DuBois-Walton: “We are very kind” on evictions.
New Haven’s public-housing picture, by the updated numbers.
In keeping with general accounting principals, HANH’s commissioners voted Tuesday night at a special meeting at 360 Orange St. to remove that amount of money from the books, that is, from what they expect to collect in revenue during the upcoming year.
The annual vote, which was unanimous, doesn’t mean HANH is giving up trying to collect the money — although it’s often difficult.
But the amount will not carry over to HANH’s financial reporting system, lowering the net accounts receivable in the future so that the balance sheet is as true as possible.
500. 7,000
Allan Appel Photo
HANH Commission Chair Erik Clemons and Commissioner Foluke Morris take in the news.
Those 16 units will become part of about 200 units that turn over within HANH’s developments citywide, and about 300 in Section 8 voucher units, for a total of about 500 units that become available every year, said HANH Executive Director Karen DuBois-Walton.
Until a recent updating, HANH had about 10,000 family on its waiting list. That number has fallen but is still adds up to a daunting 7,000.
About 5,000 families are waiting for apartments in the developments; 2,000 are waiting to apply for Section 8 housing vouchers.
The people being contacted will be families who submitted their paperwork back in about 2015, said Evelise Ribeiro, HANH’s director of compliance and quality improvement.
Vacancies due to eviction run at about ten to 12 every year. DuBois-Walton said that number is exceptionally low among housing authorities nationwide because “we know our population.” And HANH staffers work with tenants to solve problems before eviction kicks in.
You have to work very hard at it to be evicted from a HANH property, she said. “We are very kind.”
What's the count of people who are healthy and able to work but have stayed on the program for 20 years - thus limiting the available units for those in need. Why is there no interest in cleaning up the system?