Former PHADA Executive Director Tim Kaiser.
After 36 years with PHADA, I am now officially retired. I will miss the Association’s staff, elected leaders, and members very much. I am humbled and grateful for the tremendous send-off that PHADA and other national and state associations extended to me over the last few months. I especially appreciate the memorable festivities held at PHADA’s Commissioners’ Conference in Tampa this past January and another recent event in Washington.
Reflections
I started with PHADA in March 1990 as a Legislative Assistant, subsequently rose to Deputy Director and became Executive Director in late 1995. People occasionally inquired why I remained so long. My response: the members and your important work in many communities. I have been fortunate to know and work with thousands of housing professionals during my lengthy career. I traveled to many members’ properties around the country witnessing firsthand your commitment, assisting millions of low-income Americans, oftentimes under challenging circumstances.
I continue to be amazed by your innovation and success despite facing regulatory burdens and inadequate funding from Congress. Moreover, there is the all-too-common Washington dysfunction that impedes operations (i.e., not knowing your budget until you are well into your agency’s fiscal year due to continuing resolutions or government shutdowns). Your dedication was particularly inspiring during the pandemic. Most HAs could not close their doors and work from home. Instead, you and your staff were on the front lines, risking much while ensuring the needs of residents were addressed. This motivated me and other PHADA staff to work harder on your behalf.
Most people are not aware that HAs do a lot more than just furnish shelter to their residents. I have been proud to represent members who have generated millions of dollars in youth scholarships and fostered job training programs for residents, among many other worthy endeavors.
Our membership is diverse. It consists of directors from urban, rural, and suburban agencies. We have large, small, and medium-sized agency members. I have always thought this diversity is a great strength. Although our 1,900 members come from all over the country, and hold different views, most of you adhere to a common philosophy that I believe in too: the most effective housing policies can be determined at the local level—not in Washington—within certain broad federal parameters.
Related to this point, our program’s governing statute declares that “maximum flexibility” for well-run HAs should be a policy priority. Unfortunately, meaningful local flexibility has not been forthcoming in either congressional legislation or HUD’s regulatory regime. It should remain a key objective, nonetheless. I am confident that PHADA will continue to press this point with policymakers in Washington.
With Appreciation
My sincere thanks to PHADA’s Board of Trustees (listed on page 2) for your support and encouragement. I especially want to acknowledge our dedicated President John Mahon and hardworking new Executive Director, Crystal Wojciechowski. The Association is in good hands with these two leading the way.
I will miss PHADA’s talented staff and my “second home” for all these years, our Capitol Hill office. Thank you very much, Jim Armstrong, Norma Bellew, Samara Dinkins, Sara Patterson, Julie Piccolo, Blake Stenning, Michael Webb, and David Weber. My appreciation also goes to our long-time accountant and trusted business advisor, Tony Polcari.
My Plans
I am looking forward to retirement. Among other things, I plan to play more (mediocre) golf, attend some weekday baseball games this spring and summer around the USA, and go back to school to take some interesting history and political science courses. I also plan to travel with my wife, Kathy, and spend more time with my great kids and their growing families, including my 14-month-old grandson, William (and a new granddaughter, scheduled to arrive in early autumn).
As the “former Executive Director,” I will stay in touch and attuned to industry developments by reading the Advocate and occasionally surfing PHADA’s website and social media. I look forward to seeing many of you at September’s Legislative Forum reception in Washington, DC, and at PHADA’s 50th anniversary celebration in early 2029. For now, thank you and farewell.