Markeshia Ricks Photo
Executive Director Karen DuBois-Walton had her contract extended with no pay increase, and other employees are being offered early-retirement incentives, as the city’s housing authority braces for a $7 million reduction in funding and a more restraining hand from the federal government on how it manages its programs.
The change is coming because of the winding down of a program called “Moving to Work” (MTW).
New Haven’s was one of 39 public-housing authorities in the country chosen to participate in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development program. Established under the Clinton administration, MTW came with not only the flexibility to allow local people to find local solutions for meeting the housing needs of low income families, but also with a 15-year operating subsidy.
Now HUD officials are looking to turn off the funding tap and possibly impose more restraints, not just on how housing authorities address housing concerns in their community, but how they spend their funding to do it.
That message was delivered this week at the monthly meeting of the authority’s Board of Commissions.
If it’s lucky, the authority will get to absorb the cuts to its funding over multiple years, DuBois-Walton (pictured at the story’s top) told the commissioners. She said housing authorities are pushing to spread those funding cuts over as many as seven or eight years. They’re also pushing to hold on to the flexibility to make decisions based on local needs.
But if they’re unsuccessful in their efforts, the housing authority could have to make the cuts by fiscal 2018, when the its current MTW agreement expires. To that end the commissioners approved a plan to offer early retirement packages to employees.
The plan, which commissioners approved unanimously, calls for offering employees the opportunity to leave voluntarily with at least one month of severance pay and one month of medical benefits. That amount of severance and medical benefits will be available to any employee who has up to five years of services.
Employees with six to 10 years of service will be eligible for three months of severance and six months of medical benefits; employees with 11 – 15 years of service will be eligible for six months of severance and nine months of medical benefits; those with 16 – 20 years will get nine months of severance and one year of medical benefits; and anyone with 20 or more years of service will get 12 months of severance and a year and a half of medical benefits. All those who accept an early retirement package also will be eligible for compensation for up to 30 days of their accrued vacation.
Employees can take either a lump sum severance payment, or they can receive a regular weekly payment through the end of the severance period.
Employees who volunteer to leave won’t have a lot of time to make their decision. They must accept a retirement package offer by Sept. 30, and they will be required to retire on or before Dec. 31.
The authority anticipates between five and 10 employees will accept early retirement packages, which is expected to save the authority between $500,000 and $1 million starting in fiscal 2017.
One employee not expected to seek an early retirement package is DuBois-Walton. She negotiated a new contract, which the Board of Commissioners enthusiastically and unanimously approved Tuesday.
“She has done a stellar job,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman Erik Clemons. “There is no better person to run this organization.”
“She should be making twice that,” Commissioner Edward Joyner said of DuBois-Walton’s salary, which will remain at $175,247.40. “She is a bargain and the best manager in this city. She is a person who cares about every single tenant in public housing. She’s a phenomenal leader.”
Commissioners weren’t the only ones who had high praise for DuBois-Walton.
Resident and advocate Yul A. Watley (pictured in the photo at right), a regular at the commissioners meetings, presented her with a handmade crystal award Tuesday. He said since DuBois-Walton has been at the helm of the housing authority he’s found her to be nothing but supportive of him, his family and his efforts to start his own business.
“It’s never a problem to pick up the phone and call her, email her or meet with her if I need to,” he said. “And she’s like that with all the residents. She doesn’t push it off on someone else. She’s always been happy to meet with me.”
DuBois-Walton thanked the commissioners for their vote of confidence saying that leading the housing authority “means the world to me.” She said that she and staff are working on many projects to help people achieve self-sufficiency, but there is still a lot she wants to do.
$175,247.40!!! And Mr Joyner say she should be paid twice that?!?!. No wonder Tony can't fill any potholes.