Holiday schedule:
DHA will be closed on the
following days in observance of
upcoming holidays:
Thursday, & Friday
Nov. 24th & 25th
Thanksgiving
Friday & Monday
December 23rd & 26th
Christmas
In this issue:
Front Porch 1
Health Fair 2
Town Hall w/David Price 3
HAP’nings 4
Highlights and News from Durham Housing Authority
Summer 2011 Volume 3, Issue 2
Housing Spotlight
National Night Out 5
Housing Conference 6
Message from the CEO 8
New construction (called “Goley Pointe”) will occupy 1.6 acres of land that is currently
vacant . This development will be a 20-unit multi-family, mixed-income rental development
comprised of townhome, garden style and detached single family units. The bedroom distri-
bution will include five (5) one bedroom, nine (9) two-bedroom and six (6) three-bedroom
units. The estimated total development cost is $2.9 million.
These 20 units will be occupied by
persons at or below 80% of the area
median income level. For a family of
three, that’s about $ $48,850
Twelve of the 20 units will serve homeless families. It is proposed that the development be
comprised of 14 public housing units, three (3) project-based housing choice voucher units
and three (3) market rate units. Construction is planned to begin in November 2011 and
end April 2012.
Front Porch – New Construct ion
In Other News …
Down Payment Assistance Still Available
For those families who qualify, DHA has funding to provide some assistance in making a down payment
on a first home. Grants of up to $8,000 are available to help families who are first-time home buyers.
These are grants; those families who receive the money will not have to pay it back. Multi-family homes,
investment properties and some homes offered for sale by the Housing Authority are not eligible for this
assistance. For more information about down payment assistance, please contact:
Resident Services
(919) 683-8596
housing
Health Fa ir
Get involved!
• Learn more about your
own family history by
asking your family
members about their
health history. Knowing
your parents’ and siblings’
history can help in
preventing Diabetes and
Hypertension.
• Go online and learn more
about screenings and
prevention of injuries at
WebMD.com
2
Resident Services held a very well-attended Health Fair
at Preiss-Steele Place on April 29th. The event offered
information and health screenings for Diabetes and
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure). There was great
information, donated refreshments (thank you spon-
sors!) and fun for everyone.
Good Health Means
Knowing Your A-B-C’s
A - If you are at risk for (or
have) Diabetes, have your
doctor check your A1C - that’s
a 90-day level of glycated hemo-
globin (related to blood sugar
levels).
B - Know your Blood Pressure.
You can get it checked free at
most pharmacies.
C - Get your Cholesterol
checked every year to prevent
heart disease and stroke.
Thank you
sponsors!
The Health Fair
featured lots of great
information and
offered something
for every age group.
Knowledge is power!
spotlight
FEEDBACK?
Yes, please! We’d love to
hear from you.
Jean Bolduc
Corporate Communications
Director
(919) 683-1551 ext. 386
Remember our
Customer Service
and
Fraud/Abuse
Tipline:
919-667-2120
Town Hal l Meet ing with Rep. Dav id Pr ice
3
Taking care of your health doesn’t have to mean spending
more … take advantage of free screenings at pharmacies and
grocery stores. They often have easy, free do-it-yourself
blood pressure testers and offer flu shots for reduced rates.
Rep. David Price (D-NC) and DHA CEO Dallas J.
Parks take a moment to catch up before the Town
Hall meeting at J.J. Henderson gets started.
On August 29, Congressman David Price met
with DHA’s Senior Citizens to give them an update
on the changes in Federal Healthcare laws that will
affect them. Residents from J.J. Henderson Housing
Center, Preiss-Steele Place, Forest Hill Heights and
Scattered Sites attended the event, held in the com-
munity room at J.J. Henderson.
Along with the opening remarks from Rep.
Price, the residents brought forward many excellent
questions about changes in Medicaid (health) Cov-
erage which is a program that is federally funded
but managed through state and local governments.
Rep. Price offered assistance through his staff and
the local Durham office for individual cases that may
need some “hands-on” attention. Those with spe-
cific questions about benefits are encouraged to call
the Congressman’s Durham office, located in the
N.C. Mutual Building (see below).
Need Help with Federal Benefits?
Call Rep. Price’s local office at:
411 W. Chapel Hill Street
NC Mutual Life Building
9th Floor
Durham, NC 27701
Phone (919) 688-3004
FAX (919) 688-0940
housing
HAP’n ings
4
A Word About Inspections
Every unit under contract with the Housing Choice Voucher
Program (HCVP) must be inspected annually. An inspector
will visit the unit (by appointment) and verify that it still meets
all Housing Quality Standards (HQS). In order for this proc-
ess to go as smoothly as possible, participants will need
to take steps to ensure the unit is accessible and clean.
As part of our commitment to quality, some units are
selected for a second inspection to ensure quality control.
DHA has contracted with NOVA Engineering to conduct
some inspections, so you may not recognize the inspector
who will visit your home. Inspectors representing DHA will al-
ways provide proper identification before coming into your home.
Inspectors will need to see all areas and spaces in the unit, includ-
ing floors and ceiling of closet areas, appliances and mechanical systems. For
everyone’s safety, please make sure that your pets are restrained in one of two
ways:
1) Secured with a leash 2) Enclosed in a cage.
The HCV program would like each inspection to be safe and efficient. Please inform the
owner or manager of the property of our expected visit. If there are repairs necessary,
inform your owner so the repairs can be performed before our visit. Please make sure that
all areas of your home are available for inspection – doors and windows are not blocked
by furniture or your belongings.
Inspectors will be unable to complete the required inspection if an adult is not present to
provide access, if an animal has not been properly secured or if your belongings are stored
in a way that prevents the inspector from viewing all spaces. This will result in delays or
failed inspections. Your cooperation is very much appreciated.
We Appreciate Your Calls, But …
Due to recent budget constraints and staffing reductions, it is much
more helpful to us if you can make your requests in writing. Also,
most changes that must be reported to the HVC program are re-
quired to be in writing. Send your changes or inquiries to:
Customer Service -HCV Program, P.O. Box 1726, Durham NC 27701
August 2nd - Nat ional Night Out
spotlight
RESIDENT SERVICES
For more information about
the many great programs
offered through DHA’s
Resident Services
Department, please call
(919) 683-8596
Remember our
Customer Service
and
Fraud/Abuse
Tipline:
919-667-2120
5
National Night Out, 'America's
Night Out Against Crime,' was
introduced by the Association in
1984, founded by Matt A. Peskin.
In an effort to heighten awareness
and strengthen participation in
local anticrime efforts, Peskin felt
that a high-profile, high-impact
type of crime prevention event
was needed nationally.
The first National Night Out was
introduced early in 1984 - with
the event culminating on the first
Tuesday in August.
That first year, 400 communities in 23
states participated in National Night Out.
The 27th Annual National Night Out last
August involved 37.0 million people in
15,110 communities from all 50 states,
U.S. territories, Canadian cities, and mili-
tary bases worldwide. This year over
15,500 communities took part.
While the traditional 'lights on' and front
porch vigils remain a part of NNO, activi-
ties have expanded considerably over the
years to include block parties, cookouts,
parades, visits from police, festivals,
neighborhood walks, safety fairs, contests, rallies and meetings.
This year’s National Night Out was a hot one, as usual!
NEED 2011
Photo
housing
The Durham Conference on Hous ing
6
In June, DHA sponsored a Conference on
Housing, attracting attendees from all over the
Triangle region. Focused on Affordable Hous-
ing, the event also examined the areas of Job
Training and Employment as well as Transpor-
tation and Planning. Where you work and how
you get there each day has a big impact on
where you choose to live.
Leaders from City and County Government as
well as Duke, NCCU and Durham Technical
Community College were among the expert
panelists. The event was held at the Sheraton
Imperial Hotel on June 15th.
Resident Council
Leaders also
attended. Helen
Walker
(Scattered Sites)
is taking some
notes.
DHA Staffers
Charles Lyon and
Randy Little
DHA CEO Dallas J. Parks and Mayor Bill Bell
review the conference program
spotlight
Remember our
Customer Service
and
Fraud/Abuse Tipline:
919-667-2120
7
(Left) Health Dept. Director Gayle Harris,
DHA CEO Dallas J. Parks and Commissioner
Ike Robinson.
(Above) DHA Commissioner Gloria Notting-
ham and Resident Services Director Jo-Ann
Davis
City Councilman Howard Clement III enjoyed
the conference so much he wanted to be the
first to sign up for the 2012 event.
At lunchtime, the conferees were serenaded by the DHA Choir.
What a Treat!
330 E. Main Street
P.O. Box 1726
Durham, NC 27701
www.durhamhousingauthority.org
Tel: 919-683-1551
TDD/TTY: (800) 545-1833 ext. 774
Fax: 919-667-2129
E-mail: [email protected]
A COMMITMENT TO QUALITY LIVING
Board of Commissioners
Tom Niemann, Chair
David Haley, Vice Chair
Barbara Lofton
Gloria Nottingham
John Ramsey
Issac Robinson
George Quick
Chief Executive Officer
Dallas J. Parks
Housing Spotlight
PRESORTED
FIRST CLASS
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT #654
DURHAM, NC
The Last Word f rom CEO Dal las J . Parks
The hard work to improve performance continues at DHA and we are happy to report some significant accomplishments. This year, DHA received an audit report from our Independent Public Accountant Auditor that The Durham Herald-Sun described as “whistle-clean.” The agency had no operational findings, no material management weaknesses and is in a more stable financial position. This important milestone was achieved through years of sustained effort on the part of our staff and our Board of Commissioners. With the agency on a more stable foundation, we are now ready to expand our horizons and to play a larger role as leaders for afford-able housing and community development.
Among our first steps was the Durham Conference on Housing, which took place on June 15th at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham. Experts discussed Financing, Community Partnerships, Transportation and Work-force Readiness. Durham has a wealth of expertise and we are very excited about bringing them together to improve the housing picture for Durham’s citizens. We will be issuing a conference report (both print and online) later this fall. Watch for more information about the conference on DHA’s website and at HOUSING2011.COM. We still have serious funding challenges, but with DHA’s stronger management and program stability will come more and more opportunities for us to serve the Durham community in meaningful ways. We are proud to serve the the community and look forward building on our success.
Dallas J. Parks