2003 Moving To new Ways Annual Report

In December 2003, the Board of Commissioners adopted Seattle Housing Authority's fiscal year 2003 Moving To new Ways Annual Report, which summarizes the year's activities and accomplishments. Below are highlights from the report. 

2003 Initiatives

• SHA had a very successful grant writing year, securing more than $1.2 million for supportive services for residents from partner agencies. 
   

• Energy conservation measures were taken to save more than $1 million annually in utility costs to the housing authority and residents. More than 5,200 toilets were replaced with water-saving models. Hot water boilers were replaced at Olive Ridge and International Terrace, saving at least $1,000 a month in utility costs.
   

• Information and application forms for potential applicants for SHA housing are now posted on SHA's Web site in six languages: Chinese, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese, as well as English. (Click here to link to housing applications.)
   

• A new rent policy for the Seattle Senior Housing Program was established. This new policy protects the financial viability of SSHP, which receives no federal subsidy, while ensuring that rents remains affordable for seniors with incomes less than $16,000 per year. A volunteer Rent Structure Advisory Committee consisting of SSHP residents and advocates, housing experts and City of Seattle representatives helped SHA craft the new rent policy.
   

• The Board of Commissioners adopted new local preferences for admission to public housing and the Housing Choice Voucher program. Now households who have incomes below 30 percent of the area median income for their family size, or households who are homeless have priority for admission. 
   

• SHA formed Impact Property Management, an affiliate, to manage low-income properties with a wide variety of populations, financing and compliance requirements.

Rainier Vista ground breaking in August	Lake City Commons, 15 new 2-bedroom apartments for Holly Park replacement housing	Preserving the historic Lee House at NewHolly	Newly-employed Job Connection participants with Harry Thomas and their job coach.

Milestones in Community Revitalization

• Infrastructure construction began at the third and final phase of NewHolly, and the first phases of Rainier Vista and High Point.
   

• The site for the new Yesler Community Center was conveyed to the Seattle Parks Department.
   

• The first rehabilitated Tri-Court building began leasing as a smoke-free community.
   

• High Point was awarded $1.8 million for the Healthy Homes initiative for asthma prevention and intervention. SHA will build 35 healthy homes at High Point and work with the Health Department, Neighborhood House and SafeFutures on asthma education and monitoring with the asthma-affected families who will live in those homes.

Housing Resources

During FY 2003, SHA:

• Received 375 new Housing Choice Vouchers from the federal government.
   

• Purchased 319 units of affordable housing, of which 160 will count toward replacement housing goals.
   

• Completed construction of Lake City Commons, a 15-unit building of two-bedroom apartments that contributes to Holly Park replacement housing goals.
   

• Assumed management of Kateri House, 8 units of housing for people with chronic mental illness.

Performance Indicators

• Over 11,600 households, with over 24,000 individuals, benefited from SHA housing assistance by the end of the year, up from 10,900 households at the end of FY 2002. Over 88 percent of households receiving housing assistance have incomes below 30 percent of the area median income.
   

• SHA collected 98.8 percent of rent due in public housing.
   

• SHA responded within 30 days to 96 percent of regular work order requests received from residents of SHA communities; the fourth year of a trend of significantly improved performance in this area.
   

• The public housing vacancy rate was 3.65 percent; Section 8 New Construction was 2.6 percent; and the Seattle Senior Housing Program was 4.3 percent.
   

• SHA completed 100 percent of required inspections in public housing and the Housing Choice Voucher program.
   

• SHA used 100 percent of the funds available in the Housing Choice Voucher program, and leased up 1,000 new voucher participants.
   

• For the sixth year in a row, SHA received an Annual Audit Report with no findings.  SHA also received clean opinions on its financial statements for all of its tax credit partnerships.

For the complete text of the report in PDF format click here.

For the complete text of the report appendices in PDF format click here. The appendices contain information on resident and applicant demographics, SHA financial reports, capital activities and building vacancy rates, as well as evaluation of the Moving to new Ways public housing rent and applicant choice policies.

Each July during Moving to new Ways, SHA adopts an annual plan that describes activities planned for the following fiscal year. Click here for information on SHA's Fiscal Year 2004 Annual Moving to new Ways Plan.

For more information about SHA's annual report or the Moving To new Ways program, contact Andria Lazaga at alazaga@seattlehousing.org or (206) 615-3546.