2007 Moving to new Ways Annual Report

Seattle Housing is one of about 30 housing authorities across the country participating in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Moving to new Ways (MTW) demonstration program. Under MTW, SHA has the opportunity to test innovative methods, improving housing to better meet local needs. In March 2008, the Board of Commissioners adopted Seattle Housing's fiscal year 2007 Moving to new Ways Report, which summarizes the year's activities and accomplishments. Some of these activities and accomplishments are highlighted below.

People Served in 2007

• SHA housed 12,077 households, including people with Housing Choice Vouchers, those in public housing or residents in the Seattle Senior Housing Program. The number of people served by SHA slightly increased from 2006.
   

• Most residents served by SHA have annual incomes well below 30 percent of the area median income. The average income for SHA residents increased from about $11,600 to $12,152. This is an average among Housing Choice Voucher participants, residents of public housing and Seattle Senior Housing residents. 
   

• 3,850 households were on one or more waiting lists for housing assistance at the end of the year (excluding SHA's HOPE VI communities). This is about one-third of the 12,284 on one ore more waiting lists at the end of 2006. The decrease was due primarily to the Housing Choice Voucher waiting list remaining closed while leasing efforts for both Voucher and public housing were increased.

	homeWorks renovations at University West		A Yesler Terrace community meeting		Volunteer landscapers at a Rainier Vista park

Milestones in Community Revitalization

• All eight buildings in the first phase of the renovation under homeWorks, SHA's high-rise revitalization project, were completed. Three out of the seven buildings in the second phase were substantially completed. Design development documents were created for the eight buildings in the third phase of the project.
   

• Yesler Terrace redevelopment is a key component in SHA’s strategy to continue to serve Seattle’s low-income residents, given the on-going withdrawal of federal support for low-income housing. In FY 2007, SHA completed the first phase of the planning process which will likely take three years or longer. Working with the Yesler Terrace Citizens Review Committee, two documents were produced: Yesler Terrace Definitions & Guiding Principles and Yesler Terrace Planning Concepts.
   

• Construction began on new low-income and workforce housing in Phase II of High Point. Units will start coming on line in March 2008.
   

• Construction began on the new Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club and planning was completed for the new High Point Neighborhood Center.

	Community members celebrate at Westwood Heights		For-sale homes at High Point		A young student participates in tutoring

Housing Resources

During Fiscal Year 2007:

• By year end, private builders completed approximately 92 percent of the planned 251 homes for sale in Phase I of High Point, 73 percent of the 140 planned in Phase I of Rainier Vista, and 92 percent of the 476 homes for sale throughout NewHolly.
   

• SHA continued the reconfiguration of its scattered sites public housing portfolio.  In FY 2007, SHA sold 53 scattered sites units, bringing the total sales to 146 of the 196 units identified disposition. SHA purchased 54 scattered sites replacement units, bringing the total replacements to 108.

Performance Indicators

SHA met or exceeded goals for the performance indicators on which HUD rates housing authority performance:

• SHA responded within 30 days to 97.8 percent of routine requests for maintenance work, and within 24 hours to nearly 99.2 percent of emergency maintenance requests.
   

• SHA completed 4,200 comprehensive inspections in public housing and all scheduled critical item inspections in other units.
   

• At the end of the year, the Housing Choice Voucher program had 7,067 households, an increase of more than four percent over Fiscal Year 2006. The program also saw a net increase of 100 participating landlords bringing the total to 2,700 landlords. 
   

• The Housing Choice Voucher program met or exceeded all its performance goals for property inspections.
   

• The Job Connection -- SHA's employment services group made 242 job placements, 81 percent of which were full-time and 70 percent of which included benefits. The average hourly wage at placement was $12.39.
   

• The average vacancy rate in public housing programs was 3.99 percent.

For the complete report in PDF format click here.

Each year during Moving to new Ways participation, SHA adopts an annual plan that describes activities planned for the following fiscal year. Click here for information on SHA's Fiscal Year 2008 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.