SPHA Honored with 2010 NMA Excellence in Housing Award

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – Nan McKay & Associates (NMA) has named the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) as the recipient of the 2010 NMA Excellence in Housing Award for its Section 3 Resident Skills Assessment program. The annual national award recognizes leaders in the assisted housing industry through agency performance, community outreach, and efforts to break new ground for the future of the industry.

During recent years, SPHA staff noticed the decline of resident and business participation in its federally mandated Section 3 program, which requires that housing authorities provide job training, employment and contract opportunities for low or very-low income residents in connection with projects and activities in their neighborhoods. In order to reverse this trend, SPHA invested $59,500 of its 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant funding in a pro-active resident outreach and skills assessment initiative, known as the Section 3 Resident Skills Assessment program, designed to identify and assist public housing residents who are ready, willing, and able to work.

SPHA Chief Executive Officer Darrell Irions said, “We are honored that Nan McKay & Associates chose to recognize SPHA’s Section 3 Resident Skills Assessment program with this national award of excellence. We feel that our program can provide a means to change the decades-old ‘cradle-to-grave’ mind-set for public housing residents who are willing to take a leap of faith and expand their horizons. As we help our residents secure jobs, education, self-sufficiency and self-fulfillment, they will be able to graduate from the system, making more housing assistance available to other families on long waiting lists.”

The Section 3 Resident Skills Assessment program is managed for SPHA by Catholic Charities, Inc., a division of the Catholic Dioceses of St. Petersburg. Currently, Catholic Charities is working with 43 public housing residents to provide assessments, training and job opportunities. Thirteen residents have achieved employment as a direct result of the program.

Louis Fehrensen, NMA regional account manager, said, “By partnering with Catholic Charities and leveraging ARRA money, SPHA has moved beyond merely complying with Section 3 requirements to truly embodying the spirit of the Section 3 program in the city of St. Petersburg.”

In addition to receiving the 2010 NMA Excellence in Housing Award, SPHA will be profiled on the NMA website at www.nanmckay.com, and the housing authority's best practices and achievements will be featured in the December 7 edition of NMA’s monthly eNewsletter.

About St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA):
The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) is a public body corporate that has a 70+ year history of developing and administering affordable housing programs within its jurisdictional area, which includes St. Petersburg and a 10-mile radius outside of the city. Consistently scored as a “High Performer” on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assessments, SPHA provides housing assistance to more than 3,400 families. The housing authority has received national awards and recognition for its innovative programs, including the Economies of Scale program, the Jordan Park HOPE VI redevelopment program, the Section 3 program and the Fraud Recovery program. More information about SPHA’s programs and services can be found at www.stpeteha.org.

About Nan McKay & Associates (NMA):
Nan McKay & Associates is recognized as the leading provider of training, consulting, and products for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) public housing and section 8 / housing choice voucher programs. NMA strives to stay abreast of the latest developments, both federally and regionally, keeping agencies well-informed as to the changes in the public housing industry. More information on NMA can be found at www.nanmckay.com.