EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

ACHA Achievements for 2001 thru 2008

HUD HIGH PERFORMER
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development assesses each Public Housing Authority annually based on four different categories. A score of 90 or better designates a housing authority is a High Performer. The table below illustrates the ACHA's performance in these categories:

AWARD WINNING PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT
The ACHA Public Safety Department has accomplished many things over the last four years. Chief among these accomplishments are:

• Decrease in major crimes by approximately 70%.
• 65% decrease in Domestic violence reports.
• Significant decreases in youth violence.

These accomplishments are directly attributed to increased police presence and crime prevention/education programs provided by the Public Safety department.

Meyers Ridge
Located on the site of the old McKees Rocks Terrace housing development, Meyers Ridge boasts nineteen (19) homeownership properties. Fourteen (14) of which are either completely constructed or more than 80% constructed. Two (2) homes have already been sold and an additional six (6) are under agreement at this time.

Pleasant Ridge
Construction is slated to begin in April 2005 on fifteen (15) homeownership units located on the former site of the Ohioview Acres housing development. Units will be offered first to former Ohioview Acres residents, then to residents of other ACHA Public Housing communities or Housing Choice Voucher Program participants and lastly to individuals on the ACHA waiting list.
The units will be offered during a preference-marketing period (3/2/2005-4/30/2005), after which any remaining units will be offered to the general public.

Penn Hills
The ACHA has owned and maintained a number of homes in the Penn Hills area for some time. As part of an initial homeownership program the ACHA planned to market these homes for purchase by individuals in the Low Income Public Housing (LIPH) program, to date three (3) homes have been sold.
LIPH residents currently occupy the remaining ten (10) homes. However, as they become vacant, they will be marketed as possible homeownership properties.

Housing Choice Voucher Program
The Department of Housing and Urban Development expanded the Housing Choice Voucher Program to include a homeownership option approximately four years ago. The Homeownership Program that has helped many Allegheny County residents rent safe, decent and sanitary housing can now help participants purchase a home of their own.

The Allegheny County Housing Authority was the first in our area to launch the new optional Homeownership Program in September 2002.

The Homeownership Program allows Housing Choice Voucher Participants or new applicants the option to convert their rental voucher to a Homeownership voucher. Tenants must meet certain minimum qualifications in order to join in the program.

The Allegheny County Housing Authority currently has seventeen (17) families that we are subsidizing under the Homeownership Program. We have several more participants that have signed sales agreements for homes and will be closing in the near future. We also have over one hundred families that are currently involved in credit counseling as a precursor to possible homeownership.

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