What's New at the VHA Find the latest publications, press releases, and other interesting information about the VHA here. Public Comments Invited on Amendment to VHA 2008 Moving to Work Annual Plan Hearing Date: Monday, August 25, 2008
Resident voices needed!! Have you ever wondered… We are starting to recruit for a resident advisory board (RAB). A RAB provides opportunities to residents to provide input to the Housing Authority on policies and procedures that affect them. The first topic we will address is the 2009 Move to Work Annual Plan. After that, there are lots of issues that residents can chime in on. After all, who knows better what you need and what will help you and your family the most. The RAB will be made up of Public Housing and Section 8 residents. It will meet regularly at a time that is convenient to the members. If needed, we will provide transportation assistance and child care. If you are a parent…an older person…a person living with a disability…a working person…a young adult…a resident who cares about their housing and wants to make a difference…you are the perfect candidate for the RAB. We are looking for 12-15 people who broadly represent the population of the VHA. Call Connie at 992-0207 or csherrard@vhausa.com or see the website www.vhausa.com for more information.
Debra Conway Appointed Resident Commissioner Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard has appointed Debra Conway to the Vancouver Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. Ms. Conway serves as the Board’s Resident Commissioner for the next two years. She will be sworn-in at the Board’s regular meeting on April 23, 2008 . After earning a degree in Chemical Dependency, Ms. Conway worked as a drug and alcohol counselor in collaboration with the DSHS Division of Children and Family Services in Clark County to create a new program called Parent Partners, which helps parents navigate through the child welfare system. Ms. Conway currently works for Washington State as a Parent Partner Lead in Clark County ’s Division of Children and Family Services office. She is a life long resident of Clark County .
Moving To Work Agreement and 2008 Revised MTW Annual Plan Copies of the Amended and Restated Moving To Work Agreement and Moving to Work 2008 Revised Annual Plan are available for your inspection at these links: Amended and Restated Moving To Work Agreement Moving to Work 2008 Revised Annual Plan
VHA Hires Roy A. Johnson as Executive Director VANCOUVER, WA (December 19, 2007) – As the culmination of its extensive search for the right candidate to head the Vancouver Housing Authority, the organization’s Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce the hiring of Roy A. Johnson as the new Executive Director of the VHA. “The Board of Commissioners methodically and deliberately sought a candidate that would bring a very specific skill set to the VHA. Roy A. Johnson embodies all that we were seeking. His depth of experience and knowledge of the industry signals a new era for the VHA, and we are excited to have him on board,” said Ron Kawamoto, Chair, VHA Board of Commissioners. The VHA Board approved Johnson’s contract at their regular board meeting, December 19, 2007. For the last 5 years, Johnson has been the Executive Director of the Spartanburg Housing Authority in Spartanburg , South Carolina . While Spartanburg is smaller than Vancouver , its housing authority is comparable in size to the VHA and administers 1,400 units of public housing and 1,600 units of Section 8 housing while—like the VHA— being involved in new development. In his current position, Johnson has demonstrated particular expertise in working with local government and developing home ownership and housing preservation and rehabilitation programs. He developed and secured federal funding to demolish 184 units of public housing and replace them with over 600 new rental and homeownership units. The funding came from a HOPE VI Revitalization Plan grant, the same type of competitive federal grant being used to redevelop New Columbia Villa in Northeast Portland . “Throughout my research and after meeting with the VHA Board of Commissioners, I have been very impressed with the organization. I look forward to enhancing collaboration in the community, meeting our many partners and getting to work,” said Johnson, who is ready to make the move from South Carolina to Washington State, “I had been to the Vancouver area before and found it very beautiful,” said Johnson. Before becoming the Executive Director in Spartanburg , Johnson worked in programs administering public housing in Kansas , Iowa , and Nebraska . He received a BA in psychology and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Nebraska and has an extensive background in housing and economic development finance. Roy A. Johnson is married to Jeane Johnson who is currently employed in Spartanburg as a Property Manager. They have four children and two grandchildren. Johnson enjoys horses, bike riding and hiking, many of the activities that made the opportunity in Vancouver very appealing. Johnson anticipates arriving in Vancouver to start work in mid-February, 2008.
Alternative Rent Structure Committee At the request of the Vancouver Housing Authority Board of Commissioners an Alternative Rent Structure Committee, composed of VHA staff, residents and community stakeholders, has been meeting to design an alternate rent structure to replace the traditional program which computes participant rent based on income. Meetings of the committee have been temporarily suspended while staff continue to work on guiding principles and discuss the use of a professional facilitator for future committee meetings. VHA’s new Executive Director, Roy Johnson, is now on the job and is becoming familiar with the efforts of ARSAC. He is considering whether and how we should move forward with the idea of an alternate rent structure policy and how we ought to utilize MTW authorizations in general. As new information becomes available it will be posted here on our website www.vhausa.com . Notices will also be placed in the monthly Neighbor to Neighbor newsletter of public meetings and any program changes. If you have questions about the committee, public meetings or the proposed plans, please feel free to contact Sasha Nichelson at 360-993-9541.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS 2008 Winter Housing Matters Newsletter
For more information about the VHA contact the Community Relations Department at (360) 993-9563.
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