Issuu

2021 Annual Report Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority

2021

PICTURED: AMHA'S CURRENT DEI COMMITTEE

CONTENTS 2 3 5 7 8 9 11 12 13 15

Dorothy O. Jackson Tribute Letters from the Directors Our Year at a Glance COVID-19 Updates Resident Distributions Project MKC Atrium/Lobby Renovation Public Housing Program Highlights Choice Neighborhoods Emergency Housing Vouchers and NSPIRE Pilot

17 19 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 33

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Goodwill Employees of Distinction Reach Opportunity Center Jobs Plus Program Family Self-Sufficiency Program Parents As Teachers SPARK Moving to Work ConnectHome Financial Report BFT Impact Report

DOROTHY O. JACKSON

November 9, 1933 - October 24, 2021 Dorothy O. Jackson was hired by AMHA in 1968 and she established the department of “Social and Tenant Services” at a time when no assistance was offered to our residents. Dorothy served 17 years at AMHA and was a trailblazer for human services locally and nationally. The Dorothy O. Jackson Terrace apartment complex was named after her largely due to her commitment to meeting the needs of the elderly and disabled and her strong dedication to AMHA. Dorothy later served as a Deputy Mayor for Intergovernmental Relations with the City of Akron. Throughout her long career she received numerous awards for her work helping others and was an incredible example of public service. Through 2019, Dorothy returned yearly to host a picnic for the residents and staff of Dorothy O. Jackson Terrace. She wanted the residents to know how much she cared and how much they mattered. AMHA will miss Dorothy and will continue to celebrate her legacy through our quality services.

"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." -Thucydides

2021 AT AMHA Letter from Debbie Barry, AMHA Interim Executive Director

As I look back at all that we accomplished in 2021, I am so proud of the resiliency of our staff. They were committed to providing quality, affordable housing and services to our residents as we continued to fight against COVID-19. I am especially grateful to our site staff who continue to rally around our residents in providing exceptional customer service. Our lead property managers, property managers, assistant property managers, resident services staff and maintenance crews have been incredible resources to our residents. Their tireless efforts and steadfast commitment kept our properties safe, clean and functional

daily, ensuring support for our residents and creating a new normalcy for them. I am also thankful for our trustworthy community partners who collaborate with AMHA to provide the much-needed support for our families to thrive and feel connected to the communities in which they live. I especially appreciate our health partners who came to our senior/disabled properties and provided vaccines and booster shots. As we move into 2022, I am excited for the opportunities and resources that the Moving to Work (MTW) demonstration program and our new leadership will provide for our residents.

A VIEW OF 2022

Letter from Herman Hill, AMHA's new Executive Director as of May, 2022

I joined this great organization on May 2 with much excitement and enthusiasm. We are commited to housing families and offering programs and services to meet their needs. Staff take ownership of their work and are ambassadors for the organization. Our impact in Summit County has been evident for 84 years and our standard of excellence in the public housing industry is second to none. For 20 consecutive years, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has rated us a high performer. Under my leadership, we will pursue opportunities and implement innovative

strategies to preserve and expand quality affordable housing; maintain operational excellence; improve resident quality of life; and positively impact community change. Our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives will help us become a transformative organization. If awarded a $40 million Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grant next year, we will rebuild Summit Lake Apartments and change the neighborhood for years to come. Join me in writing the next chapter and increasing the legacy of this storied organization.

OUR YEAR AT A GLANCE

COVID-19 UPDATES

VACCINE CLINICS

COVID-19 has forced us to change the way we do things, but it hasn’t stopped us from doing our jobs! AMHA has overcome the hurdles of this past year by learning to adapt to these unprecedented circumstances. One of the ways we have adapted is having pop-up vaccine clinics hosted in our senior developments. With the help of Akron Children's Hospital, Summa Health, Cleveland Clinic and the Ohio National Guard, we were able to administer a total of 1,011 vaccines and 186 flu shots. COVID-19 booster vaccines were also administered to 126 residents and staff in November. Pictured is Resident Services Director Christina Hodgkinson, who showed her support of creating a safer environment by getting her vaccine at a pop-up clinic.

HUD WAIVERS

In April, HUD issued waivers to various administrative requirements in the HCV and Public Housing programs to minimize public contact during the COVID-19 crisis. As a part of the waiver actions, SEMAP, PHAS and REAC property inspections were placed on hold.

RESIDENT DISTRIBUTIONS In the summer of 2021, the Akron Canton Regional Foodbank distributed Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) boxes to 373 residents in our elderly/ disabled buildings. In the winter of 2021, Direction Home and several other local agencies were able to distribute 1,934 Cabin Fever kits that contained coloring books, coloring pencils, non-perishable snacks, face masks, hand sanitizers, and numerous community resource brochures to our residents. For Thanksgiving 2021, Cleveland Clinic provided 444 Thanksgiving meals to Fowler and Belcher residents; right on time for the holidays! The distributions were coordinated by AMHA Resident Services Elderly and Disabled Team. We appreciate our community partners and volunteers who are continuing to provide needed supplies, services, and resources to our residents including Mobile Meals and the Summit County Prosecutor's Office.

The Resident Services Department helped to increase th

stability of resdients by serving 4,081 resdients, includin

fullfilling 737 Requests fir Services and 832 Reasonab Accomodation Requests.

The Resident Services Department helped to increase the stability of residents by serving 4,081 residents, including fulfilling 737 Requests for Services and 832 Reasonable Accommodation Requests.

Through the Early Childhood Initiative's partnership with Project MKC, Child and Family Partners Kim and Hannah picked up a large supply of diapers, baby wipes, Bomba socks and children's winter coats to distribute to AMHA families.

PROJECT MKC Resident Services’ Early Childhood Initiative (ECI) partners with Project MKC, a non-profit in Youngstown dedicated to the most vulnerable children in communities. Not only does Project MKC stock AMHA’s diaper bank that is available to all residents with children, but the program also supports our families in many other ways. This past holiday season, they adopted multiple AMHA families. Project MKC originally adopted four of our families; however, the week before we were scheduled to pick

up the gifts for the families, we had a family reach out with a great need. Their high school aged son had been shot two years earlier and was left paralyzed. The family had to move twice since the shooting due to safety concerns. In November, their wheel chair accessible van needed repair and ended up costing more than mom could afford. The car was stuck in the shop and the water had been shut off. Mom drained her savings to get the water on but still owed on the bill and no

longer had money left for Christmas. The ECI staff reached out to Project MKC with a very last minute request. Project MKC was able to pay the rest of the water and car bill, along with providing the family with gift cards for all three boys. All five families Project MKC adopted received gifts for the whole family, Christmas meal bags and cleaning supplies. AMHA is grateful for its partnership with Project MKC.

ATRIUM/LOBBY RENOVATION Phase 1 First Floor Renovations Central Office Administration Building

After many months of construction, Phase I of the first floor renovations were completed in December, 2021. The design focus was to create more security and COVID-19 friendly areas by separating private and public access and space. This was accomplished by eliminating the need for two staff operated lobbies, enclosing the lobby reception area, and creating an enclosed elevator space. Also, the client interview areas were redesigned from six to eight stations and both private and public restrooms on the first floor were relocated and renovated. Walls were refinished, carpet and tile flooring were replaced in all areas, and new lobby furniture was purchased. These renovations also included additional work to the atrium roof system to eliminate water infiltration discovered during construction.

PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Energy Improvements Over $6.1 million was spent during 2021 on energy improvements including: LED lighting in 28 buildings, storm and exterior doors installed in 4 buildings and new windows. Not only will these improvements reduce energy costs in the future, but HUD rewards public housing authorities with energy service contracts (such as the partnership we have with Ameresco) through various funding incentives that will continue through 2025. 12

INVESTMENT IN SUMMIT LAKE The Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant is AMHA’s second federal grant directed toward the Summit Lake neighborhood. The other grant is the Jobs Plus program.

CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS Since the award of a $450,000 FY 2020 HUD Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant in December 2020, the Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority, along with the City of Akron as a co-grantee, have been hard at work listening to and learning from the Summit Lake community. This includes identifying the changes residents want to see and developing a vision that mirrors their desired future for the community. As we enter our second year of the planning process, the planning team is building out the strategies and actions to move the community towards its preferred future, which will be captured in a comprehensive communityinformed “transformation” plan. In addition to plan development, several neighborhood investments will be happening in the coming months that directly address residentidentified concerns. The investments include pedestrian safety improvements, testing of mid-block greenways, exterior home repair programs and community clean-ups led by

the Summit Lake CDC, and creation of a new community gathering space adjacent to Summit Lake Apartments and the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. These improvements further the work that was started by the Akron Civic Commons initiative and are a sign of the bright future and changes to come in the Summit Lake community. “We at AMHA are extremely excited to be a partner in this ongoing movement to bring back the vibrancy and energy of Summit Lake, including reimagining Summit Lake Apartments into an affordable, mixed-income community ,” says Debbie Barry, AMHA'S Deputy Director. We will continue to develop and refine the plan based on community feedback through mid-December 2022, at which point, we look forward to celebrating its completion with the community. Next steps include identifying the resources needed to implement the plan, including applying for up to $40,000,000 through HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant program. 14

EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHER SUCCESS STORY A tenant had made some mistakes in the past and had a criminal record that haunted him for the past 15 years. Since then, he has stayed out of trouble and was desperately trying to make a life for himself working dead end jobs and wondering where he would lay his head at night. He had been denied housing time and time again due to his background and unstable income. He had been homeless for over 15 months and was spending most of his paychecks staying at hotels to keep safe and warm. Eventually money ran out and he began staying at the Haven of Rest. During this time, he also found out that he was going to be a father and the mother would be unable to provide for their child. This is when he heard about the Emergency Housing Voucher program and completed an application. Today this gentleman is housed in a two-bedroom unit, in a safe neighborhood, and was recently awarded full custody of his child. During a check-in phone call, this tenant eagerly stated that his life is forever changed now that he has the voucher. He says he now has an opportunity to be the father he wants to be to his son. He looks forward to being able to take his son out in the yard and play ball when the weather permits. He also wants to thank everyone who made this opportunity possible and urges us to keep up the good work. When asked, the tenant's final comment on his story was "Life looked very dark until the emergency housing voucher came along." 15

EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHERS AMHA entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Summit County Continuum of Care and Battered Women’s Shelter to issue Emergency Housing Vouchers. We are also working with United Way’s centralized intake system and homeless outreach providers to house the most vulnerable families. With these vouchers we received additional funds for services, which allowed us to hire a Housing Resource Specialist to assist these families with their housing searches. The additional funds HUD provided can also be used for landlord incentives, application fees and other move-in supports. We received 78 referrals, issued 49 vouchers, and housed 28 families through the end of 2021.

NSPIRE PILOT The Real Estate Assesment Center has extended the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) Demonstration program through April 30, 2023 for public housing. In late 2019, REAC began the two-year, voluntary demonstration to better identify potential adjustments to standards, protocols, and processes prior to nationwide implementation. Our agency conducted its first inspection under the NSPIRE Demonstration program at Spicer Terrace on October 25, 2021. The inspection went well, and we were able to provide good feedback to HUD. 16

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

On April 29, 2021 the Executive Director and AMHA Board of Directors sent a letter to AMHA staff, making all aware of the agency’s commitment “to foster a work environment where all employees are valued, treated fairly and afforded equal opportunities”. Just a month later, the AMHA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee was also introduced to all AMHA employees. The ultimate goal of the DEI Committee is to help create an environment where each AMHA employee feels that they are valued and provided equal access to opportunities, resources, and considerations. It is imperative that we embrace

our differences and understand that they are a source of strength rather than a weakness. In efforts to be successful in reaching our goal of an “inclusive workplace that values and promotes diversity”, AMHA hired Compass Consulting Services, Inc. in November 2021. Compass is currently in the process of conducting a DE&I audit, through one-on-one interviews and focus groups. The data collected from these processes will produce themes for surveys and training for employees, and a DE&I Action Plan specifically tailored for AMHA.

2021 Diveristy Committee

2021 Diversity Committee Pictured (from left to right): Shary Page, Kathy Patton, Clyde Elkins, Jenny Mehen, Jason Colón, Yvette Mahone, Matt Odeh, Tammy Zents, Melissa Haskins, Amy Marsteller, Mike Gerzeny, Darrin Toney, Christina Hodgkinson, Allan Thomas and Crystal Neloms

From left to right: Erika Saulsberry, Lynn Jett, Jonathan Lindsay, Bernadette Hunt and Myia Jeffries Not pictured: Mike Gerzeny

EMPLOYEES OF DISTINCTION Team AMHA named 2021 Employee of Distinction Honorees

Mike Gerzeny, Bernadette Hunt, Myia Jeffries, Lynn Jett, Jonathan Lindsay and Erika Saulsberry were honored at the 2021 Goodwill Employee of Distinction Awards on Wednesday, September 8, 2021. Darrin Toney nominated Mike because “Mike is very adept at taking care of the needs of the employees. He is very personable and instills a sense of trust in employees.” Debbie Barry nominated Jonathan because “he is an exceptional team player who is willing to jump in on anything. His contributions improve the quality of life for our residents.” Debbie also nominated Erika because “Erika is extremely detail oriented and meticulous in everything she works on for the agency.”

Heather Coughlin nominated Bernadette because “Bernadette is a creative problem solver who can always be relied on to get the job done and help out whenever needed.” Heather also nominated Myia because “Myia is the definition of above and beyond when it comes to serving residents and her teammates” and Lynn because “Lynn is the backbone of her service coordination team, and effortlessly juggles multiple responsibilities.” Erika was also among all of Goodwill’s top winners and received special recognition. Congratulations Mike, Bernadette, Myia, Lynn, Jonathan and Erika!

REACH Reach Opportunity Center hosted a breakfast to support the Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math lab and its efforts in being an educational resource for families within the community. AMHA staff, residents, and representatives from Job and Family Services and First Energy were all in attendance to learn about the lab, discuss opportunities for future collaboration and to show their commitment to education in the Summit Lake neighborhood.

OPPORTUNITY CENTER The mission of the Reach Opportunity Center is to enhance the quality of life for the residents of the Summit Lake neighborhood in Akron, Ohio by increasing educational opportunities through the collaboration of community partners.

JOBS PLUS PROGRAM In 2021, the Jobs Plus Program at Summit Lake was fully implemented. Jobs Plus is a program offered at the Reach Opportunity Center, with the purpose of providing residents at six properties with various resources and opportunities to build on specialized skills and to offer career path support. Ultimately, the goal is to help individuals in presenting themselves as being marketable to prospective

employers. Pictured are two AMHA maintenance employees who spoke to a group of women at a Jobs Plus luncheon. They shared their experiences of being women working in the carpentry and building trades industry, which inspired other women to consider this career path.

FAMILY SELFSUFFICIENCY PROGRAM The Family Self-Sufficiency program works every day to help motivate individuals and families fulfill their goals, which ultimately leads to financial independence. In 2021, we saw several program graduates, which demonstrates the program’s effectiveness in helping participants

reach a point of self-sufficiency. Talisha Johnson, a 2021 graduate, was able to buy and pay off a new car, go to school to pursue her passion in health care and get a new job, among many other personal goals that she accomplished.

2021 ACHIEVEMENTS

HUD WAIVERS

There were a total of 29 FSS program graduates in 2021, who received a combined total of $153,919.76 distributed in escrow funds. 24

PARENTS AS TEACHERS Parents as Teachers (PAT), a program offered through the Early Childhood Initiative, is an at-home visitation service where a low-cost activity is brought for the caregiver and child to do together, to promote parent engagement. Pictured left is 3 year old Kerieda, who crafted a picture to gift to her grandmother for Mother’s Day. Kerieda and her paternal Aunt began working with PAT when she was just 4 months old, and is more than thriving! She succeeds academically, socially and developmentally and will be enrolled in preschool in the fall. With the support of her family and PAT parent partner, Kerieda loves learning and looks forward to home visits and going to school.

SPARK

Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK) is another program offered through the Early Childhood Initiative. Spark Parent Partners work with families to help prepare their children for kindergarten, by providing books and activities for the children to do during each home visit. Pictured is 2021 SPARK program graduate Ajani, posing with his mom and Curious George! Ajani and his family were involved in the program since he was three years old. During that time, he has grown and learned so much! His favorite book was “A Color of My Own." His family and Parent Partner were so proud of his recent graduation, and can’t wait to see how well he does in Kindergarten!

MOVING TO WORK Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority Selected for Admission to the Moving to Work (MTW) program On May 7, 2021, The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) selected Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority (AMHA) for admission to the Moving to Work (MTW) program. MTW is a demonstration program for public housing authorities (PHAs) that provides them the opportunity to create and test locally designed strategies that use federal dollars more efficiently, helps residents find employment and become self-sufficient, and increases housing choices for low-income families. MTW allows PHAs exemptions from many existing public housing and voucher rules and provides funding flexibility among various HUD programs. “[AMHA is] joining a select group of industry leaders that have created innovative local housing programs to such 27

an extent that their experience in the MTW Demonstration Program has led to positive changes in the entire affordable housing industry,” stated General Deputy Assistant Secretary Dominique Bloom in the MTW award letter. AMHA envisions a MTW program that increases local affordable housing choices, reduces administrative burdens, and ultimately enhances the quality of housing and services that empower all to reach their full potential. During both the application and planning process, AMHA formed an MTW Advisory Commitee, held discussions with community partners and public meetings with residents and participants to incorporate their feedback into the MTW plan. MTW is officially slated to launch in 2022.

CONNECTHOME AKRON: ELIMINATING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE Building for Tomorrow's ConnectHome Akron program has three main initiatives that work together to help bridge the digital divide in our community. One of these involves providing an avenue to affordable devices through a partnership with PC's for People. Photographed is Misty, who utilized the program to get an affordable laptop.

2021 ConnectHome Accomplishments: Installed free in-unit Wi-Fi at Crimson Terrace, Marian T. Hall and Pinewood Gardens, which comes to a total of 571 units connected to date. 27

AMHA 2021 FINANCIAL REPORT Statement of Revenues, Expenses and Changes in Net Position for the Year Ended December 31, 2021

OPERATING REVENUE PRIMARY GOVERNMENT

COMPONENT UNITS

TENANT REVENUE GOVERNMENT OPERATING GRANTS OTHER REVENUE

$ 15,571,885

$ 1,788,515

$ 57,530,459

$ 3,101,465

$ 351,259

TOTAL OPERATING REVENUE

$ 76,203,809

$ 2,139,774

OPERATING EXPENSES

PRIMARY GOVERNMENT

COMPONENT UNITS

ADMINISTRATIVE TENANT SERVICES UTILITIES MAINTENANCE PROTECTIVE SERVICES GENERAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS INSURANCE DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION

$ 14,441,652

$ 420,356

$2,856,774

$ 24,624

$ 5,097,220

$265,730

$ 12,793,404

$ 581,506

$ 1,926,991

$ 93,717

$ 2,954,528

$ 119,287

$ 31,797,510

$ 1,474,374

$ 134,550

$ 11,968,022

$ 2,075,222

TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

$ 85,310,475

$ 3,714,992

OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)

($ 9,106,666)

($ 1,575,218)

NON- OPERATING REVENUES (EXPENSES) CAPITAL REVENUE

PRIMARY GOVERNMENT

COMPONENT UNITS

$ 426,614

($ 384,995)

($ 81,022)

($ 411,143)

($196,826)

11,015,375

$ 12,821,308

$ 23,467,159

($ 277,848)

INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS

$ 14,360,493

($ 1,853,066)

CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS TOTAL CAPITAL REVENUE CHANGE IN NET POSITION

$ 5,797,617

INTEREST AND INVESTMENT REVENUE CASUALTY GAIN/ (LOSS) INTEREST EXPENSE AND AMORTIZATION COST GAIN (LOSS) ON SALE OF CAPITAL ASSETS Special Item- Net Gain/(Loss) TOTAL NON-OPERATING REVENUES (EXPENSES)

$ 5,797,617 $ 20,158,110

($ 1,853,066)

NET POSITION, BEGINNING OF PERIOD, RESTATED

$ 175,370,464

$ 4,634,958

TOTAL NET POSITION, END OF PERIOD

$ 195,528,574

$ 2,781,892

2021 IMPACT REPORT Building For Tomorrow is AMHA’s Nonprofit 33

THE YEAR BY THE NUMBERS

403

People participated in at least one of the 11 Early Childhood events hosted in 2021.

400

Visitors have attended the Reach Opportunity Center's fully equipped STEAM lab, which was able to open so quickly thanks to many generous donors.

125 New Parents as Teachers participants were enrolled into the program and 258 remained active participants. 88 new SPARK participants were enrolled and 181 remained active participants. 3 new participants were enrolled in Mom-Me time and 70 people are actively attending the program.

CERTIFIED Became a certified Ohio Department of Health, Help Me Grow Early Childhood provider.

Free electronic devices were distributed to residents in need, including laptops, tablets and/or hotspots.

$ 808,657

Dollars were generated through Building for Tomorrow to support the Early Childhood Initiative, Reach Opportunity Center and the COVID Action Fund. 34

THANK YOU PARTNERS Acro Tool and Die Akron Children's Hospital Akron Civic Commons Akron Community Foundation Akron Marathon Runners AMHA Staff Cleveland Clinic Akron General Corbin Foundation Early Childhood Resource Center GAR Foundation Huntington Foundation Key Bank Ohio Capital Impact Corporation Ohio Department of Health-Help Me Grow Ohio and Erie Canal Coalition Omnova/Synthomer Foundation Sisler McFawn Foundation Summit County Executive, Ilene Shapiro's, Department of Job and Family Services United Way of Summit & Medina County

And all of our amazing individual donors and staff! 35

WITHOUT DONOR RESTRICTIONS

WITH DONOR RESTRICTIONS

TOTAL

20, 505

788, 152

808, 657

79,479

27, 940

107,419

12, 767

12, 854

794, 466

(794, 466)

�

894, 537

34, 393

928, 930

425, 842

233, 626

6, 329

6,329

96, 141

32, 528

48, 863

35, 525

878, 854

CHANGE IN NET ASSETS

15, 683

34, 393

50, 076

NET ASSETS-BEGINNING OF YEAR NET ASSETS-END OF YEAR

97, 453

332, 180

429, 633

113, 136

366, 573

479, 709

EXPENSES

CONTRIBUTIONS AND SUPPORT

BFT FINANCIALS Grants and Contributions In-kind support- AMHA Investment Income Net assets released from restrictions TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS & SUPPORT

Program Service Expenses Early Childhood Initiative Early Childhood Initiative + SPARK Community Support Program Reach Opportunity Center Other Programs Management and General Fundraising TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

All values listed are in dollars.

MORE THAN JUST HOUSING. 100 W. Cedar St. Akron, OH

www.akronhousing.org

330-762-9631