NEWS DETAILS

October 2018, Volume 3, Issue 4

October 1, 2018

Message From the Executive Director/CEO

It is newsletter time again and it happens to coincide with two important national issues this month that I wish to highlight in this edition. The month of October is breast cancer awareness month and fire prevention month. As we are all aware, breast cancer can be a devastating health condition and has claimed many lives over the years. It affects our mothers, sisters, aunts, daughters, wives, and so on. A lot of progress has been made in recent years to find a cure, and I believe that with the involvement of everyone, we will someday find a cure. I, therefore, encourage everyone to do their part during this month of Breast Cancer Awareness.

One way to be involved is to participate in fundraising events that help raise money for the cause. I take this op-portunity to encourage and appeal to all of our adult female residents to go for regular checks ups including mammograms.

Remember “prevention is always better than the cure.” Fire prevention is the other event taking place this month. This is close to home for me due to my own personal experience/tragedy a few years ago.

House fires can be devastating and can cause property damage and even death. Therefore, it is in the interest of everyone to be prepared and to take measures to prevent fires. Our maintenance department has provided tips in part of this newsletter on fire prevention and I encourage you to read and apply these tips to your home. Don’t be the reason and cause of a fire in your home.

Remember “prevention is always better than the cure.”

My door is always open, and I appreciate your thoughts and opinions on the issues that matter most to you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at 309-277-0283 or email at jfa@molinehousing.com, or stop by at any time to see me.

However, if your concerns are particular to your tenancy, please first discuss the issue with the respective department and/or manager. If after that you are still not satisfied, then by all means come see me.

Thank you for your support and cooperation, and I look forward to your continuous support. Thank you for choosing the Moline Housing Authority as your housing provider. We are here to serve you and to provide housing and opportunities.

I would like to take the opportunity to remind you that the Moline Housing Authority is an equal opportunity housing provider and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexuality, creed, age, color, and or religion. Therefore, if you have reason to believe that you are being treated differently, or have been treated differently by the Housing Authority due to any of the above, please do not hesitate to bring the matter to my attention immediately. We will not tolerate discrimination and prejudice in any form and will do our best to correct the problem.

Wishing everyone a great Autumn/Fall, and be a good neighbor.

Tips from Housing—Rent and Charges

All residents receive a Resident Handbook when they move in. The latest version is always available for you from the Office. The Handbook contains a lot of useful information, including a summary of important lease obligations. Today, we will focus on two tenant lease obligations stated in both your lease and the Hand-book: 1) Paying rent on time, and 2) paying maintenance charges

One of your most important tenant obligations is to pay the rent on time. Rent is due on the 1st of the month and is delinquent if not paid by the 5th. After the 5th, a $25 late fee will be added. If you have three delinquencies in a 12-month period, it may result in a termination of the lease and an eviction notice. If you think you will not be able to pay the full rent, please contact the office as soon as possible. We cannot help you unless you talk with us to explain your situation or hardship.

Many residents eventually incur some maintenance charges over the course of their tenancy. MHA does not charge for regular wear and tear to your unit. If something is damaged accidentally or if there is abuse, however, you likely will be charged. There are also move-out charges if you vacate your unit without properly cleaning it or removing your personal items.

Another common charge is for lock-outs, whether during regular business hours or after-hours (more expensive). If you are not sure whether there will be a charge, just call the office. You can also call ahead of time for a cost estimate. A Maintenance Charge List for MHA was included in your move-In packet and is also available for pick up at the office.

Section 8 Info—No longer in Shortfall

While in Shortfall, the Housing Authority could not issue vouchers to the hundreds of applicants on our waiting list. Within only 6 months, the Housing Authority was able to eliminate a key funding deficit in the HCV program that should enable it to resume issuing new vouchers early next year along as well as The financial picture for the Moline Housing Authority’s Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV or Section 8) program has changed for the better.

You may recall reading in our May 2018 Newsletter that the HCV program was officially declared in “Shortfall” by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

other unrestricted HCV operations. We will select applicants from our waiting list in the same order of their position as when the Shortfall was in effect. If you have any questions, please contact our HCV office and ask to speak to either Laura or Teresa.

Maintenance Corner—Fire Safety Tips

Never leave cooking food on the stovetop unattended, and keep a close eye on food cooking inside the oven. Use a cooking timer. *Keep cooking areas clean and clear of combustibles (i.e. potholders, towels, rags, plastics, drapes, and food packaging). *Never smoke in bed, when drowsy, medicated, or intoxicated as this could lead to falling asleep with a lighted cigarette. *Keep smoking materials away from anything that can burn (i.e., mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture, draperies, etc.). *Keep matches and lighters away from children. *Extinguish all candles when leaving the room or going to sleep. *Do not use portable space heaters.

3 independent review and audits that the housing authority operates within the law, good practice, and according to regulations and rules established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) The Commissioner also participates in the hiring of Executive Director/CEO to manage day-to-day operations; obtaining and managing monies to support the housing authority; Adopting operational and other forms of programmatic budgets; and establishing policies to prevent fraud, abuse, mismanagement and discrimination and to ensure that the housing authority acts legally and with integrity.

The role of the Board of Commissioners collectively includes but is not limited to: Establishing a vision for the agency, working with staff to structure and plan goals; and determining and developing policies for an effective and efficient business operation with appropriate oversight. On October 15th, 2018, The Moline Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners elected Leslie Stange-Crotty as the Chairperson of the Board, and Commissioner David Par-ker, Jr. as the Vice-Chairperson.

Commissioner Stange-Crotty has been a Board member since 2012, and Commissioner Parker, Jr. has been a Board member since 2014. The Moline Housing Authority is governed by five (5) Board members known as Commissioners. Currently there are four (4) Board members due to the recent resignation of Dr. Melvin Grimes. A replacement is presently being considered by the Mayor of the City of Moline.

The Principal responsibilities of a Commissioner include but are not limited to providing leadership and advocacy for affordable housing and community development, setting policies governing housing authority operations, and charting the direction of current and future programs, ensuring through

Bits from the Board—Meet Newly Elected Officials Rap from RAB—Be a Voice for the Voiceless The Resident Advisory Board (RAB) is currently seeking volunteers from Spring Brook and Spring Valley to serve as RAB members. The primary responsibility of the RAB as mandated by law is to review and endorse the Housing Authority’s 5-year Agency Plan and to ensure that the plan would not negatively impact residents and the quality of service provided.

However, the RAB also serves as the Resident Council and organizes activities such as health fairs, and attends the monthly meeting of the Board of Commissioners to represent residents and Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) participants on policy and operational issues. If you are interested in being a voice and an advocate for change and would like to represent fellow residents, please contact the office at 309-764-1819 for further information.

Don’t just sit on the fence and watch, but get involved and make a difference.

Social Security Medicare Savings Program

The Social Security Medicare Savings Program (MSP) is a federally funded program administered by each state. The program helps qualified individuals with payment of part or all of their Medicare premiums and may pay Medicare deductibles and coinsurance.

To qualify for assistance you must meet the following requirements:

• Age 65 or older
• Receive Social Security benefits
• People with certain disabilities or permanent kidney failure (even if under age 65)
• Meet income and resource requirements.

For further information or to see if you qualify, please contact the Department of Human Services (DHS) AT 309-794-9530 Chairperson Leslie Stange-Crotty Vice-Chairperson David Parker, Jr.

Important Dates