PHA's Tenant Orientation Session Evolves into Living Skills Class

摘要

The Housing Authority of Henry County (HAHC), 111., has refashioned its basic tenant orientation meeting into a living skills class which provides basic information about the public housing lease and maintenance, as well as details about social services, the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program, and homeownership opportunities Kathleen Barton, HAHC executive director, said the agency continues to improve the program each year. The latest change is a short quiz at the end of the class to review what has been learned. The HAHC has 454 public housing units and 176 Section 8 vouchers and manages several other affordable housing units. "Tenants forget things that were covered in the class, like our one-strike policy," said Barton, referring to a common PHA lease provision dealing with eviction for illegal activities of tenants or guests. The housing authority adopted the idea of using a quiz from the Bloomington, 111., Housing Authority, which reported good results from testing new residents. "They found that if they give a short quiz at the end of the class that more people pay attention," said Barton. "They (residents) get excited about being recognized for passing a test."