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PURPOSE
G. L. French & Associates, Inc. (GLF) sets forth the position that a
comprehensive approach to educating the Site Managers of Public Housing
Authorities (PHA) would significantly enhance HUD’s capability to implement site-based
accounting, site-based budgeting and, ultimately, site-based management. This
logical progression in management control would increase fiscal accountability
at PHAs at a time in which it is severely needed.
Private sector property management firms understand that only when isolating and
examining the operations of a property as an individual business entity does
effective financial management and accountability take place. HUD is aware of this fact and moving in that direction.
THE PROBLEM
There is no established standard that clearly delineates the role and
expectations of Site Managers in public housing. While the private sector
recognized the importance of this position years ago and upgraded its authority
and responsibility, PHAs, in general, have not embraced the fact that Site
Managers are crucial to the success of multi-family rental properties.
The reduction in operating subsidies has persuaded many PHAs to decentralize and
begin the transition to site-based management. Unfortunately, the current skill
level of Site Managers is not adequate for this change in operations to
realistically produce desirable results. It is not customary in most PHAs to
confer authority and responsibility for effective site-based decision-making.
For example, most Site Managers do not make the routine decisions that are taken
for granted in the private sector. They don’t approve who resides in their
developments. This practice, so deviant from the private sector, greatly
diminishes the stature of their position and leads to a multitude of problems in
lease enforcement. Similarly, they are not involved in routine maintenance
contracting that directly affects their developments, e.g., lawn service,
extermination, apartment redecoration and similar activities. It is all too
typical an occurrence for a Site Manager in conference with a resident who has a
legitimate maintenance complaint to check with a Maintenance Department over
which he or she has no control. This is a glaring difference between PHA and
private sector management.
Adding to this problem is the fact that there is no universally accepted
training regimen for Site Managers of public housing that prepares them for
site-based management. Rather, training is provided sporadically and
ineffectively because subjects are not coordinated and presented in
comprehensive manner. For Site Managers, training opportunities too often become
a day off from the tedious responsibility of their primary position of lease
enforcer.
Given this background, employees who start out with high goals and expectations
experience burn out in a relatively short period of time. But they stay because
the compensation may be higher than comparable positions and they become part of
the bureaucracy. This happens to aspiring residents as well as those hired from
outside the agency.
OUR APPROACH
In order for PHAs to control costs and gain the operating effectiveness
generally found in the private sector, an orderly transition must take place.
Many PHAs are beginning to automate their accounting functions in the format
that is necessary for site-level financial accountability. This will allow
comprehensive project-based budgeting that lays the groundwork for project-based
management. But this goal will only be effectively achieved if Site Managers are
given the training, skills and authority found in the private sector.
GLF cannot address the question of authority but we can address a standard
training program that effectively begins the process of Site Manager education.
Our textbook Government-Assisted Housing: Professional Strategies for Site
Managers serves as an excellent resource.. Many PHAs
have used this resource in training their managers. GLF and/or IREM have
conducted training at their agencies. Many HUD Headquarters’ employees are also
familiar with our book because it has been used in HUD/IREM training courses. It
is the only book published by IREM on the subject and has been used as the textbook for
their seminar on government-assisted housing.
GLF’s training methodology is effective. It is interactive and characterized by
the use of discussion points before each topic is examined. Our depth of
experience distinguishes us from competitors in this regard. These sessions
address the numerous circumstances that arise in public housing that have no
clear answer. One consistent result of using this method has been the positive
reception by Site Managers and other site-level personnel - they become
empowered because their real concerns are addressed.
SUMMARY
GLF's training program can drastically
and positively affect the management of public housing. As the decentralization
of PHA operations proceeds, the necessity of Site Managers possessing private
sector skills becomes increasingly evident. But PHAs need direction, guidelines,
and encouragement to make the substantial change in operations required at this
time.
Our approach
provides PHAs the opportunity to take the initiative to engage and upgrade these
employees so, like their private sector counterparts, they can have the greater
influence on the success or failure of their apartment communities.
G. L. French & Associates are uniquely qualified to provide the training and
consultation services required to accomplish this goal.
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