Meridian Housing Authority has received a high performance rating for its public housing operations from the US Dept. Of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD.
“There are 3,200 housing authorities in the country and there are 55 housing authorities in the state of Mississippi. So this distinction really indicates to us that we are doing the right things right.”
The housing authority received the distinction due to its high public housing assessment score, which assesses the physical condition of housing properties and the management of administrative tasks and finances. The distinction offers two benefits.
Meridian housing authority will now receive additional funding from the department of housing and urban development.
It will also receive some relief from HUD monitoring. The authority plans to use the additional funds to renovate properties and improve living community safety.
“Hopefully, some of the funding that we’ve received will allow us to implement surveillance and security systems that will address some of the safety concerns that our residents currently have.”
Housing residents attribute the authority’s success to its effective leadership.
“By Mr. Turner having such an open-door policy, he makes it possible. He’s always willing to listen to us. We’re not just a tenant association that sits on the sidelines and are only used for certain things. He includes us and makes sure that our input is listened to, and he tries his best to apply it if he can.”
The authority plans to continue its efforts in empowering residents.
“We have a lot of program involving empowerment and self-sufficiency that they have bought into. And we’re transitioning a lot of those residents into home ownership and off of dependency on the welfare system. And so that mindset coupled with the fact that we have other collaborative partners that are helping us in this effort has given us the opportunity to attain the high performer designation that we received from the dept. Of housing and urban development. And we’re very proud of that.”
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