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From the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee's newsletter:
The Board of Commissioners for the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) is pleased to announce the appointment of Willie L. Hines, Jr. as Secretary-Executive Director, effective March 10, 2022. This marks only the sixth time there has been a leadership change at the head of the organization in its 78-year history and the first time an African American will serve in the role.
HACM, the largest affordable housing provider in Wisconsin, provides housing options and supportive services to over 10,000 low-income families, seniors, adults with disabilities, and veterans. Nearly 90% of the people HACM serves are people of color with an average annual income of less than $15,000. Mr. Hines will lead the agency in its mission to provide housing stability to low-income residents, to support residents in their efforts to achieve self-sufficiency and good quality of life, and to foster strong, resilient and inclusive neighborhoods throughout the City of Milwaukee. Mr. Hines succeeds Antonio Pérez, who had led the agency since 2000.
“On behalf of the Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners, we are proud to announce Mr. Hines as our next Secretary-Executive Director. His remarkable talents, collaborative and engaging management style, and extensive experience make him an ideal choice to lead HACM in advancing its mission. We look forward to his leadership as we work towards our collective goal of providing high-quality, affordable housing and opportunities to thrive for the people we serve,” said HACM’s Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, Mark Wagner.
A lifelong Milwaukee resident, Mr. Hines is a seasoned public servant who joined the Housing Authority in 2015 as the agency’s Associate Director, overseeing operations for HACM’s housing portfolio and the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. He had also been serving as the Acting Secretary-Executive Director since May of 2021.
“I want to thank HACM’s Board of Commissioners for their thoughtful consideration and trust in me. I look forward to working with our board, dedicated team of employees, residents, and partners to continue building innovative housing solutions. I’m excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for the organization as we continue to serve our community. As a product of public housing, I am living proof that stable, affordable housing can provide the foundation from which to build a better quality of life."
Prior to joining HACM, Mr. Hines served as President of the Milwaukee Common Council from 2004-2014 and Alderman of Milwaukee’s 15th District from 1996 to 2014. He also served as Chairman of HACM’s Board of Commissioners from 1998-2014. Prior to his election to the Common Council, Mr. Hines worked as an economic development specialist at the Milwaukee Urban League, as business liaison representative for former U.S. Representative James Moody, and in the private sector for both PepsiCo and Ford Motor Credit.
Mr. Hines holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University and has received numerous accolades throughout his distinguished career, including being selected for the Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame earlier this year.
The Housing Authority of Washington County, a new CLPHA member and a Department of Washington County, Oregon, recently joined HUD’s House America through proclamation of the County Board of Commissioners. HAWC, which also recently joined the Moving to Work (MTW) program, is aggressively working to reduce homelessness in its jurisdiction. A recent voter-approved Supportive Housing Services (SHS) measure is bringing $200 million a year to the region to reduce homelessness. The measure is in place for ten years. The housing authority is utilizing this money to issue 500 new regionally funded subsidies a year for the next three years, with a total goal of 1,700 new subsidies to reduce homelessness in its region. As part of the Housing Department’s new homeless division work, 17 contracts were recently signed with service providers from throughout the Portland Metro region. Within the new service provider network are four culturally specific providers including Bienstar, Centro Cultural, IRCO and Urban League. Each provider will be hiring anywhere from 2-3 case managers to work with homeless individuals in the county.
HAWC has also fully issued its new allocations of Mainstream and Emergency Housing Vouchers and will receive 50 new VASH vouchers. In addition, the housing authority received over $25 million in state funding for short term rent eviction. “The additional federal funds, combined with new regional and state resources, are critical in our goals around ending chronic homelessness in our community. Braiding these resources and utilizing our MTW flexibilities are making a huge difference” says HAWC Assistant Director Josh Crites. The combined housing department and housing authority has the goal of housing 500 chronically homeless individuals in 2022.
Last month, CLPHA Board Member Rick Gentry announced that he will resign as CEO of the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) effective March 31.
Gentry has led SDHC since 2008, but his affordable housing career spans over 50 years. His drive to work in public service was largely borne out of surviving a serious car accident at the age of 16 that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Though he was told he would likely never walk again, Gentry walked out of the hospital two months later.
“Each of us has something to give, great or small, and we need to pursue our own destiny,” said Gentry, to his alma mater Wake Forest University’s magazine in 2014. “I had been given my legs back to do something. I like to say that God didn’t give me my legs back to sit on my tail. But as I matured theologically, what I was going to do needed to reflect what I can do and what I felt comfortable doing rather than paying a debt.”
After originally contemplating becoming a minister, Gentry ultimately joined HUD’s Greensboro, NC office in the 1970s after being introduced to the agency by a friend of a friend and being drawn to HUD and the industry’s mission of serving low-income Americans. After his first job at HUD, Gentry held a variety of positions in the industry across the country, including at the Austin, TX and Richmond, VA housing authorities, the National Equity Fund, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation, before coming to SDHC.
“The thing that I’ve always liked about housing, and that fits me very well, is that it’s a good career for a renaissance personality, not a specialist personality.” Gentry added. “To do well in affordable housing, you’ve got to be everything from a plumber to a priest’s confessor. The career has fit me well and it’s given me a sense of accomplishment and purpose that I needed following my accident and recovery.”
Gentry’s many accomplishments at SDHC include reestablishing the agency as a Moving to Work (MTW) agency and directing the investment of MTW funds to create and preserve affordable rental housing as well as MTW initiatives to create housing solutions for people experiencing homelessness. MTW flexibilities also helped SDHC establish its Path to Success initiative and the SDHC Achievement Academy, which provide opportunities for rental assistance households to become more financially self-reliant. Gentry notes that Path to Success program has successfully rewarded people for working without harming those who are not work-able, and the Achievement Academy has helped residents prepare for the workforce and find jobs.
There has long been a high rate of homelessness in California, and SDHC under Gentry has been a major player in serving and housing the homeless population in San Diego. Gentry led the agency’s groundbreaking homelessness action plan, HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO, which has created approximately 10,000 housing solutions in seven years for San Diegans experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. Gentry sees addressing homelessness in its many forms as crucial to a housing authority’s mission, including through rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, and partnerships with local entities that can provide behavior health and other services that housing authorities cannot.
“Rick's tenure at SDHC and on the CLPHA board is the culmination of a sweeping and impactful career expanding housing opportunities for our most vulnerable,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “Under his leadership, SDHC has leveraged the MTW program to reduce long-term homelessness, deliver life-changing services to residents, and expand housing opportunities for low-income San Diegans. Rick's depth and breadth of knowledge and experience has been an asset to everyone at CLPHA. We look forward to his next chapter in his career.”
When asked about his advice for other public housing authority leadership, Gentry told CLPHA, “Push the envelope – don't just sit back. With Moving to Work we’ve got a vehicle for doing it, but if you’re not MTW you can still push the envelope and look for ways to define yourself locally... Insofar as we can, we should adapt the federal programs to fit local needs, rather than expecting locals to adhere to one-size-fits-all programs and policies.” To the new generation of public housing professionals, Gentry added, “Be audacious, and push for all you can.”
The San Diego City Council will determine the future leadership of SDHC. Pending the Council’s decisions, SDHC Deputy Chief Executive Officer Jeff Davis will oversee the agency following Gentry’s departure.
Last month, Antonio (Tony) M. Pérez, CLPHA board member and secretary-executive director of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM), announced his resignation from his role at the housing authority. Since 2000, Mr. Pérez’s visionary leadership has guided the agency in its mission of fostering strong, resilient and inclusive communities by providing a continuum of high-quality housing options that support self-sufficiency, good quality of life, and the opportunity to thrive.
“Tony has been a committed and compassionate leader in Milwaukee, on the CLPHA board and in the national housing policy arena,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “His thoughtful and steadfast advocacy on behalf of our nation's most vulnerable individuals is unmatched. His untiring support for CLPHA's Housing Is Initiative and cross-sector partnerships has made improving lives, strengthening neighborhoods a reality in Milwaukee. His wisdom, erudition and joyfulness lifts up all those who know him. We are profoundly grateful to Tony for his service and his vision.”
Known for his compassionate leadership throughout the Milwaukee community, Mr. Pérez has been part of Milwaukee’s social fabric since 1979, serving as a social justice advocate, mentor, community leader, and accomplished professional.
“It has been my honor to work with Mr. Pérez during his entire tenure with the Housing Authority. His commitment to public service and his desire to improve the lives of those most in need in our community is to be commended. He can trust that we will continue letting HACM’s mission be our north star,” said HACM’s Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Mark Wagner.
During his tenure, Mr. Pérez led the agency in numerous endeavors to preserve its affordable housing supply. The agency secured over $500 million dollars in federal, state, and private grants to develop affordable housing and revitalize existing properties to preserve affordable housing for generations to come. This includes the $30 million HUD Choice Neighborhood grant awarded in 2015 to support development of the Westlawn Gardens neighborhood.
Mr. Pérez made conservation and environmental stewardship a core tenet of HACM’s development projects, and HACM gained a reputation as an international leader in using green design practices to conserve resources and build healthy, sustainable communities.
Mr. Pérez’s passion for creating opportunities to help people achieve their goals and dreams is evident to everyone who knows him. Housing stability is the foundation, but his steadfast commitment to providing residents with programs and services to improve their quality of life and propel them out of poverty helped make the agency truly stand out as a national leader.
One such example of his commitment was his vision for HACM’s @Promise Resident Training Program, an initiative designed to provide low-income HACM residents with a new pathway to self-sufficiency. The program builds upon the stability of HACM’s quality, affordable housing by also offering on-the-job training, life skills development, and post-secondary education that together can transform residents’ lives. @Promise provides motivated residents with the opportunity to overcome barriers that could otherwise keep them locked into a cycle of poverty.
The name of the program stems from a realization that Mr. Pérez had several years ago. “Many of our young people are perceived as ‘at risk.’ I choose to call them ‘at promise’ instead. The idea here is how many of these promises will go unfulfilled, not because these individuals didn’t try, but because no one lent a helping hand,” explained Pérez. “We can be that helping hand.”
Prior to joining HACM, Mr. Pérez founded the Milwaukee Community Service Corps, a nonprofit vocational training organization that continues to provide low-income urban youth with education, life skills and on-the-job work experience in a holistic program of development. During his time at MCSC from 1991 to 2000, more than 900 participants found jobs and received more than $4.5 million in income.
Among many other achievements, Mr. Pérez played a key role in the development of the Milwaukee Job Corps Center, which provides young people the skills they need to become employable and independent and places them in meaningful jobs or further education.
Pérez had served as executive director of HACM since 2000. Willie L. Hines, Jr. will continue serving as the housing authority’s acting secretary-executive director while HACM’s Board of Commissioners continues the process of confirming Pérez’s successor.
From a letter from Saint Paul Public Housing Agency Executive Director Jon Gutzmann:
Since the pandemic began, many households have become delinquent in their rent payments. The St. Paul Public Housing Agency (PHA) recognized this right away and assembled a team of staff members to reach out to residents who were struggling to pay rent. Through the dedication and hard work of the PHA’s Resident Services Department, the PHA was instrumental in securing over $1.4 million in rental assistance for its residents. At least 894 households have been delinquent on rent, some as far back as March 2020, owing the PHA more than $2 million. Some households obtained rent assistance on their own, but to date PHA staff have collectively spent over 2,500 hours assisting over 497 households process the paperwork needed to avoid eviction. This is equivalent to more than one full-time staff person devoted to this work for an entire year.
Only 32 households failed to positively respond to the PHA’s efforts to help before the State of Minnesota’s Eviction Moratorium was lifted on October 12, 2021. PHA staff reached out to those households and offered assistance, averaging 10 contacts per household before the moratorium was lifted. Of those remaining 32 households, eight have already paid their rent due. Fourteen other households have applied for rent assistance, and their Eviction Actions have been put on hold while their applications are processed. One resident’s case was set for a later date due to technical issues they experienced during the Zoom hearing. Only nine households failed to appear in court or otherwise make any arrangement to repay their outstanding balances, resulting in writs of recovery being issued that will allow the PHA to take back the property and rent it to a family in need on the waiting list. Over 9,000 households are on the PHA’s waiting list at this time.
Over 412 residents have already received rental assistance, and many more are awaiting assistance payments from RentHelpMN, the State of Minnesota program established to help low income individuals with rent payments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. PHA staff dedicated an average of six hours of time, per household, assisting residents with the RentHelpMN application process. This effort is far from over. Over 200 PHA residents were newly late on rent this month, and this pattern is likely to persist. Staff continue to provide residents with thorough, targeted assistance applying for rent help. Through this focused effort the PHA seeks to ensure that no resident loses their housing because they cannot pay rent. The rental assistance is available, and the PHA stands by to help any resident obtain this aid. Simultaneously, we will follow HUD regulations and uphold our fiduciary obligations to tax payers who provide the deep rental subsidies that make this housing affordable to very low income people.