THE GRAPEVINE

June 2014

Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority Volume 210, Issue 6

Monthly Reminders:

Community/Resident Council Meetings:

Kippax Place— June 3, 2014 5:30 pm

Davisville/Bland Court— June 11, 2014

1:00 pm

Piper Square—June 18, 2014 1:00 pm

Thomas Rolfe—June 19, 2014 1:00 pm

Rental payments are due on the 1st of each

month and must be paid at SunTrust Bank

by 5:00 p.m. Any payment received after

5:00 p.m. is considered next day and a late

fee will be assessed.

Laos Outreach Karate Program every Tues-

day at Laos Outreach Center.

Job Corps Orientations at Hopewell VEC

every Thursday at 9:00 am

Employment assistance every Tuesday

from 9:00—11:00 a.m. at Piper Square

Community College Workforce Alliance

employment workshop June 16 from

2:00—3:00 pm

HRHA Grievance Procedure 2

HRHA Employee Spotlight 2

Management Policy 3

Father’s Day 3

Hopewell Community Day 3

Management Corner 4

Legal Aid Justice Center 4

Davisville Summer TDT 4

FSS Participant Graduates 5

Summer Feeding Program 5

Inside this issue:

Upcoming REAC Inspections

We have received notification from The Depart-ment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that the annual inspection of your community has been scheduled for the following dates:

Davisville/Bland Court – June 23

Piper Square – June 24 -25

Thomas Rolfe Court & Ext – June 26 – 27

HRHA is currently conducting Pre-REAC inspections of the above men-tioned communities. Once preliminary inspections are completed, mainte-nance staff will be sent to apartments with noted deficiencies for comple-tion.

The following resident deficiencies have been noted inside several apart-ments that have been inspected:

Defective smoke alarms

Unclean stovetops that do not work

Blocked egress (blocked windows)

Broken electrical sockets

Mold around bathtub

Holes in the walls

The above list is just a few of the issues that result in preventable higher point deductions. In addition, general housekeeping is a portion of the overall inspection.

Section 17, Part J and X of your lease fully explains resident responsibilities for maintaining apartments. Please read this section of your lease.

Should you have any questions, please contact your Housing Manager at (804) 452-1880 ext. 3 for Thomas Rolfe, Davisville/Bland Court or (804) 541-0392 ext. 3 for Piper Square.

A higher overall REAC score could result in additional HUD funding that will allow the agency to allot more funding for property improvements. With your help we can successfully pass our upcoming REAC inspection, which will benefit our communities.

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HRHA has a Grievance Procedure that seeks to assure just and unbiased treatment of all residents and to provide procedures which are not unduly time consuming or complicated. The Authority will take required actions to ensure all grievants with special needs are accommodated to provide access to this Grievance Procedure.

Should it become necessary for you to file a grievance, present your grievance personally, either orally or in writing, to the Authority’s Central Management Office or the Management Office where you reside within seven days, after the occurrence giving rise to the grievance.

The oral or written presentation should state:

1. That the complaint is being pursued in accordance with the Grievance Procedure.

2. The actual basis of the grievance.

3. The action of relief.

A copy of the Grievance Procedure can be found at the Community’s Management Office and at the Authority’s Central Management Office. If you are not satisfied with the resolution of your complaint, you may contact your HRHA Chairmen of the Board of Commissioners at 804-720-2581.

HRHA Grievance Procedure

Tina Raatz currently serves as the Housing Manager for Thomas Rolfe Court/Ext., Davisville and Bland Court. Tina has been employed with HRHA for 23 years and has worked in several departments including Maintenance, the Housing Choice Voucher program and Public Housing management. Tina has also had the opportunity to manage all communities within HRHA.

She was born and raised in Hopewell. She is married and has 4 children and 2 grandchildren, ages six and 14 months. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

Tina enjoys reading and keeping up to date with HUD changes and looks forward to future opportunities offered by HUD and HRHA.

HRHA Employee Spotlight

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HRHA does not discriminate on the basis of disability status in the admission or access to housing or employment in its federally assisted programs and activities. Mrs. Madelyn Madison -Hyde has been designated to coordinate compliance with nondiscrimination requirements contained in the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) regulations implementing (Section 504 CFR Part 8, dated June 2, 1988) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. You may contact her at:

P.O. Box 1361

Hopewell, VA 23860

(804) 458-5160

Management Policy

Father’s Day

In recognition of Father’s Day, HRHA will be hosting a community cookout. By participating in Father's Day 2014, we can demonstrate our agency's commitment to improving the quality of life for children by sup-porting responsible male involvement in their lives.

The cookout will be held at the Davisville community center on Saturday, June 14th from 12:00 – 2:00 PM. This year’s theme is “Reconnecting Families and Dads,” and we would like to promote services that will ena-ble fathers to be a contributing factor in the household and in the lives of their children.

Hopewell Community Day

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Management Corner

Legal Aid Justice Center

Summer Therapeutic Day Treatment

HRHA will be collaborating with Clearr Vission Support Services to provide a Summer Therapeutic Day Treat-ment program provided at no cost to families. The program is funded by Medicaid for children who meet eligi-bility requirements for the services. Clearr Vission is also providing scholarships to three children who do not meet eligibility requirements. A lottery will be held June 18th to choose the scholarship winners.

This is a fun program that teaches children social skills, coping skills, anger management, how to make friends, how to keep friends, how to be a team player, and how to express feelings in healthy ways. Activities will in-clude games, music, art and recreation. Children learn and practice new skills in a variety of settings in the center and on community outings. Transportation will be provided within the program's area. Breakfast and lunch are also included.

The program will be held in the Davisville community center for boys and girls ages six to 18 with behavioral challenges. The Summer Therapeutic Day Treatment program will run from June 23 to August 22, 2014, Mon-day through Friday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, which includes transportation time.

Register by contacting Terence Barber at (804) 452-1880 ext. 4, or by calling Clearr Vission at 804-328-1784. Space is limited and families will be served on a first come first serve basis.

There have been a number of complaints by residents in our communities and HRHA management concerning the amount of trash accumulating on the grounds of our communities. We try to walk our communities regu-larly, but we need your help keeping our the grounds appealing.

To help do your part, we ask you to keep your patios and porches free of any trash or items that do not belong there and place all trash in the dumpster. Outdoor furniture is permitted, with the exception of old indoor chairs, couches and unsightly belongings.

The weather is starting to become warmer and with that we have seen an increase in Styrofoam cups littering the communities from the home made “Icy Cups”. We know this a treat all children love to enjoy on a hot day, but please inform the children not to throw pieces of the cups on the ground. There are receptacles located throughout the communities for proper disposal of trash. Please also dispose of cigarette butts properly and not on the grounds.

No litter is good litter! If we all work together, our communities will be a beautiful place to enjoy without the unsightly view of trash everywhere.

Effective June 1, 2014, the Petersburg office of the Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC) is moving to 2006 Wakefield

Street in Petersburg. Central Virginia Legal Aid Society (CVLAS) shares this office. Although the location in Pe-

tersburg will change, the core work and mission—to serve those who have the least access to legal resources—

will continue.

LAJC is making plans to work smarter in order to continue to provide great service to their clients. For instance,

their attorneys will schedule appointments and be available at the newly located Petersburg office on Tuesdays

and Thursdays each week. While making an appointment in advance is preferable, individuals needing immedi-

ate services may visit their office on those days as well. LAJC will continue to be available by phone Monday

through Friday from 8:30am to 5:30 pm and can be contacted at (804) 862-2205 or by fax at (804) 862-2297.

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FSS Participant Earns College Degree

HRHA takes this opportunity to congratulate a Piper Square resident and Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program participant, Tonya Johnson. Tonya is a recent graduate of John Tyler Community College where she obtained her Associate’s degree in Human Services. Tonya has worked extremely hard at remaining a strong and positive role model for her two sets of twins, ages five and seven, by demonstrating how educa-tion is the key to success. Tonya believes that she is her children’s first example and it would be unfair to expect her children to aim high with educational goals if she had not done so herself. In fact she states her son competes with her by bringing home straight A’s and saying, “Well mom, I guess you can do better next time,” when she received B’s.

Tonya began attending college two years ago after struggling to locate full time em-ployment as a licensed Certified Nurses Aid (CNA). During this frustrating and unsuccessful time, she made a con-scious decision to improve her family’s quality of life for the future by going back to school. She decided she wanted a career which would provide livable wages and the ability to support her family. Tonya states “Without an education and a career, I would always remain on the bottom, which is not where I want to be. I also wanted consistency as well as opportunities for growth by having the ability to receive a promotion because I had earned it myself.”

In addition to being a mother of four children, Tonya remained employed part-time as she earned her degree by completing her classes online, in class, and through the completion of an internship with the CARES homeless shelter in Petersburg. Tonya believes her education will provide her with the ability to achieve her goals.

Tonya believes that continuing her education also serves as the foundation which will directly contribute to ac-complishing her primary goal of moving out of public housing. Becoming free from government assisted living has proven to be nearly impossible for Tonya while employed as a CNA. In Virginia, the average full-time annual sala-ry for a licensed CNA is approximately $25,000 and is much less for those who are currently unlicensed. This sala-ry is well below the national poverty guidelines of $27,910 as established by the Federal government for a family of five. This indicates in Tonya’s case, if she were dependent upon her CNA licensure as a means of escaping pov-erty, escape would likely not happen due to her income simply not being above the poverty guidelines, no matter how hard she worked.

Tonya wants her children to have their own yard to play in by becoming a homeowner in the future and believes accomplishing this goal requires continuing her education. Tonya states the urgency of moving into her own home stems from her personal beliefs. “Public housing is meant to be a platform to build and is designed to assist families during a difficult time. Public housing should never become a long-term way of life or be called home for-ever, affecting future generations. I want my children to have a better life, I want a better life but the only way to get that is to go out there and get it. No one is just going to give it to you; you have to be motivated to work for it.”

Currently through the case management services she receives from her FSS Coordinator, Tonya has been connect-ed to the necessary resources needed to improve her credit scores ensuring homeownership is reachable in her future. Tonya continues to aim high by setting another achievement goal of obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in social work and will begin working toward this in the fall.

Summer Feeding Program

HRHA is partnering with Hopewell Schools this year to initiate the summer feeding program. The program will run from June 23 to August 7, 2014. Lunch will be served throughout the week, but will not be served on Fridays or July 3-4. Residents needing community service hours are encouraged to volunteer. Parents or guardians must reg-ister their child the day before if they would like their child to have lunch. Check your community boards for more information on program times.

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Public Housing Staff

Madelyn Madison-Hyde, Public Housing Director – (804) 458-5160

Lillian Quintana, Administrative Assistant to the Public Housing

Director – (804) 458-5160

Tina Raatz, Housing Manager – (804) 452-1880 ext. 3

Thomas Rolfe Court/Extension & Davisville/Bland Court

Julie Derr, Assistant Housing Manager – (804) 452-1880 ext. 2

Thomas Rolfe Court/Extension & Davisville/Bland Court

Greg Pe’ay, Housing Manager – (804) 541-0392 ext. 3

Piper Square, Kippax Place & Langston Park

Lafonia Thornton, Assistant Housing Manager – (804) 541-0392 ext. 2

Piper Square, Kippax Place & Langston Park

Kathryn Thompson, Resident Services Manager – (804) 541-0392 ext. 4

Terence Barber, Resident Services Specialist – (804) 452-1880 ext. 4

Jennifer Campbell, FSS Program Intern — (804) 855-7065

Emergency After Hours – (804) 640-9337

Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority P.O. Box 1361 350 E. Poythress Street Hopewell, VA 23860 Phone (804) 458-5160 Fax (804) 458-3364 Website www.hopewellrha.org

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