PHADA and You: Advancing All Affordable Housing Interests

In today’s environment of uncertain and inadequate funding, many housing authorities (HAs) have decided to reposition their public housing stock to new funding platforms that offer additional flexibilities to better meet local needs. Strategies like the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, RAD/Section 18 Blends, or Voluntary Conversions allow HAs to reposition public housing units to other forms of rental assistance. Additionally, HAs may choose to utilize a greater variety of funding mechanisms, including investment tools like energy efficiency incentives, to ensure the long-term viability of their units and to increase the affordable housing stock in their communities.

Download the PDF publication

Saving America’s Public Housing

Under this proposal, PHADA is offering a “proportionality plan“ to Congress and the Presidential transition team that calls for the temporary suspension of restrictive and burdensome regulations in years when operating and capital funds fall below a 90 percent proration. We call the concept “proportionality” because it is based on the principle that, when the federal government only partially funds public housing, HAs should be required to comply only partially with certain regulations.

The plan allows housing authorities to choose from a menu of options that allows the waiver of selected regulations to generate income or realize savings in proportion to an individual housing authority’s funding shortfall. The items HAs choose would depend on what works best in their markets and what would have the least effect on public housing residents.

Download the PDF publication

Download the Sample News Release

Download the Sample Letter to Congress

PHA Bill of Rights

PHADA’s Board also felt compelled to publish a “Bill of Rights” to rebalance the housing authority relationship with HUD. The idea was conceived by our members who have grown weary of HUD’s continual intrusion into the autonomous operations of individual public housing authorities over the past few years. In the PHA Bill of Rights, we remind readers that housing authorities are independent public entities established under state and local laws. Some in Washington fail to recognize our independent status and that lack of intergovernmental respect sometimes results in fewer people housed and at greater expense than otherwise would happen.

Download the PDF publication

Advocacy Planning And Reference Guide

This Guide and the associated materials contained herein are made available through a grant from Housing Authority Insurance, Inc. (HAI, Inc.)  HAI, Inc. sponsors programs for its membership including insurance and risk management programs, scholarship and internship programs and charitable activities. HAI, Inc. is a nonprofit association incorporated in 1987, and a member of HAI Group, a family of companies dedicated to serving the public and affordable housing industry.

Download the PDF publication

Preserving Public Housing

Realistic Options to Increase Revenue, Reduce Costs and Provide Program Flexibility

The publication is available online in PDF format by clicking here.

Rent Reform: Fair and Simple Solutions

This sixteen-page booklet with fold-out poster details seven problems with the current rent system and offers two possible solutions: a tiered rent structure and a percentage of gross income rent structure. Either solution would help encourage earned income, maintain affordability, and simplify the complicated rent structure.

The publication is available online in PDF format (booklet, 5.1MB; poster, 798KB). The fold-out poster is also available in GIF format for PowerPoint presentations.

Asset Management, Yes—Micromanagement, No

PHADA’s publication on HUD’s flawed asset management guidance, will help housing authorities and Congressional representatives alike understand the issues involved in HUD’s implementation of asset management.

HUD Plans Massive Increase in Its own Operating Fund Staff to Implement Asset Management...

Click here for special PHADA Publication