City Council

c,c. 4 "DL OKLAHOIIIA CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY 1 4 P. O. BOX 25891 o 0KLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA 73125 Area Code 405 i 239-7551 o Julv 7 , 1972 ,-i; i fr ;., t',: / J. B. HARRIS0N, Chairman ,d1.,l1t r t: A. B. CHERRY, Vice-Chairman DR. BYRON BISCOE, Commissioner JOEL COLEY, Gommissioner WILLIAM J. McWILLIAMS, Commissioner JOSEPH WHORTON, Executive Director ., Mr. Normary'V. Watson Assistant/ Secretary for HOusing M{nagement Departmept of Housing and Urban Denrelopment Washington, D. C. 2O4LO Dear Mr. Watson: First let me express my appreciation for the time and effort you spent on our beharf during my recent visit to washington. your concern for the problems of all housing, and for the okrahoma city Housing Authority, was indeed reassuring. As we discussed., f am ad- vising you at this tine of the budget reductions brought about by the proposed cuts in operating subsidy. In view of a lack of fulI availability of subsidy moneys, this authority has submitted to the Area office a budget representing the same level of e>", and has main- tained that occupancy rate for somE six months now. The attached sheet shorvs in d,etail, basic inforfiration pertinent to this point. For some 22 months now, the pklahoma City Housing Authority has been involved in a rebu.ilding progham including efforts to streamline Central office managelnent, d,ecentrhlize by placingi more indivicluals in the fieId, and automating where same results in siqnificant cost savings. Enployment of tenants and development of a community service counseling prograrn, as well as adoption of a deli]cerate program to re- cruit, train, and upgrade minority employees have ar1 been a direct response to guidelines set forth by the Department of i{UD. A 508 reduction in operating funds could only mean the eventual and sure destruction of the housing program in oklahoma city, and r fail to find any justification or :iationale for this action. I am con- vinced that the Oklahoma City Area Office has done everything within their limited power to secure for qs an appltopriate funding level for the next fiscal year. I am fully a\^/are of the problems that confront you with housing authorities ttrroughout the country, particularly those problems imposed by the ne-l.r Brooke .Amendment. However, r must ask your indulgence and intereession on our behalf in order that we may continue to operate in a manner which responsibly cares for the g40 mi1lion worth of housing projects which have been constructed in this city Curing the past seven years. Finally, I would point out th[t if it is the intent of HUD or OMB to cause housing authorities tofirr.r"."" their rentals and to re- d.uce the number of welfare recipients through the use of rent ranges so that housing will not become "the housing of last resort" then HUD and OMB should consider that same cannot possibly be accomplished over night, and that the only reasonable approach is a consistent, well thought out plan for implementation over a reasonable period of time. Norman V. Watson 7 /7 /72 Page 3 I am copying several individirals who have e>