By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
The Housing Authority of Glasgow board members discussed the possibility of federal disruptions and duplex repairs at a Wednesday, Feb. 26 special-called meeting.
Executive Operations Officer Sheri Lee said it’s possible that the Housing Assistance Payment program that offers financial assistance to renters could be cut by 11 percent. It’s funded at 99 percent under the continuing resolution that was passed by Congress. The continuing resolution expires March 14 and threatens a government shut down if a budget is not passed by then.
“We don’t have anything final yet,” Lee said. “Things I’ve heard through some of the national housing organizations…they’re looking at 88 percent funding of what expenses were last year…so if we’re only getting funded at 88 percent then there’s going to be a shortfall in the HAP assistance across to landlords.”
Lee said she did not have any information on if federal actions would affect public housing.
She also mentioned coming Housing and Urban Development staff reductions. Board member John Rogers asked if the staff reductions would impact the Kentucky field office to which the Glasgow housing authority reports.
“I’m not sure how [the reductions] are going to impact the programs,” Lee said
The board members also were shown a tentative repair bill for the public housing duplex on Bunche Avenue that was recently hit by a stolen truck. The proposed bill was from Coleman Contracting, Inc. and was for $71,746.29. Lee said the bill was just tentative as “they won’t know all the damage” until they examine inside the unit.
Maintenance Director Rodney Sherfey said there were some concerns regarding the trusses and inside walls — which in some cases, Sherfey said, had moved three to four inches due to the impact.
The board approved Lee to “go ahead and work out arrangements and get started” using the Coleman Contracting proposal as a base.
“This is not federal money,” Lee said. “This is insurance money, so we can do this without going through a closed bid process.”
