opp housing authority january february 2014

8/13/2019 Opp Housing Authority January February 2014

1/8

OPPORTUNITYNEWSLETTER

JANUARY-FEBRUARY2014 HOUS

INGAUTHORITY

CITY

OFOPP,ALABA

MA

INTHISISSUE

Handicap Unit renovations

complete!

Meet Mrs. Elizabeth Womack,

our Resident Board Member.

Get to know our new Section 8

Coordinator.

HQS Inspection Checklist for

Section 8 participants.

Photos from Father and ChildFun Day!

2014 Holiday Calendar.

A Special Message from

Executive Director Beverly

Barber.

2014 HOLIDAYS

Father and Child Fun Day

Last Summer, Opp Housing Authority

celebrated the Second Annual

Celebration of Fathers and Children.

Children and adults alike enjoyed a

backyard barbecue, face-painting,

inatables, games, and music played by DJ Jimmy Culbreath of Rhema Sound

Recording Studios. Neice Danzey and Pamela Holston of Medical AIDS Outreac

(MAO) were onsite to perform testing and promote community awareness about

AIDS and HIV. Myron Williams from Wallace Community College Criminal

Justice Department manned an informational booth about the criminal justice

department at the college. This annual event celebrates the connection and re-connection and children. It encourages fathers to take an active role in their

childrens lives. Look inside for more photos and a special thanks to the sponsors

of this event.

The Opp Housing

Authority Ofce

will be closed on

the following

dates in 2014:

January 1: New Years Day

January 20: MLK Jr. Day

February 17: George

Washingtons Birthday

May 26: Memorial Day

July 4: Independence Day

September 1: Labor Day

October 13: Columbus Day

November 11: Veterans Day

November 27 & 28:

Thanksgiving

December 24 & 25: Christmas

December 31: New Years Eve

Job Search Skills Seminar!

Just entering the job market? Wanting to get a leg up on your

competition? Ready to improve your job search skills? Section 8

Coordinator Terry Kilpatrick will be conducting a Job Search Ski

Seminar on Friday February 7, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00

p.m. at the J.T. Benton Community Room on Barnes Street in Op

An English and business writing instructor for over 15 years, Terry will talk abo

job applications, job histories, basic resumes, interview skills, and much more.

Handicap Renovations Complete

After months of construction,

the modernization of nine units

at the Housing Authority in

Opp have reached completion.

Newly accessible bathrooms,

sinks, cabinets, and a variety of

safety features have made these

apartments ideal for residents with

diabilities.

Look inside for more photos and

the details.


2/8

From the Executive Directors Desk

Happy New Year! Its hard to be-

lieve that we have entered into a New

Year! I am very thankful and blessed

to have a hard working and dedicated

staff for their untiring support though

all of the daily tasks and obstacles that

we come across each day. I am also

thankful for the residents of OHA, there

would be no me without you. I have

also been blessed to have the support

from the City of Opp and Covington

County. I am just thankful, grateful,

and blessed and I give all the praise to

the Lord above. If you know me, you

know there is no shame in my game

about me giving my God His praise.

We are nearing completion of theremodeling that has been going on for

the past year. We have a total of nine

handicapped accessible apartments, an

ofce that is handicapped accessible

and our community building that has

been remodeled. The renovations will

make it easier for everyone to access

our ofce, apartments and common

areas. Within the next few months, we

will be entering into another remodel-ing project of having the roofs repaired

at our Williams Road property. Please

be mindful of the construction areas

and make sure the children stay out of

harms way.

Representatives from the Opp

Housing Authority attended the 73

rd Alabama Association of Housing

and Redevelopment Authorities An-

nual Meeting in Panama City Beach,

Florida. Tuesday, August 27, 2013,

at the Scholarship Luncheon, Marlon

Jones was awarded a $2500.00 scholar-

ship from AAHRA. Marlon currently is

a sophomore at Troy University. This

makes the second year in a row that an

Opp Housing Authority resident was

awarded a scholarship. Wednesday,

August 28, 2013 at the awards banquet,OHA received two awards from the

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development. OHA also received a

Certicate of Appreciation in recogni-

tion of participation in the Fathers Day

Initiative.U.S. Department of Housing

and Urban Development presented a

Certicate of Excellence in Manage-

ment Operations to OHA in recogni-

tion of exemplary performance underthe Section 8 Management Assess-

ment Program (SEMAP) for outstand-

ing program

management,

as evidenced

with an overall

score of 96%.

Thank you

for viewing

OHAs news-

letter. As OHAs Executive Director,

is very important to me that our pro-

grams and services are accessible to

you. I invite you to learn more about

what the housing authority has to offe

including information for residents,

landlords, and potential residents. Th

year, OHA proudly celebrates 56 year

of service to the community.I hope that our newsletter is a

helpful guide to our programs and an

informational resource for you. If you

have anything you would like to subm

to our newsletter, please feel free to

contact our ofce at 334-493-9741 or

email [email protected].

I am excited about these accom-

plishments that are going on here at

Opp Housing Authority. I thank youand I pray Gods continuous blessings

for each of you.

PAGE2JANUARY-FEBRUARY2014

Resident Council News

Residents of the OHA are asked to come out and participate in our resident council meetings. You will

have an opportunity to give your input, suggestions and comments concerning the Annual and Five-Year

Plans for the Opp Housing Authority. Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, January 23 at 3:00 pm at

the J.T. Benson Community Center located at 813 Barnes Street.

Section 8 Application List Closed

The Opp Housing Authority Section 8 Program is no longer taking applications. Ending the Application Period for the

Opp Section 8 Program will not affect the application status of current applicants. This closure of the application period ap-

plies only to the Opp Housing Authoritys Section 8 Program and has no impact on any other Section 8 Program.


3/8

Scholarship Deadline January 17

Scholarship Opportunity for Assisted Housing School Seniors

College tuition continues to rise

across the country, making the dreamof earning a college degree harder and

harder to attain. PHADA, the Public

Housing Directors Association, has

implemented a scholarship program for

graduating high school seniors who are

preparing to kick off their college ca-

reer. PHADA will award three scholar-

ships to three young people residing in

a PHAD member agency.

The Stephen J. Bollinger Memorial

Scholarship memorializes its namesake

for his dynamic dedication to public

housing throughout his career. This

$7,000.00 scholarship will be awarded

to one young person, who will be pre-

sented with the scholarship at PHADAs

Annual Convention and Exhibition in

New Orleans, Louisiana in the summer

of 2014. The winner will receive a trip

for him- or herself and one parent or

guardian to attend the convention.The second scholarship is the Free-

dom and Civil Rights Scholarship for

$5,000.00. An essay-based award, this

scholarship honors the achievements of

the civil rights movement. In addition to

the regular scholarship application, the

student must submit a 300- to 500-word

essay demonstrating his or her efforts

and achievements in furthering the

values of the Civil Rights Movement.

The essay should discuss why the cause

is still relevant today and how the civil

rights movement relates to the students

educational and career goals. The writer

should include any relevant volunteer

experiences and community involve-

ment activities relating to advancing the

civil rights movement.

The third scholarship administered

by PHADA, the HD Supply Scholar-

ship, will also award $5,000.00 to asingle graduating senior. HD Supply F

cilities Maintenance, a leading supplie

of maintenance repair and replacemen

products, funds this annual scholarshi

as a way of giving back to the public

housing community.

Each award will be deposited

directly into the students account at

the institution he or she will attend.

The award can only be used to pay for

tuition, books, and activities directly r

lated to the students education, so if t

student discontinues his or her educa-

tion, the unused portion of the scholar

ship will be returned to PHADA.

To apply, pick up an application a

the Housing Authority, City of Opp, 8

Barnes Street. The deadline for applic

tion is January 17, 2014.

OHA Student Receives AAHRA Scholarship

Marlon Jones discusses what scholarship means to him

My name is Marlon Jones. I am

a sophomore at Troy University and

attend on the Troys Chancellors

Scholarship. I am pursuing a degree in

English with a Minor in Broadcast Jour-

nalism. My goal is to become a high

school English teacher and basketball

coach, combining two things that I love

English and basketball. An alternative

career choice would be that of a broad-

cast analyst.

I actually grew up as what most

would consider underprivileged hav-

ing to grow up without my father in

my life. However, the two women thatraised me, my mother and my grand-

mother, lled that void. Both of these

women are very special to me and have

made me be the young man that I am

today. My grandmother sacriced so

much raising me, my sister and my

cousins after raising her own children. I

owe her so much and will never be able

to repay her for all shes done for me.

This is my second year as a recipi-

ent of an AAHRA scholarship, and I am

truly grateful. It was a tremendous help

last school year and will be this com-

ing school year as well as I continue

in my endeavor to not become a part

of the statistics. Instead, I plan to be

there to help young boys who grew up

in environments similar or worse thanI did myself. I plan to make a differ-

ence in the lives of young boys through

sports and being there to support/nur-

ture them. One day, Id like to also ow

a Sportsplex so young men such as th

ones Ive described have a nice, safeplace to hang out and enjoy the sports

they love.



4/8

New Face in the OHA Ofce

Say Hello to Terry, the New Section 8 Coordinator

Get to Know Mrs. Womack

Opp Housing Authoritys Resident Board Member

The Housing Authoritys Resident

Board Member, Elizabeth Womack,

knows public housing and has some

clear ideas about what makes it work.A lot of people cant afford to buy

a house, and public housing provides

them with the next best thing, Mrs.

Womack said. She knows rsthand

about the benets of public housing.

Ive been in Opp housing for over

thirty years and raised three kids here,

Mrs. Womack said.

During those thirty years, she has

seen Opp housing grow into a com-

munity where people look out for one

another. In short, the people and the

community they form are at the heart of

public housing in Opp. We all count

on each other, Mrs. Womack said.This sense of cooperation is especially

benecial for the elderly tenants. The

housing authority gives elderly folks

who can take care of themselves a good

place to live.

The benets of public housing grow

from this sense of community providing

in turn a sense of security for the elderly

and other tenants less able to take care

of themselves.

The recent renovations are certainly

steps in

the right

direction,

as Mrs.Wom-

ack sees

it. Im

happy to

see the

handicap apartments completed, she

said. The changes will make life easi

for disabled tenants.

Mrs. Womack has been on the

Housing Authority Board since Decem

ber 2011.

Theres a new face in the Housing

Authority ofce. Terry Kilpatrick is

the new Section 8 Coordinator for the

Housing Authority.

A native of Samson, Terry recently

returned to his hometown in 2010 after

living for the better part of twenty

years in the Mobile area. He earned his

Bachelors degree in English Litera-

ture at Troy University in 1992 and his

Masters in English Literature at the

University of South Alabama in 1995.

Terry quickly put his education to work

teaching writing and literature part time

at Faulkner State Community College

in Bay Minette and Fairhope and at the

University of South Alabama from 1994

until 2009.

While teaching primarily evening

classes, Terry worked in the construc-

tion industry during the day his roles

ranging from heavy equipment operator

to proposal writeroften in the same

workday.

After moving back to his home-

town, Terry worked with Samson-based

federal contractor Hammer LGC, Inc.,

where he worked as a technical writer

producing proposals, marketing materi-

als, employee handbooks, and other

business materials. For the nal two

years of his employment with Hammer

LGC, Terry managed Hammer-owned

Barrs Seafood, an Opp landmark. It

was during this time at the helm of

Barrs Seafood that Terry got to know

the people of Opp and the surrounding

area.

Terry sees his role as Section 8 Co-

ordinator as an opportunity to give back

to the community that welcomed him

so a few years ago. For its participants,

the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher

Program provides decent, safe, and

sanitary

housing

that might

be other-

wise out

of reach,

Terry said.

My job,

as I see it,

is to administer fairly and efciently b

diligently tracking the needs of the pa

ticipants and maintaining a synergistic

relationship with landlords that ensure

housing quality standards are estab-

lished and maintained, he continued.

Terry has four children. His oldest

daughter lives in Mobile and teaches

at Weinackers Montesorri School, his

only son attends Truett Seminary at

Baylor University in Waco, Texas. His

younger daughters, aged nine and six,

attend Samson Elementary.



5/8PAGE5J

ANUARY-FEBRUARY2014


6/8

MAINTENANCEREMINDERSRoutine and Prevention Maintenance is performed on the third week of each month either

on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Pest Control is performed on the third Wednesday

of each month.

Our maintenance staff has indicated to us that they are having a hard time entering

units to perform these services because of tenants having their screen doors locked.

We ask that you be mindful of these days and leave your screen doors unlocked so

that this maintenance can be performed.

We also need to remind you that the A/C return unit closets are not to be used for

storage. The maintenance men are unable to get to the lters to change out properly if

there are items stored in this closet.

In the past few months we have issued several Smoke Detector Fines for tenants

tampering with or disconnecting their smoke detectors. It is a serious violation of

your Dwelling Lease to tamper, disconnect, bag or urn off your Detector at the breaker. If it is discovered that your

detector has been tampered with in any form you will be ned and the repeat offenders will be evicted.

We ask that you please keep these items in mind and continue to work with our Maintenance Staff to help ensure a healthy,

safe and clean environment for our dwelling units.

Thank You!

SECTIONHOUSINGQUALITYSTANDARDSINSPECIONPREPARATIONS

Following these simple suggestions can help ensure meeting the Family Obligations

section of the participants lease.

Check your smoke alarms and replace batteries as needed. For your protection smoke

detectors must be hooked-up and working properly at ALL times.

Report all maintenance items to the landlord or manager prior to the inspection. The

items may be able to be repaired before the annual inspection takes place.

Thoroughly clean your cooking range, range hood and lterinside and outasoften as necessary.

Defrost and clean your refrigerator at least once a month or as needed. Never use a

knife or a sharp tool to chip off ice! A pan of hot water or fan work best in speeding up the

defrosting process.

Clean both sides of all windows regularly, as you are able.

Thoroughly clean and sanitize the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, tub and toilet, and remove hard-water stains on a

regular basis.

Wash and clean walls and all painted woodwork on a regular basis.

Vacuum or sweep, and mop all oors on a regular basis.

To help prevent infestation by cockroaches, eas, mice, rats and other disease-carriers, remove all boxes, paper, garbageand other rubbish to proper garbage and recycling containers on a regular basis. Also remember to properly dispose of

discarded furniture, appliances, bulky rubbish and junked automobiles.

Maintain all sidewalks, lawns, shrubbery, and grounds (front, sides, owerbeds and rear of the house/apartment) in a

decent clean condition by keeping the lawn mowed, shrubbery trimmed, and free of garbage and debris.



7/8

Renovations Reach Completion

Handicap Modernization Project at OHA

The Housing Authority of the City

of Opp recently completed renova-

tions of nine apartments, making life

easier for current and future residents

for whom the most everyday tasks can

prove daunting.

Our hope is that these changes will

go beyond just the cosmetic and help

improve the way of life for current and

future residents with disabilities, Ex-

ecutive Director Beverly Barber said.

A few of the apartments required

moving interior walls to create a more

practical and functional space for

wheelchairs and other personal mobil-ity devices. Performed by Opp General

Contractor Catrett Construction, the

nine renovations involved modications

that created safe and accessible living

spaces for residents with disabilities.

The improvements focused on the

most frequented areas of the apart-

mentsthe kitchen and bathrooms.

In the kitchen, the installation of more

accessible counter and storage spacethrough lowered cabinets and work

surfaces allow for easier access by

individuals conned to wheelchairs or

with other limited mobility or exibility

abilities. Lowered, wheelchair-ac-

cessible sinks in the kitchens and

bathrooms add to the functionality

of both spaces.

Also in the bathrooms, new

grab bars not only provide con-

venience, but also give residents

a safer bathroom experience and can

mean the difference between inde-

pendence and dependence. Similarly,

handheld showerheads, additional grab

bars, and a seating area in the combi-

nation tub and shower units make life

easier for those residents with limited

mobility.Even with all these safeguards in

place, accidents do happen, so in just

case of such an occurrence, the bath-

rooms and the master bedrooms are

equipped with pull stations that activate

a a ashing alarm and strobe located

just outside the front door to indicate

an emergency situation and to help

responders and neighbors identify the

location of the distress.Inside, the re alarms come

equipped with both audible and visual

alarms for the safety and convenience

of hearing impaired residents. Hearing

impaired residents will also benet from

doorbells that feature both the familiar

ring and strobes located throughout the

apartment.

Outside, the construction of

ramps along with accompanyinghandrails makes entering and exit-

ing the apartment safer and more

convenient. Expanded parking

spaces accommodate vans and

other personal vehicles equipped

with wheelchair capabilities. The

accessibility improvements even

include rotating clotheslines that

lower with the push of a pin.

From lever handles on all exterior

and interior doors to lowered peephole

and front-mounted range controls, the

renovations are designed to provide re

idents with disabilities with a lifestyle

that mainstream individuals often take

for granted. Our goal was to provide

ADA compliant, safe, and comfortabl

living spaces for our residents, Barbe

said.

Providing safe and accessible livin

spaces to mainstream and disabled low

income families alike is just one facet

of the Housing Authoritys mission.

The City of Opps Housing Authority

dedicated to serving the housing need

of the residents of Opp and Covington

County. In addition to building im-

provements beneting disabled resi-

dents, outreach events like the annual

Celebration of Fathers and Children

every June, which helps connect fathe

with support services in their commun

ties, put ideas into action and help bui

a lasting bond between the Housing A

thority and the communities it serves.

PAGEJANUARY-FEBRUARY2014


8/8

HOUSINGAUTHORITYCITYOFOPP

THANKSTOALLOURSPONSORS!

HOUS

INGAUTHORITY

CIT

YOFOPP,ALABAM

A

CONTACTINFORMATION

800 Barnes Street

P.O. Box 579

Opp, Alabama 36467

Phone: 334-493-9741

Fax: 334-493-2390

TDD: 800-548-2546

Email: [email protected]

HOUSINGAUTHORITYSTAFF

Beverly Barber, Executive Director Ext. 25

Abbie Catrett, Administrative Assistant, Ext. 2

Sheila Brown, Occupancy Specialist, Ext. 21

Terry Kilpatrick, Section 8 Coordinator, Ext. 2

Stephen Hollinghead, Maintenance Foreman

Scotty Grider, Mantenance

Billy Tillis, Maintenance

Justin Stoudemire, Maintenance

After Hours Emergency

334-504-5479

Reasonable Accommodation requests are

welcomed. Please contact the ofce for more

information.

Kathy Gore

Shirley Lindsey

Winzell Gray

Andrea Gray

Alma Kyles

Robert Edwards

Peggy Edwards

Esther Thompson

VIRGILK

opp housing authority january february 2014

Documents