Section 8 Staffing Request
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CITY OF DUBUQUE,
MEMORANDUM
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IOWA ///:///1;'1
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November 14,2000
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Request for Additional Section 8 Program Employee
Housing Services Manager David Harris is recommending that the current .50 FTE secretary
position in the Section 8 activity be increased to full-time status.
As you know, all Section 8 activity positions are funded through leasing fees generated on units
participating in the program. As we are able to obtain more funding, for more units, our
revenues are increased. Also increased is the workload, and that is the justification for this
position.
With increased revenues the FY2002 surplus of revenues over expenses is projected at $33,000.
Increasing the position to full-time will cost $18,990.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval.
I1tJJ ~111~L
Michael c. Van Mlfligen ~
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Tim Moerman, Assistant City Manager
David Harris, Housing Services Manager
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
8 November 00
To: Mike \~ Milligen, City Manager
From: Davi-narris, Housing Services Department
Re: Request for an increase to full-time status for a Section 8 Program employee
Introduction
The purpose ofthis memorandum is to request the current 0.50 FTE secretary position in the
Section 8 activity be increased to full-time status.
Discussion
The Section 8 activity is currently staffed by one full-time and one half-time secretary. Since
July, the half-time position has been vacant and we have been using the services of a temporary
staffing agency, pending notification of funding awards for additional housing vouchers. The
vacancy was created through the resignation of a previous employee, who was with the Housing
Department for only six months. The previous incumbent also resigned, after a ten-month
tenure.
As you know, all Section 8 activity positions are funded through leasing fees generated on units
participating in the program. As we are able to obtain more funding, for more units, our revenues
are increased. Also increased is the workload, and that is the justification for this position
request.
We have now received notice of the funding awards we had anticipated. In January 99 we were
awarded 40 Mainstream Program housing vouchers, for disabled individuals. In September of this
year we were received another 40 "incremental" vouchers, the first made available by HUD since
1995. And in October we learned that we will be assigned 12 additional units, due to a project-
based owner's "opt-out" of the program.
This means that we have increased our total number of Section 8 Program units under contract to
HUD by 92 since last year, to 1045 - an increase of 10%. This represents an increase in
administrative revenues in excess of$45 000 annually. This enables us to consider increasing our
staff complement for the activity, as we are projecting a substantial surplus of revenues over
expenses. For the Fiscal Year 2002 budget just submitted, this surplus is now estimated at
$29 000.
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Currently, the 0.50 FTE secretary position expense is approximately $13030, with required fringe
benefit costs. Increasing the position to full-time will add approximately $18 990, including
health insurance costs.
The Section 8 activity, as a result of our recent successes in obtaining new funding, has never
been more financially healthy. In addition to the projected operating surplus, our administrative
reserves account balance now exceeds $230 000. HUD appears to have weathered its "crisis"
with Congress and the budget for contract renewals and for new incremental housing vouchers
continues to increase each year. The Housing Department continues to enjoy a strong
relationship with the Iowa HUD office, most recently recognized with a Best Practices award and
appointment of the department manager by the Governor to a state-wide housing task force. It is
safe to say that our financial future looks very positive. For those reasons, it is reasonable to
consider additional staffing at this time.
However, the position request is not made only on the basis of our ability to fund it. It is
requested because of need. The additional units have created significant additional workload
demands on the staff. In particular, as federal requirements have increasingly been mandated
regarding criminal background checks for all applicants, the workload for processing the
applications has become substantial. Both the previous part-time secretaries in this position
resigned within a year; I believe this is an indicator ofthe need for a full-time staffperson. Both
individuals indicated a high level of stress and demonstrated an inability to complete the
application and criminal history checks in a timely manner.
Because the Section 8 staff are funded solely through leasing fees generated through occupied
apartments, a high level of performance is constantly required in order to meet occupancy - and
revenue - projections. The part-time position functions as the "intake specialist" for the Section 8
activity. And because the previous two incumbents were unable to adequately perform, the
burden to lease up had to be assumed by other staff, adding to their responsibilities for
maintenance of caseloads exceeding 300 families per worker. Our "utilization" levels have not
met projections for the past two years, resulting in lower than anticipated revenues. (We have,
however, continued to operate profitably, although with only a $1900 surplus in the fiscal year
just completed.) Simply put, we have maximized use of our staff resources and have now reached
the point of overload.
Recommendation
The request is to increase the half-time secretary position to full-time. The additional hours
resulting from this increase will allow this position, functioning as intake specialist for the Section
8 activity, to adequately process applications, conduct the required criminal history checks and
attain target utilization levels for the Housing Department. The additional expense is exceeded by
the additional revenues available through lease-up of the recent housing voucher contracts
awarded to the City by HUD. And the reduction of workload - for all Section 8 employees - will
result in lowered stress levels and improved morale for the staff, and the best-possible services
provided to the more than 1000 households now receiving assistance through this program.
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Action Step
The action requested ofthe City Council is to approve an increase in staffing in the Section 8
activity, making the current 0.50 FTE secretary a full-time employee.
cc:
Randy Peck, Personnel Department
Date: 11/20/2000
To: Dubuque City Council
From: Jeremy Austin, 2506 Broadway, Apt. 2 (formerly Apt. 4)
RE: Section 8 Housing Commission Position
I am writing this memo to state my desire for being on the Housing
Commission as the Section 8 Representative. I would like for the council to
consider this as my statement, as I have prior commitments. I hope this and
my prior statements make a good impression.
I believe my experiences and my desire to understand and assist my
community will be an asset. I have great abilities to be receptive and open;
to see and speak truth; to generate consensus; and to solve problems. I also
have the capacity to understand the how and why in housing related issues.
My flexible jOb as a freelance photographer has enabled me to be involved
in my community. I belong to the North End Neighborhood Association. With
others, I am helping to create a tenant's advocacy group. I also share my
computer expertise with Star Club.
In closing, I would like to say that I am driven and committed to be apart of
the commission with plenty of time and energy to share. I understand that it is
the home that makes the community better.
Thanks for Your Consideration.
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