NewHolly relocation efforts audited
City Auditor confirms compliance with agreements
SEATTLE—April 24, 2003—In a recent audit of Seattle Housing Authority’s
NewHolly relocation activities, the City of Seattle Auditor
concluded that the housing authority was meeting its obligations
under the Memorandum of Agreement with the City. They conducted the
audit at the request of the City Council.
Specifically, the audit "determined that SHA’s
Relocation Plan for Holly Park met the conditions specified in SHA’s
agreement with the City of Seattle. Holly Park households received
advance notice about the project and its impact, counseling to
explain relocation options, interpretive services, advance notice of
required moves, moving assistance, and compensation for moving
expenses."
The audit report also noted that 70 percent of the
Holly Park households relocated to their first preference for
housing. According to the audit, "This measure increases to 85
percent when the criteria for achieving first preference includes
households that: 1) changed their choice due to health issues
requiring a move to a supportive living environment; 2) exercised
their eligibility to return to a NewHolly rental unit when they did
not achieve homeownership; or 3) achieved homeownership even though
this was not their first preference. The remaining 15 percent that
did not achieve their first preference either relocated to
SHA-managed housing in other Seattle locations, managed housing
outside Seattle, or housing subsidized by federal vouchers."
The auditors also made some useful suggestions about
the relocation process. They noted that the
housing authority was not always able to locate all the relevant
information in one file, and suggested improvements here. According
to Willard Brown, SHA’s redevelopment project manager who has been
in charge of the relocation effort, "We agree that we can do a
better job here. The fact that the Holly Park office moved twice
during the relocation period meant that it was harder to keep track
of all the information."
Surveying relocated residents was also one of the
suggestions made. That suggestion will be implemented this spring
when a team from the University of Washington contacts relocated
residents to learn how their housing is working for them since their
move.
Said SHA Executive Director Harry Thomas, "We
were very pleased with the results of this audit. The relocation
staff tried very hard to make these transitions as reasonable for
the residents as possible. It is encouraging to have an outside
source validate our process."
To learn more about the NewHolly relocation
process,
click
here.
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