PHADA President John T. Mahon.
PHADA held its annual Commissioners’ Conference January 4–7 in Tampa, FL. We were delighted to host more than eight hundred attendees in our first gathering of 2026, providing an opportune time to focus on key issues while also learning from informative presentations.
Most of the association’s committee meetings occur on the conference’s first day, which was Sunday, January 4. Typically, before our committees get underway, members participate in a briefing conducted by our policy staff. Every time we do this, more people attend because this is one of the most valuable aspects of our conferences. Given all that is occurring in Washington right now, the briefing was particularly insightful.
PHADA staff covered the latest on the FY 26 Continuing Resolution, and potential rule changes including time limits and work requirements we expect in the second year of the Trump Administration. Other prominent issues such as the Housing Choice and Emergency Voucher shortfalls dominated the discussion. Related to this, members had serious concerns about HUD’s recent communication to agencies about the voucher shortfall (see PHADA’s letter to HUD here). Michael Webb of the policy staff also led a particularly good Section 8 focus group that allowed dozens of members to share information and shortfall strategies from their locales.
As always, the conference featured workshops on other timely topics including HUD’s problematic cash management requirements, optimal RAD conversions, the Housing Choice Voucher shortfall geared towards commissioners, executive director performance evaluations, succession planning, and artificial intelligence strategies for HAs, among others.
Graduates from the PHADA and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Executive Director Education Program (EDEP) were honored in a special luncheon. There were about fifty graduates this year, which is great. As a new Jersey-based EDEP instructor for Rutgers, I can confidently say they are now in a better position to lead their agencies into the future.
We were pleased to be joined by scores of executive directors, staff and commissioners attending their first PHADA meeting. Our membership committee, Board of Trustees and staff took the opportunity to meet and greet them in a nice gathering on Monday morning, January 5. In general, there was overwhelming in-person feedback and in the Whova App surveys that members really enjoyed so many opportunities to actively engage with their peers (two roundtables, one focus group, the first timers’ event and the inaugural EDEP Alumni Association reception). People felt these events complemented the informational education sessions.
I must recognize and thank Tampa Housing Authority’s Executive Director Jerome Ryans and his talented team at the local housing agency for their invaluable assistance during the conference. We really appreciated their help in making the meeting a success. In addition to all their logistical help, they took members on a tour of some of their impressive properties, West River and ENCORE!, located just 1–2 miles from downtown. We really appreciated their help in making the meeting a success.
In Tampa, the PHADA nominating committee also agreed on a slate of candidates for twenty Trustee terms that begin in June. Please see the announcement here. Any members in good standing are eligible to petition to get on the Trustee ballot, which will be circulated in the spring.
Tim Kaiser with his family: L–R, Ishaan Khemani, daughter Carolyn, grandson William, wife Kathy, daughter Liz, and son-in-law Cameron.
The January meeting was Executive Director Tim Kaiser’s final one with PHADA, although he remains on duty until the end of March. We honored Tim with a couple of functions including at the opening session and during the Board of Trustees meeting. We were pleased to be joined by some of PHADA’ past presidents and other former leaders and staff who wanted to recognize Tim. His whole family also came to Tampa.
For those of you who were unable to attend, I would remind you that you can access the presentation materials on the PHADA website. We encourage you to join us June 10–13 in Chicago for our Annual Convention & Exhibition. Registration is open soon.