Today’s information on the Salem Housing Authority Board is the eighth in a series on city committees, who is on them and their role in helping make city policy. Committees are an important part of how city government is supposed to work, and their responsibilities are spelled out in city ordinances. Section 106.150 calls for policy to be made “with the advice, information and analysis provided by the public, boards, commissions, committees and the city staff.”
The Salem Housing Authority members are appointed by the mayor and approved by the board of aldermen. However, they are actually an independently owned agency chartered under state law as an autonomous, not-for-profit public corporation. Their organizational structure allows them to work in conjunction with local governments and agencies to develop long-term housing strategies for communities.
Though independently run, housing authorities are required to follow federal regulations. Salem Housing has 90 public housing apartments, which are subsidized by HUD through Capital Funding Grants and Operating Subsidy. Also, Salem Housing Authority owns and operates a multifamily program called Bright Meadows. This program is funded by HUD through MHDC by the Section 8 Project Based Program and receives a monthly voucher.
To be eligible for these you must qualify by income. The income limits are posted on SHA’s website. Criminal/Credit Backgrounds are performed at no charge. Applications are available at the SHA office by appointment or you may apply online.
In 2020, they launched the Low Income Public Housing Project with the approval of a $500,000 revolving fund pulled from housing authority funds accumulated over time and is used to flip houses, which essentially means that any money made from selling, leasing or renting the properties would return to the fund.
Housing Authority Board members include Joe Brand, chairman; Richard LaBrash Sr., Rose Kinerk, Sherman Odom and Wanda Henson.
The group meets at a site to be determined when the Housing Authority chairman calls a meeting. The meetings are open to the public.
The best way to get involved in city committees is to attend meetings as a member of the public and express or demonstrate one’s interest and/or expertise in a given category to the city.
