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Fayetteville Housing Authority reports Hillcrest Towers cleanup after high-profile visit; audits and HUD field changes ongoing
Summary
Executive Director Chanda Tapley reported April 24 that staff completed a three-week cleanup and repair push at Hillcrest Towers ahead of a visit by federal and state officials; the authority is also handling a forensic audit, HUD field-office staffing changes and a large voucher program.
At the April 24 meeting of the Fayetteville Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, Executive Director Chanda Tapley reported a months-long operations push focused on Hillcrest Towers and other properties following a high-profile visit from federal and state officials.
Tapley said representatives from Congressman Steve Womack’s office, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development staff (including Secretary Turner), Governor Sanders and the mayor of Fayetteville toured Hillcrest Towers on April 22. Tapley said staff and residents completed three weeks of accelerated maintenance and cleaning in advance of the visit, including painting common-area hallways, stripping and waxing the community-floor vinyl, pressure-washing walkways and exterior areas, replacing ceiling tiles and bulletin boards, repairing a tripping hazard at a main-floor elevator landing, replacing worn laundry carts, and adding flags and benches. She singled out Aletha Patterson, Hillcrest property manager, for “walking her soles off” during preparations.
Tapley said there were two rainstorms during the preparation window and one instance of in-building vandalism; staff used the need to repaint corridors as part of a broader cleanup effort. She said Johnson Controls has begun work on a defective fire-alarm buzzing issue that has recurred during storms.
Tapley described planned capital and security upgrades. Under the HUD Safety and Security grant, staff are upgrading lobby doors to automatic sliding doors and improving the electronic fob and stairwell gate systems. Tapley said the authority is also evaluating recycling and dumpster options to reduce curbside messes and planning grading work on the east and south sides of Hillcrest to improve water runoff.
Tapley reported occupancy and voucher statistics: Hillcrest Towers has 120 units with 118 active leases; Lewis Plaza has 38 units with 18 active leases and 16 units offline; Morgan Manor has 52 units with 46 active leases; Willow Heights has 38 units and 16 active leases. The housing authority reported 92 work orders received during the reporting interval and 83 completed, including six emergency work orders. For the voucher program, staff reported 470 active HCV/TPV contracts, 117 VASH contracts, 45 emergency housing leases, and 33 mainstream vouchers. Public-housing wait lists included 123 families overall with 47 specifically for Hillcrest Towers; the voucher wait list was reported at 153.
Aurelie, who identified herself as executive assistant, described the twice-yearly wait-list purge process: staff send letters and emails to applicants on file with about a 10-business-day response window and explained that the authority accounts for reasonable accommodations during the purge. Aurelie said this year’s purge produced a roughly 65% response rate.
Tapley also updated the board on ongoing audits and HUD field-office changes. She said the authority is engaged in a forensic audit that covers records back to February 2017; auditors will continue document requests and staff are compiling controls and reconciliation documentation. Tapley reported an organizational change at HUD’s Little Rock field office: Tony Landecker, director, resigned and many field contacts are transitioning; staff said some PHAs in Arkansas may now report to Oklahoma City while the reorganization occurs.
Tapley said the authority is converting its voucher-management work into HUD’s new EVMS system and that staff will temporarily operate both legacy and HUD viewing systems during the transition. She also said staff have begun work on the authority’s five‑year plan and that a public hearing and resident-advisory-board meeting will occur in May.
Tapley closed by thanking residents and staff for their help preparing for the visit and said the authority has more work to do on financial controls and inventories as part of the ongoing audits.
Votes at a glance Routine approvals at the meeting: agenda approval and consent (March 20 minutes) were approved unanimously by present commissioners.
