First Annual 5K Fun Run/Walk a huge success!
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Mother’s Day & Father’s Day Celebrations
In order to honor both our mothers and fathers EHA staff and Interns put together celebrations for Mother’s Day (May 10, 2016) and Father’s Day (June 16, 2016) for EHA residents in the Los Albores gymnasium.
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EHA SUMMER CAMP 2016 Art and Fine Arts workshops  EHA youth at summer camp were offered an opportunity to enhance their creative skills through local professionals, who conducted workshops in painting and performing arts.
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EHA SUMMER CAMP 2016 Robotics  Summer camp participants were also offered robotics classes at La Posada and Lantana community centers.
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EHA SUMMER CAMP 2016 Closing Art Performance by Summer Camp Youth  The music class concluded the program by giving a 1980sthemed music performance for both the EHA staff and their parents. Once again, the program proved to be a huge success. EHA would like to give a special thanks to our volunteer teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Cantu for taking the time to teach our young residents about robotics, art, and music.
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BACKPACK GIVEAWAY On August 11, 2016 EHA along with the collaborative efforts of State Representative Terry Canales, A Vision for You, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, RGV FC Toros, and Superior Health Plan distributed more than 500 backpacks with school supplies to kids ages 0-18 from La Posada, Lantana, Ramirez, Albores, and El Jardin to prepare them for the upcoming school year.
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EHA FUN DAY
After the backpack giveaway on August 11, 2016. EHA held it’s first ever Fun Day. Where families from all of our developments could come out and enjoy the day with some games, bounce houses, waterslide, soccer and other activities. They could also visit the agencies present that day passing out goodies and providing useful information.
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3ND ANNUAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS WALK
Edinburg Housing Authority hosted its third Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk on October 19, 2016. The walk took place at La Posada walking trail, an EHA development. Nearly 100 people came out in support, including residents, staff and agency representatives. All attendees wore pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
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LIBRARIES AND BOOK HOMES AT EHA
In efforts to push and encourage reading. EHA has built fully functional libraries at all 5 properties in order to give residents access to books. A more recent initiative is the installation of Little Free Library homes which will also be at all properties, giving residents access to books 24/7. Take a book, leave a book is the phrase to follow.
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1st Applebee’s Collaboration! Raising funds for Books!
EHA is effortlessly working on transforming book desert environments to book enriched environments thanks to the initiative of Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. By implementing varies programs and activities for our residents we will bring change to the lives of residents with books. By collaborating with Applebee’s we will raise funds for books, which will supply our libraries and book homes.
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Annual Report 2016
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