WHA Must Appoint Client To Board
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
When Tom Lemon leaves the Warsaw Housing Authority board at the end of the year, he will be replaced by a client of the agency.
Lemon's term expires Dec. 31. The WHA planned to reappoint Lemon for another term, plus add a tenant as a sixth member of the board.
However, WHA executive director Laura Kaufman said Monday that Indiana statute requires housing authorities to have only five members. Kaufman said there isn't a clause to allow for an addition to the board even though the Department of Housing and Urban Development mandated adding a tenant as a voting member on the agency's board. The federal law just says to add a tenant, Kaufman said, but doesn't say the agency can increase the number of members on its board.
The board members are appointed by the mayor and Kaufman said she will make a recommendation to Mayor Ernie Wiggins in hopes of having the new member named by next month.
In other business, the board learned that the 2001 budget is based on 90 percent use of the federal housing allowance. Currently, the agency is at 77 percent and Kaufman said the agency's goal is 100 percent.
Eight new clients found housing in November, with a couple more families expected to join the program before the end of the year. There are currently 46 families searching for housing.
Kaufman said 10 of the 12 housing authority clients who were living at Glen Terrace Apartments have left the program, causing part of the decline in utilization numbers. Glen Terrace was condemned earlier this year and WHA clients were forced to find new housing. Most of the tenants chose to leave the program, many taking residences at a newly opened subsidized housing complex in North Manchester, Kaufman said.
The board voted to adopt both the five-year and 2001 annual plans.
The WHA board of commissioners comprises Bob Kline, Sherri Ruggier-Milton, Sue Charlton, Tom Lemon and Dennis Cultice. Bill Rhoades is the nonvoting member and city council representative to the board.
The board meets at 5:15 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month in the offices of Lemon, Armey, Hearn & Leininger. However, due to the Christmas holiday, the next WHA meeting will be Dec. 18. [[In-content Ad]]
When Tom Lemon leaves the Warsaw Housing Authority board at the end of the year, he will be replaced by a client of the agency.
Lemon's term expires Dec. 31. The WHA planned to reappoint Lemon for another term, plus add a tenant as a sixth member of the board.
However, WHA executive director Laura Kaufman said Monday that Indiana statute requires housing authorities to have only five members. Kaufman said there isn't a clause to allow for an addition to the board even though the Department of Housing and Urban Development mandated adding a tenant as a voting member on the agency's board. The federal law just says to add a tenant, Kaufman said, but doesn't say the agency can increase the number of members on its board.
The board members are appointed by the mayor and Kaufman said she will make a recommendation to Mayor Ernie Wiggins in hopes of having the new member named by next month.
In other business, the board learned that the 2001 budget is based on 90 percent use of the federal housing allowance. Currently, the agency is at 77 percent and Kaufman said the agency's goal is 100 percent.
Eight new clients found housing in November, with a couple more families expected to join the program before the end of the year. There are currently 46 families searching for housing.
Kaufman said 10 of the 12 housing authority clients who were living at Glen Terrace Apartments have left the program, causing part of the decline in utilization numbers. Glen Terrace was condemned earlier this year and WHA clients were forced to find new housing. Most of the tenants chose to leave the program, many taking residences at a newly opened subsidized housing complex in North Manchester, Kaufman said.
The board voted to adopt both the five-year and 2001 annual plans.
The WHA board of commissioners comprises Bob Kline, Sherri Ruggier-Milton, Sue Charlton, Tom Lemon and Dennis Cultice. Bill Rhoades is the nonvoting member and city council representative to the board.
The board meets at 5:15 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month in the offices of Lemon, Armey, Hearn & Leininger. However, due to the Christmas holiday, the next WHA meeting will be Dec. 18. [[In-content Ad]]