Concurrent Sessions
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concurrent sessions
Sessions are tentative and subject to change.
To view the 2012 Summer Conference final program CLICK HERE
NEW! Earn CEUs at national NAHRO conferences
NAHRO is excited to offer attendees of national NAHRO conferences the opportunity to earn continuing education units (CEUs) towards NAHRO Professional Development System (NPDS) certification and recertification requirements! During the Summer Conference, attendees may choose from more than 20 concurrent sessions and earn up to .45 CEUs. For more information, CLICK HERE. Additional NPDS CEUs may be earned by attending other qualifying education to include seminars before and during the conference. For a listing of NPDS courses in conjunction with the Summer Conference, please CLICK HERE.
SUNDAY, JULY 29 | 10:15 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.
Annual Litigation Update: Lessons Learned from the Last Year of Housing Authority Litigation Thousands of judicial decisions affecting public housing authority (PHA) staff, residents, and operations have occurred within the last year. In many of these cases, judges provided written decisions that outlined the facts of the case, the law, and an interpretation of how that law applied to each housing authority. In this session, you’ll hear about an ongoing study of housing authority litigation, national litigation trends, and the most interesting and influential cases from which we can all learn. (.075 CEUs)
PRESENTER:
Ronald M. LaRocca
Attorney
LaPlante Sowa Goldman
Providence, RI
Financing Options: Going Beyond the Basics In this session, we will explore the applicability, restrictions, and structuring issues related to a variety of nontraditional financing opportunities: historic tax credits, new market tax credits, energy credits, and other energy-related resources. We will address these funding mechanisms both separately and collectively (when they can be combined) and will give attendees a good understanding of when and how each can be used in planning developments. (.075 CEUs)
MODERATOR:
Lila Shapiro-Cyr, Esq.
Partner
Ballard Spahr LLP
Baltimore, MD
PANELISTS:
Bruce Baird
President
Insight Development Corporation
Indianapolis, IN
Sharon Wilson Géno
Partner
Ballard Spahr LLP
Washington, DC
John Hamilton
Vice President
CSG Advisors Inc.
San Francisco, CA
Good Governance: The Key to Successful Recovery and Sustainability Under HUD’s PHARS Initiative This session will focus on governance as the primary precursor to successful recovery and sustained performance of troubled, substandard, and near troubled PHAs under HUD’s PHA Recovery and Sustainability (PHARS) initiative. In addition to emphasizing the importance of good governance, the session will discuss key indicators of good governance and provide a description of ways HUD is partnering with PHA boards to assess governance and ensure sustainable, high performance levels. An overview of the PHARS Initiative and HUD’s progress since beginning the initiative last year will also be provided. (.075 CEUs)
PRESENTERS:
Lindsey Reames
Director, Recovery and Sustainability
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Grand Rapids, MI
Stephanie Stone
Program Analyst
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Washington, DC
Rental Assistance Demonstration The HUD Rental Assistance Demonstration, an initiative to convert public housing to assistance under the Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance or Project-Based Voucher programs, is entering the implementation phase. This session will feature a presentation from HUD officials covering the program requirements and application process. Participants will also hear from experts on real estate transactions who will focus on the process of deal structuring, including partnering with lenders and investors. Finally, we will look at the legislative future of the program. (.075 CEUs)
MODERATOR:
Richard C. Gentry
President and Chief Executive Officer
San Diego Housing Commission
San Diego, CA
PANELISTS:
Gregory A. Byrne
Senior Project Manager, Public and Indian Housing
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Washington, DC
Anthony Love
Vice President
Forest City Capital Corporation
Cleveland, OH
Vince O’Donnell
Vice President, Preservation Housing Initiatives
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
New York, NY
SUNDAY, JULY 29 | 1:30 P.M. – 3:00 P.M.
Next Steps in Public Housing Subsidy ReformDiscussions about consolidating the Public Housing Operating and Capital Funds have taken center stage in the public housing arena. As part of the process for developing a legislative proposal, HUD held a “listening tour” to obtain the perspectives of PHAs across the country. In this session, HUD officials will report on the information they have gathered and solicit feedback from participants on this topic. (.075 CEUs)
PANELISTS:
Kevin Gallagher
Director, Financial Management Division
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Wahington, DC
Jeffrey Riddel
Directo, Capital Program Division
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Wahington, DC
Shauna Sorrells
Director, Public Housing Programs
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Washington, DC
Public Housing Authorities Helping the Homeless: A How-to Session with 100,000 Homes Homelessness seems like a never-ending battle, but one that can be won. What can your housing authority do to help the homeless? This session will feature pioneers of the 100,000 Homes Campaign who have partnered with PHAs to end homelessness in their communities. Learn from these change agents who have coordinated efforts to identify and permanently house 100,000 homeless individuals and families by July 2014. Hear about their proven strategies and find out how you can target housing assistance through local preferences and project-based vouchers in permanent supportive housing developments. (.075 CEUs)
MODERATOR:
Denise Wise
CEO
Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura
Ventura, CA
PANELISTS:
Gregory Barfield
Homeless Prevention Manager
Housing Authorities, City and County of Fresno
Fresno, CA
Rob Fredericks
Deputy Executive Director
Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA
Mike Shore
Western U.S. Field Organizer
100,000 Homes Campaign
Phoenix, AZ
William Vaughn
Commissioner
Dayton Metro Housing Authority
Dayton, OH
The California Experience: Lessons Learned and New Opportunities for PHAs Everywhere California, like many other states, faces high demand for affordable housing and reduced public resources. PHAs are being asked to carry additional responsibilities—for both program administration and housing production—at the same time as many state and federal programs are being scaled back. Nonetheless, many PHAs are shifting priorities and continuing to expand or preserve affordable housing. In this session, we will examine whether acquisition/rehabilitation will dominate over new construction, what funding and leveraging opportunities remain, and how PHAs are uniquely suited to take a leadership role in the future. (.075 CEUs)
MODERATOR:
Dave Kroot
Partner
Goldfarb & Lipman LLP
Oakland, CA
PANELISTS:
Danny Fred
Principal
Fred Consulting Associates
Novato, CA
Phillip J. Neville
Deputy Director
Oakland Housing Authority
Oakland, CA
Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing: Models of Success The Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program has proven extremely effective at helping the most vulnerable homeless veterans get off the streets and into stable housing. During this session, representatives from several housing authorities will share the ups and downs of implementing successful VASH programs. Don’t reinvent the wheel—learn from those who have made missteps and found the smoother path to success. (.075 CEUs)
PRESENTERS:
Ronald McCoy
Director, Housing Choice Voucher Program
District of Columbia Housing Authority
Washington, DC
Adrianne Todman
Executive Director
District of Columbia Housing Authority
Washington, DC
SUNDAY, JULY 29 | 3:15 P.M. – 4:45 P.M.
Bang for Your Buck: Measuring Time and Quality of Staff Performance in Administering Voucher and Public Housing Programs Each PHA has its own distinct hiring practices and techniques for determining how well employees perform their job responsibilities. This session will focus on helping PHAs take a systematic approach to evaluating the time and quality of each staff person’s performance in the major administration tasks of the HCV and public housing programs.
Hear from one colleague who has successfully designed his own time and motion evaluation tools and methods to suit his agency’s voucher and public housing program operation, with surprising results. In this session, he’ll share his evaluation methods and discuss how the evaluation informed his decision-making around staff training, employee evaluations, division of labor among staff, and overall administrative configurations, compensation levels, etc. (.075 CEUs)
Moderator:
Chris Lamberty, PHM
Vice President-Housing
Assistant Director
Housing Authority of the City of Lincoln
Lincoln, NE
PRESENTERS:
David Zappasodi
NAHRO FELLOW
Executive Director
Arlington Housing Authority
Arlington, TX
Creating a Revitalized Neighborhood For those who understand the challenges posed by traditional mixed-finance development of affordable housing— coordinating with other agencies and linking housing improvements with appropriate services, schools, public assets, transportation, and access to jobs—the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative can appear daunting. During this session, we’ll analyze these challenges and discuss ways to minimize the headaches they create. We’ll also focus on the benefits of traditional affordable housing development through the lens of successful urban design projects. (.075 CEUs)
PRESENTERS:
Ron Clewer Deputy Executive Director for Development
Rockford Housing Authority
Rockford, IL
Margaret Connor
Principal
Urban Design Associates
Pittsburgh, PA
Michelle R. Yarbrough Korb, Esq.
Director
Cohen & Grigsby PC
Pittsburgh, PA
Improving Operations Through Detection of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Your Housing Authority or Nonprofit Fraud, waste, and abuse in housing authorities can occur for many reasons, but the most common is lack of controls and oversight. Fraud can take many forms, and is often accomplished through false documentation, loose interpretation of agreements, creation of complex transactions to mask payments, negative work environment, and, most important, lax controls and lack of appropriate oversight. During this session, we’ll discuss the importance of internal controls, policies, and procedures to prevent fraud, as well as how to ensure procedures are updated and monitored regularly. (.075 CEUs)
MODERATOR:
Edward Lusk
Principal
Reznick Group PC
Austin, TX
PANELISTS:
Joseph O. Blanco
Partner
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Atlanta, GA
James J. DiPaolo
Assistant CFO
Denver Housing Authority
Denver, CO
Pilar Sanchez
Director of Quality Assurance
Housing Authority of the City of Austin
Austin, TX
The Future of Demolition and Disposition of Public Housing In 2012, HUD issued a new notice which dramatically altered the requirements for approval of applications for demolition and disposition of public housing assets. This session will focus on these changes, as well as examine other options available to PHAs. Experts from the field will provide advice on how to evaluate your options, including voluntary and mandatory conversion. (.075 CEUs)
PANELISTS:
Sharon Wilson Géno
Partner
Ballard Spahr LLP
Washington, DC
Ainars Rodins
Director, Special Applications Center
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
MONDAY, JULY 30 | 10:00 A.M. – 11:30 A.M.
Balancing Inherent Tensions Between Voucher Program SEMAP Scores and Operational Efficiencies—Part I “Implementing operational efficiencies.” “Balancing performance with efficiencies.” In this session, we’ll translate these catch phrases into practices that housing authorities of all sizes and geographies can use. We will cover a range of ways PHAs have adapted their voucher program operations to accomplish core program performance important to their boards and the communities, while reducing significant portions of their work. We will also discuss tradeoffs in program efficiencies versus program performance as scored through HUD’s Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) as well as cost-saving tradeoffs between Housing Assistance Payments and administrative expenses. Topics include uses of technology and PHAs-related administrative and program processes. (.075 CEUs)
MODERATOR:
MaryLiz Paulson
Assistant Director, HCV
Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency
Sacramento, CA
PRESENTERS:
Jill Riddle
Director of Rental Assistance
homeforward
Portland, OR
Mike LaRiccia
Program Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Field Operations, Public and Indian Housing
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Cleveland, OH
Related Resources
· PIH 2012-15 : Provides guidance on actions public housing agencies (PHAs) administering the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program may take to streamline administrative practices and reduce administrative costs.
· PIH Notice 2011-28 : Extends and revises PIH Notice 2009-44 which provided: (1) guidance on cost-saving measures PHA may take to address financial shortfalls by reducing costs in the HCV program; and (2) information on the circumstances under which a PHA may deny a move under 24 CFR § 982.314(e)(1) or terminate a housing assistance payments (HAP) contract under 24 CFR §982.454 as a result of insufficient funding.
· PIH Notice 2011-29 : Renews PIH Notice 2010-10 regarding HUD’s program requirements that apply to Housing Quality Standards (HQS) and supplementary guidance that PHAs and inspectors may rely upon when conducting inspections.
Effective Handling of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Disputes PHAs and municipal governments are frequently subject to fair housing discrimination complaints filed by individuals and requests for reasonable accommodations, including service animals and pets, from persons with disabilities. HUD sometimes intervenes in these individual matters and carries out monitoring reviews to determine compliance with applicable Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) requirements, particularly as it relates to the Fair Housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and English as a Second Language. In this session, we will review best practices to ensure your agency remains compliant. (.075 CEUs)
PRESENTERS:
Otto J. Hetzel, Esq.
Attorney
Washington, DC
S. Whitney Rahman
Partner
Roland Stock LLC
Reading, PA
There Is No Box: Uncertain Times Demand RAPID Innovation! RAPID Innovation is a fresh problem-solving tool designed to generate immediate dividends through the directed efforts of YOUR workforce. RAPID stands for “Ramp up the idea generator, Analyze the impact, Prepare the solution, Implement the solution, Do it again.” You’ll learn how to employ this indispensable tool in this must-attend session. (.075 CEUs)
MODERATOR:
Michael T. Pucci
Executive Director
Alameda Housing Authority
Alameda, CA
PANELIST:
Patrick Ibarra
CEO
The Mejorando Group
Glendale, AZ
Using Private Activity Bonds and 4% LIHTC to Finance 80% or More of Your Project In this session, we‘ll explore Private Activity Bonds issued under Internal Revenue Code Section 142(d) and how combining bond proceeds with Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity can finance the majority of a rental housing property’s construction costs. We’ll address the bond and tax credit application process, various players involved in bond deals, distinct rules associated with private activity bonds, and how the financing “pencils out”. We’ll also discuss how the deal, if structured and managed properly, can generate a developer fee that will provide nonfederal, unrestricted cash for the PHA. (.075 CEUs)
MODERATOR:
Wayne Michael, CPA
Director of Education and Business Development
Novogradac & Company LLP
San Francisco, CA
PANELISTS:
Matthew J. Bissonette
Director
Citi Community Capital
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
New York, NY
Jim Shaw
Executive Director
Capital Area Housing Finance Corporation
Austin, TX
MONDAY, JULY 30 | 1:00 P.M. – 2:30 P.M.
Disability Regulation for Public Housing Residents With recent changes in disability regulations, housing authorities are expected to stay up-to-date with the latest modifications. This session will focus on disability concerns in PHAs and how path-finding for mobility-limited individuals is vital for residents and their safety. We will discuss key elements that contribute to Activity for Daily Living (ADL) and how mobility options provide mobility-limited individuals the tools needed to initiate self-help during an emergency. With 3,300 U.S. housing authorities supporting 1.2 million public housing households, this is a must-attend session. (.075 CEUs)
PRESENTER:
Ken Charles Smalls, AIA
Architect
3Wstudio LLC
Las Vegas, NV
Measuring Outcomes, Not Outputs In her President’s Message in the May 15 NAHRO Monitor, NAHRO President Betsey Martens wrote that “a fundamental, if not transformative, shift in the way that HUD approaches the work we do together” is needed. She argued that we should measure the value of our housing and community development programs using more than the traditional SEMAP and PHAS indicators, and should equally focus on the ways in which we are making a difference in our communities—the number of children graduating from high school, increases in the incomes of participants, the number of people with disabilitiesliving independently, ways in which homelessness is being prevented, the number of neighborhoods transformed, and the number of jobs created. Housing authorities and CR&D agencies are not simply instruments of HUD, but catalysts for transformation. Be catalytic, not catatonic. (.075 CEUs)
MODERATOR:
Adrian Jones
Commissioner
Fresno Housing Authority
Fresno, CA
PANELISTS:
Alicia Maldonado
President
Mockingbird Communications
Los Angeles, CA
Kathleen Kane
Executive Director
Sonoma County Community Development
Santa Rosa, CA
Emilio Salas
Executive Director
Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
“This Just In” from Washington—Part I Get the latest news from Capitol Hill from NAHRO staff. These are challenging times for our industry and many of the decisions impacting our future are currently being made by members of Congress and their staff. Staying informed on the federal budget, including HUD’s FY 2013 appropriations, is key. Get an up-to-the-minute report on where crucial pieces of legislation, such as the Affordable Housing and Self-Sufficiency Improvement Act (AHSSIA) and tax-extenders, stand. Learn how the November elections will impact decision-making on issues important to your organization and our industry.
Staff will also provide a status report on topics including Section 8 voucher administrative fee funding, NAHRO’s efforts on the Small Housing Agency Reform Proposal (SHARP), as well as the funding status of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. This is a session you won’t want to miss! (.075 CEUs)
PRESENTER:
John Bohm
Senior Director, Congressional Relations, Public Affairs and Field Operations
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
Washington, DC
Voucher Utilization During Financial Tough Times To help PHAs maximize their Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) reserves and serve the greatest number of families possible each calendar year, HUD developed and issued an updated version of its HCV two-year forecasting spreadsheet (v. 8.7). In this session, we will walk through the basics and finer points of how to utilize the new spreadsheet and its features. (.075 CEUs)
Moderator:
Terry Feveryear
Deputy Director
Housing Authority of Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, UT
PRESENTER:
Mike LaRiccia
Program Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Field Operations, Public and Indian Housing
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development
Cleveland, OH
Related Resources
· HCV 2 year Forecasting Tool: HUD has developed a spreadsheet tool for use by PHA and HUD staff to assist in projecting HCV leasing, spending and funding over a two year period. The purpose is to facilitate decision making by PHAs and to guide HUD oversight and technical assistance so that PHAs can achieve optimal use of the HCV funds while stabilizing the program. The goal is to make full use of the program while avoiding the typical large cyclical swings of lease up followed by attrition, and to eliminate abrupt cutbacks that might adversely impact participants. If you have any questions, contact your local HUD office of Public Housing.
MONDAY, JULY 30 | 2:45 P.M. – 4:15 P.M.
Housing (Authorities) First Housing First has become the national model for addressing the epidemic of homelessness that stresses helping individuals and families return to independent living as quickly as possible. Housing authorities are taking the lead in their communities to implement the Housing First model both directly and in partnership with community-based service providers. These innovative partnerships combine funding from a range of sources, many of which are administered by HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development, to provide appropriate housing and services. Representatives from entrepreneurial PHAs will describe their programs and how they are providing people with the skills necessary to remain in permanent housing. (.075 CEUs)
MODERATOR:
Preston Prince, CME
CEO/Executive Director
Housing Authorities, City and County of Fresno
Fresno, CA
PANELISTS:
Angela McCormack
Commissioner
Boulder Housing Partners
Boulder, CO
Bill Nighswonger
Executive Director
Housing Authority of Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, UT
Deborah Thiele
Senior Program Manager
Corporation for Supportive Housing
Seattle, WA
Kristin Winkel
Director, Homeless Housing Initiatives
King County Housing Authority
Tukwila, WA
Housing Choice Voucher: Create and Innovate—Part II Housing authorities are dealing with the severe cuts made to the administrative fees this year and last. Cuts of this magnitude call for changes in the way we do business. In response, housing authorities have introduced some creative approaches to managing with less while still meeting their mission-driven objectives. In this session, we’ll discuss some of these approaches including online waitlists, multi-jurisdictional program management, preferences and set asides, the self-serve lobby, and lessons from Moving to Work (MTW) agencies that are applicable to all. (.075 CEUs)
MODERATOR:
Rob Fredericks
Deputy Executive Director
Santa Barbara Housing Authority
Santa Barbara, CA
PANELISTS:
William Lowell
Executive Director
Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo
Belmont, CA
Linda Nichols
Executive Director
Regional Housing Authority of Sutter and Nevada Counties
Yuba City, CA
Mary Liz Paulson
Assistant Director, HCV
Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency
Sacramento, CA
Donald M. Swift II
Executive Director
Upland Housing Authority
Upland, CA
Lights, Camera, Action! Applying Media Strategies When They Matter Most Dealing with the media can be a daunting challenge. But if you know how it works, you can make it work for you. This session will show you how to look forward to media opportunities rather than to dread their challenges. If you know what reporters are likely to ask, then you increase your chances of being quoted in their stories, and quoted in a positive light. This session will help you develop the skills, techniques, and strategies needed to approach media encounters with confidence. Most important, it will help you increase your chances of getting the headlines and the quotes you want. (.075 CEUs)
MODERATOR:
Michael T. Pucci
Executive Director
Housing Authority of the City of Alameda
Alameda, CA
PANELIST:
Randy Shandobil
Journalist/Media Consultant
Shandobil Communications
Alameda, CA
“This Just In” from Washington—Part II This session will focus on the latest policy proposals and regulations issued by HUD and other federal agencies. NAHRO Policy and Program Development staff will offer a comprehensive review of regulatory and programmatic developments in the housing and community development arena. (.075 CEUs)
PRESENTERS:
Jeff Falcusan
Director of Policy and Program Development
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
Washington, DC
Tamar Greenspan
Policy Advisor
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
Washington, DC
Jonathan Zimmerman
Senior Policy Advisor
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
Washington, DC
