HACLA RSS Feed

Owner Orientation Session

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:17:16 GMT

Owner Orientation Session
Start Date: 24-Nov-09 10:00 AM
End Time: 24-Nov-09 12:30 PM
Location: HACLA, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Speaker:

Event Details:

Location: 2600 Wilshire Blvd, 5th Floor Board Room

Time: 10:00 A.M. - 12:30 P.M.

Registration: All property owners & landlords interested in attending MUST pre-register

by calling (213) 252-1253 or via internet from the Caledar of Events listing.

Parking:           Saturday attendees can park in the building parking garage. This is for
                           Saturday sessions only. The attendees must use the public parking lots or
                           metered parking on the street for the weekday sessions.

HACLA

2600 Wilshire Blvd, 5th Floor Board Room

Los Angeles, CA 90057

Thanksgiving Day (offices closed)

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:15:50 GMT

Thanksgiving Day (offices closed)
Start Date: 26-Nov-09 8:30 AM
End Time: 26-Nov-09 5:30 PM
Speaker:

Day After Thanksgiving (offices closed)

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:16:27 GMT

Day After Thanksgiving (offices closed)
Start Date: 27-Nov-09 8:30 AM
End Time: 27-Nov-09 5:30 PM
Speaker:

Imperial Courts WIA Orientation

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:45:55 GMT

Imperial Courts WIA Orientation
Start Date: 1-Dec-09 0:00 AM
End Time: 1-Dec-09 0:00 AM
Speaker:

Imperial Courts WIA Assessment

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:46:55 GMT

Imperial Courts WIA Assessment
Start Date: 2-Dec-09 0:00 AM
End Time: 2-Dec-09 0:00 AM
Speaker:

Owner Orientation

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:33:04 GMT

Owner Orientation
Start Date: 3-Dec-09 10:00 AM
End Time: 3-Dec-09 12:30 PM
Location: HACLA, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Speaker:

Event Details:

Registration: All property owners & landlords interested in attending MUST pre-register

by calling (213) 252-1253 or via internet from the Caledar of Events listing.

HACLA

2600 Wilshire Blvd, 5th Floor Board Room

Los Angeles, CA 90057

Jordan Downs WIA Orientation

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:49:25 GMT

Jordan Downs WIA Orientation
Start Date: 8-Dec-09 0:00 AM
End Time: 8-Dec-09 0:00 AM
Speaker:

Jordan Downs WIA Assessment

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:50:33 GMT

Jordan Downs WIA Assessment
Start Date: 9-Dec-09 0:00 AM
End Time: 9-Dec-09 0:00 AM
Speaker:

HBDS Youth Leadership Retreat

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:51:36 GMT

HBDS Youth Leadership Retreat
Start Date: 12-Dec-09 0:00 AM
End Time: 12-Dec-09 0:00 AM
Speaker:

HACLA Holiday Event Tutorial

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:54:09 GMT

HACLA Holiday Event Tutorial
Start Date: 15-Dec-09 0:00 AM
End Time: 15-Dec-09 0:00 AM
Speaker:

Plan to Redevelop Jordan Downs Gains Traction in L.A.

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Published in the California Real Estate Journal, on May 26, 2009
Click here for full article

2-Jul-09 12:00 PM

LA County offering free, anonymous STD test kits

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:00:00 GMT

The "DontThinkKnow.org" program will allow women to order free test kits.

To order a test kit call (800) 758-0880 or go to www.DontThinkKnow.org

2-Jul-09 12:00 PM

Scholarships for High School Seniors Living in Public or Assisted Housing

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:00:00 GMT

HACLA is pleased to announce that Public Housing Authorities Directors Association (PHADA) is accepting applications for scholarships for high school students living in public or assisted housing. HACLA encourages all students who qualify to apply for these scholarships. This is a great opportunity to relieve the financial burdens associated with college tuition, books and other activities related to college education.

To encourage academic excellence and community responsibility among high school students, Public Housing Authorities Directors Association (PHADA) has implemented a scholarship program for graduating seniors who are preparing to enter college. In 2009, PHADA will proudly award the following three scholarships to deserving high school seniors residing in public and assisted housing:

• Bollinger Scholarship - $7000.00
(Named for Stephen J. Bollinger, one of PHADA’s founding Members and former HUD Assistant Secretary in the early 1980’s.)
• HD Supply Scholarship - $5000.00
• Freedom Scholarship - $5000.00

The links to the application brochure and the form are below:
2009 Scholarship Application Information and Requirement Checklist

2009 Scholarship Application

For information on the scholarship and how to apply, visit the PHADA website.

HACLA looks forward to receiving your applications and wishes you success!

6-Nov-08 2:00 PM

Scheme to Sell Fraudulent Section 8 Vouchers Exposed: Police Arrest Three Suspects

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Aug. 29, 2008

Los Angeles -- This morning, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Rampart Division detectives arrested three people for operating a confidence scheme to sell fraudulent Section 8 housing vouchers. The arrests were part of a joint operation involving LAPD and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA).

The scam, which was advertised on the Internet at the Craigslist website, promised Section 8 vouchers to renters in exchange for a cash payment of $2,500. Victims were instructed to call a phone number and were then interviewed by someone posing as a HACLA official. Later, if the victim agreed, the “official” would arrange a meeting that was often staged at or near a HACLA facility.

During the meeting, the suspect(s) would show the victim an authentic-looking HACLA identification card and provide a document resembling a Section 8 receipt or voucher in exchange for $2,500. After the transaction, the suspect would vanish and change the listed telephone number. If the victim couldn’t provide the entire $2,500 in one payment, the scheme would continue until all partial payments were made, after which the phone number would be disconnected.

Potential victims may have been quite vulnerable to the scheme because genuine Section 8 vouchers are very much in demand and valuable, enabling those with low-incomes to rent housing for rates far below current market levels.

To date, at least five of these crimes are known to have been committed, with one of the five occurring in Inglewood. Detectives believe the suspects could be responsible for many more similar crimes because their scheme was advertised on the Internet. Anyone who believes he/she has been a victim or has information about other potential victims, is asked to call LAPD Rampart Detective Division at 213-484-3450. After hours and on weekends, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAW-FULL (529-3855).

29-Aug-08 0:00 AM

Council to Vote on Gang Prevention Contracts

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:30:00 GMT

Aug. 15, 2008 -- Six organizations that work to keep youths in high- crime areas out of gangs are expected to receive one-year contracts today as part of the reorganization of the city's anti-gang programs.

The recommendations for the one-year $500,000 contracts for each organization will be considered by the Los Angeles City Council. The contractors were selected by panels made up of law enforcement officers, gang experts and community members.

The recommended contractors are:

Community Build in the Baldwin Village area;
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles in Cypress Park;
Los Angeles Metropolitan Churches in the Florence-Graham area;
People Coordinated Services in the Newton area;
El Nido Family Centers in Pacoima; and
Violence Intervention Program in Ramona Gardens.

Community Build and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles were previously awarded contracts through L.A. Bridges, the anti-gang city initiative that will end at the end of the year. On July 1, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa assumed control of the city's anti-gang strategy.

City officials plan to award six additional contracts for prevention services and 12 contracts for intervention work later this fall.

The goals of the one-year programs are to prevent children ages 10 to 15 from joining gangs, and reducing the level of association with gang members.

Each program must work with at least 100 youths who are most at risk of joining a gang.

Providers are required to have a minimum of three face-to-face meetings with the children every week and at least one monthly visit with the parents.

The six risk factors that increase a child's chances of joining a gang are a lack of parental supervision; early childhood aggression; delinquent beliefs, including acceptance of antisocial behaviors; negative life events; having peers involved in deviant behavior; and a commitment to street-oriented peers.

15-Aug-08 8:30 AM

Racial harmony on display at Watts basketball tournament

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:00:00 GMT

July 17, 2008

The gym in the Nickerson Gardens housing project can be an unfriendly place for anyone who dares to enter without a tough, competitive game of basketball.

Just ask the Latino players from East Wilmington who, in May, for the first time, drove 15 miles to Watts to join the project's Moonlight basketball league. When they walked on the court, they were greeted with a chorus of taunts, and someone in the crowd issued a blunt warning: "You better not bring any weak stuff in here!"

The 12 young men didn't flinch; they knew they would have to prove themselves if they wanted respect in a tournament dominated by African Americans.

They were shorter than the players on the other top teams, and not quite as fast. Still, they were every bit as tenacious, and at times a little cocky. They had grown up together, were confident in one another's games and knew that when all else failed, they could rely on their star player: Joey Saavedra, a 24-year-old sharpshooter and former Banning High School superstar who dropped out of sight four years ago after being convicted of attempted armed robbery.

Joey was back and ready to make a difference.

With the 6-footer leading the way, East Wilmington, one of four Latino teams participating in the 12-team tournament, began winning games and gaining the respect of the players and admiration of the fans.

"This is good for the community," said Donny Joubert, who runs the Moonlight league, an offshoot of midnight basketball programs established in the early '90s to reduce gang violence. "This is not just an African American gym."

From the first tip-off of the tournament, all eyes were on Saavedra.

"He is a one-man show," said Coach Manuel Panduro. "But he also makes everybody else on his team play better."

Those in the stands noted Saavedra's cross-over dribble, his moves and his shooting accuracy.

"He plays with a lot of soul," said Hank Henderson, a recreation assistant at Nickerson Gardens. "Joey is gifted. He can shake and bake, drop back and hit a three-pointer or make a move like Michael Jordan."

In one dramatic finish, Saavedra knocked a ball out of the hands of an opposing player, ran down the court to catch a pass and laid the ball in the basket as the buzzer went off ending the game.

The stands emptied and a celebration broke out on the court. But then the referees denied the basket, declaring that the shot came too late, just after the buzzer. Saavedra's team won in overtime.

It was that way at Banning High, where the young player rose to fame, averaging just under 32 points a game. Once, after a 44-point burst, including 10 three-pointers, an opposing coach compared Saavedra's offensive talents to Inglewood High School graduate Paul Pierce, who, as a professional this year, led the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship.

Sam Turks, a 32-year-old point guard on the Compton squad who played high school ball with Pierce, agreed. He said he was aware of Saavedra's reputation by the time he had to cover him.

"I was told he could shoot and not to leave him open," Turks said. "They didn't tell me that I could have two hands in his face and he could still knock it down."

At Los Angeles Harbor College, Coach Tony Carter-Loza had high expectations for Saavedra when he started playing for the team in 2003. The Seahawks were off to a better start than in previous seasons, but then Carter-Loza received a call during the winter break. Saavedra had been arrested in a car with two other men and charged with attempted robbery.

"He doesn't seem to want to leave the guys he grew up with," Carter-Loza said. "There's nothing wrong with that. But as time goes on everyone, sooner or later, moves in different directions."

Saavedra sees that chapter in his life as a big mistake. "It was a dumb thing to do," he said. "We didn't need the money."

At the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, where he finished his 18-month sentence, Saavedra recalls serving his time in a holding cell. "There was nothing to do," he recalled. "I keep it in my past. There was time to wash clothes, take baths and try to keep busy. It was all a sign from God. It opened my eyes."

In August 2005, to celebrate his release from prison -- and to keep him closer to home -- Saavedra's family paved over the backyard and built a basketball court. He returned to the sport he loved.

At Nickerson Gardens, Joubert said he has heard similar stories.

"We have a lot of kids who get caught up in the life," he said. "The goal is to get them back on track, go to work, go back to school and do something positive in their lives."

East Wilmington wasn't an obvious entry in the Nickerson Gardens tournament. Some of the players were reluctant to face teams that bore some familiar names: the Compton All-Stars, Fremont, Imperial Courts, Nickerson Gardens.

"Are you serious?" Freddie Lopez, East Wilmington's 6-foot-3 center, asked his coach. "We're not going to play in Nickerson Gardens. That's in the middle of Watts."

But Joubert said the tournament established a "safe zone" around the recreation center, bringing in community members as a private security team -- the same force recently enlisted to provide help at the 109th Street Pool, which was shut down one Sunday last month after a band of young men took it over.

In addition, Joubert arranged to have an L.A. Police Department patrol car stationed outside the center.

After a few games, Joubert received a call from one of the coaches of the Latino teams.

"They felt so comfortable with the tournament that they wanted to know if it was OK to bring their families to the games," he recalled. "I said, 'Sure, bring them!' Then, suddenly, the mothers and the little kids were here."

Saavedra said the tournament helped his self-confidence.

"You have a lot of guys who say, 'If you can play here, you can play anywhere,' " Saavedra said. "To hear that can only make me better. I want to play against the best. I'm 24. I don't want to look back at my life and have any regrets. I want to say at least I gave it a shot."

The East Wilmington players made it to the semifinals but failed to make it to the finals of the tournament. They were beaten by Compton, which lost to Fremont.

But the men from East Wilmington made their mark. At tonight's awards banquet at the Nickerson Gardens recreation center they will all be recognized.

And Joey Saavedra will get the award for Most Valuable Player.

By John L. Mitchell, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

john.mitchell@latimes.com

17-Jul-08 3:00 PM

A Struggle to Get Housing in Order -The L.A. agency's chief has discovered millions of dollars unaccounted for and thousands of residents unserved.

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Oct. 21, 2007 -- When Rudolf Montiel came from El Paso three years ago to clean up the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, he didn't know enough to be daunted. It didn't take long, however, for him to get a sense of the challenges ahead. Precious vouchers for the poor and disabled seemed to be for sale on the black market, allowing hundreds of newly arrived immigrants to jump to the top of a 10-year waiting list for housing subsidies. A consultant looking into the problem found "a virtual feeding frenzy in which corruption, manipulation and fraud is strongly evident."

That was hardly the only disturbing discovery: Employees in one department appeared to be stealing, issuing themselves checks and then erasing the evidence. Millions of dollars set aside for rehabilitating a Watts housing project seemed to be missing. Parts of some housing projects had been commandeered by gangs to sell drugs, run brothels and hold dogfights.

Fresh from success building a nationally recognized housing authority in his hometown of El Paso, Montiel felt as though he'd entered a mysterious foreign culture, "like I was in the Kremlin, and I wasn't Russian."

Three years later, he still is struggling to bring order and ethics to an agency in which bad management and corruption have been endemic for at least 30 years. Yet, even as he has trumpeted his reform efforts, new controversies have emerged on his watch.

In interviews, Montiel, 46, laid bare details of many agency woes for the first time, at times wishing aloud for an exorcist and comparing his job to fighting a multiheaded hydra.

To date, Montiel said, he's spent $7 million on private eyes, auditors and lawyers -- mostly lawyers. He's referred some staff for prosecution, sued some for damages and outsourced the work of a whole department.

There have been setbacks. Earlier this year, a Times review of internal documents showed that a former manager had directed nearly $800,000 in contracts to his brothers and politically connected firms without competitive bidding or after rigged contests. He allegedly overpaid for the work as well, doling out nearly $2,500 apiece to install toilets in housing projects. The manager, who was fired, has denied wrongdoing and a criminal investigation is ongoing.

Not long afterward, Montiel fired his chief investigator, the very person he had appointed to get to the bottom of such misdeeds. In a lawsuit, his administration accused the sleuth of engaging in a delusional witch hunt. The agency has been racked by interpersonal and racial tension, absenteeism and resentment over Montiel's aggressive management style. Employees have complained of a jarring transition and a "rush to justice," saying that Montiel and his deputies "seem bent on getting rid of people," according to a 2007 consultant's report.

Given the troubles he inherited, some advocates for the poor, as well as city and federal officials, applaud Montiel for making remarkable strides. Donna White, a spokeswoman at the federal Housing and Urban Development department, said the director has put an agency that was on the brink of a federal takeover on solid ground.

Even so, the ongoing turmoil is a distraction from the agency's already formidable mission -- providing for the housing needs of more than 120,000 of Los Angeles' poor and disabled.

Because of funding limitations, five times as many people qualify for help as can be accommodated. Tens of thousands such as Eleanor Colon have been waiting years for subsidies to help them get off the streets or out of homeless shelters. "I don't see why they have to take so long to get people off the waiting list," said Colon, a 28-year-old single mother who applied nine years ago for subsidized housing. Now her "kids are half grown." "When I needed it most, why wasn't it there?"

Some officials said they find it appalling that this critical agency was allowed to fall into such disrepair. "It's horrifying," Councilwoman Janice Hahn said of the agency's troubles. "These [clients] are residents of the city of Los Angeles, and they deserve a lot better."

An orphan agency

For a bureaucracy of its size and reach, the Housing Authority in Los Angeles has historically received relatively little attention, from the public or the government.

It is the largest housing authority west of the Mississippi, with 8,000 public housing units extending from San Pedro to the San Fernando Valley. It also manages 44,500 Section 8 vouchers, federal subsidies paid to private landlords to cover rent for the poor.

Run by a commission appointed by Los Angeles' mayor, the agency receives the vast majority of its $850 million annual budget from the federal government.

But it is more or less an orphan: Most city officials have not involved themselves deeply in its operations, and U.S. officials have offered only sporadic scrutiny. Problems date back decades. Three of the last four executive directors left after inquiries involving alleged misappropriation of funds or improper contracting.

Montiel arrived after the top leader and his second in command departed in quick succession.

Director Don Smith took early retirement in 2004 after the agency gave out thousands more housing subsidies than it was authorized to provide. After HUD refused to cover the extra subsidies, the agency told 1,500 poor people they couldn't use their vouchers after all. An audit later found that the authority had $30 million on hand that would have been more than enough to cover the vouchers.

After Smith left, his second in command, Lucille Loyce, was fired. A federal audit had found that public-housing tenant organizations, which she oversaw, paid more than $2.1 million in no-bid contracts to a consultant, Duane Williams, who was her longtime friend. He performed ineffectually, the audit said.

In a pending lawsuit against the pair, the authority makes other startling allegations, including that Williams insisted that members of tenant boards undergo expensive dental work at agency expense, then he and Loyce blackmailed them into keeping quiet about other misconduct.

Loyce has said she did nothing wrong and that she was fired because of race and sex discrimination, according to court papers. Williams did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

HUD referred the matter to the U.S. attorney's office, which declined to prosecute after investigators found no evidence that Williams paid Loyce kickbacks.

Then-Mayor James K. Hahn's office brokered a deal with federal officials to hire Montiel, who had their confidence, averting the embarrassment of federal receivership.

Suspicions are raised

Although perennially late for appointments, Montiel has polished manners, reflecting an Old World courtliness and charm. He is a practicing Catholic who prays before meals, frequently refers to himself as "blessed" and ends conversations with the sign-off "Peace." He said he came to Los Angeles feeling "honored and humbled."

He also brought an unshakable confidence in his abilities and a national profile as a housing leader, carefully nurtured during frequent trips to Washington, D.C., and other cities.

Almost immediately, Montiel, who makes $225,000 a year, sensed trouble. Simple requests for information about, for example, the number of people receiving Section 8 vouchers, took days. And the answers he did get were incomplete.

His suspicions were heightened when he and federal officials noticed that a large group of newly arrived immigrants -- ineligible by U.S. law for housing subsidies -- had vaulted to the top of the Section 8 waiting list and had been issued vouchers in what appeared to be an organized scheme. The situation remains under investigation, he said.

Montiel said he began receiving anonymous letters, warning that he was looking into things he shouldn't and that he ought not go to housing projects alone. "You never know what might happen to you," he recalled one missive saying.

Montiel tends toward dark humor when describing the threats, but they clearly shook him. Even three years later, he won't say where he lives with his wife and son.

Nevertheless, he said, he was not deterred. Nor has he hesitated to cast himself as the public face of the agency: The lobby of its headquarters is decorated with 10 large photographs of Montiel with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, other public officials and smiling children.

He has drawn praise from some quarters for his perseverance in trying to smoke out problems. What Montiel discovered "flabbergasted" and "appalled" the commissioners who oversee the agency, recalled Eleanor Williams, a former board president.

"I couldn't believe that this very important agency helping the neediest people in our city was having so many problems," she said.

Montiel, too, was initially taken aback by what he found.

In the agency's information technology department, some employees had been cutting themselves checks, but there was no way to tell how many. Evidence had been purged from office computers.

There were signs, however, that it was not a small problem: One high-level staffer resigned under pressure after allegedly cutting himself a check for $7,600. At the end of 2005, the post office returned hundreds of 1099 income tax forms as undeliverable, suggesting that hundreds of thousands of dollars may have been diverted to staffers using false names, Montiel said.

At the Jordan Downs housing project in Watts, paperwork was such a mess that it was impossible to say where millions in rehabilitation funds went, whether they were lost to incompetence or misappropriated.

In the Section 8 department, Montiel said he discovered that more than 50 employees had a potential conflict of interest: They owned dwellings approved for subsidies, and thus were collecting rent money from the program their department oversaw.

Meanwhile, the waiting list for Section 8 subsidies stood at about 90,000 families.

Implementing new rules

Montiel dug in, confident he could turn the agency around. As instructed by HUD, he halted the distribution of vouchers for two years until the legitimacy of the Section 8 waiting list could be verified. He pushed through new rules prohibiting employees from owning property in the Section 8 program or doing business with the authority. Private investigators were dispatched to follow suspect staffers. Forensic auditors were hired to pore over paperwork. Then, this summer, Montiel fired his own chief investigator, Abel Ruiz. Ruiz told reporters he was targeted because he was pushing too hard in the investigation of alleged bid-rigging that had been spotlighted by The Times. Not so, agency officials shot back in a lawsuit, which stated that Ruiz was fired because he had inappropriately started investigating Montiel's distant relatives and a sitting councilman.

In this charged atmosphere, some staffers say morale suffered. One employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, saying he feared retaliation, dismissed Montiel as a bad leader who "came in like a whirlwind" and made people "scared for their jobs."

21-Oct-07 0:00 AM

Community Resource Fair Provides Essential Services

noemail@hacla.org — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:00:00 GMT

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) participated in a Community Resource Fair on October 3 in South LA. The event was organized by the city's Education, Youth and Families Department. The community gathered at Gompers Middle school to take advantage of the free resources; youth received homework help, tutoring and counseling resource information, adults were provided with information about immigration, domestic violence, employment and housing issues. The participants also took advantage of free health screenings offered by St. John's Well Child and Family Center. The non-profit offered general check-ups for children and adults. Miriam Long, Deputy Mayor of Education, Youth and Families, City of Los Angeles talked to participants and encouraged them to learn about the existing community resources and services. The goal was to engage local residents and increase awareness of programs, trainings, and other upcoming events. In addition to all the county,...

Providing homes for the Homeless

noemail@hacla.org — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:00:00 GMT

The grand opening of the New Carver Apartments on September 16 in downtown Los Angles means 92 formerly homeless individuals now have a place to live.

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles partnered with the Skid Row Housing Trust on the project and will provide rental subsidy to 92 tenants of the New Carver Apartments through the Project-Based Voucher (PBV) program. The Skid Row Housing Trust will be providing on-site supportive services to chronically homeless individuals many of whom have mental health and substance abuse issues.

New School Opens in East L.A.

noemail@hacla.org — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Boyle Heights - Los Angeles City Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, LAUSD Board President Monica Garcia, Councilmember Jose Huizar and special guests, including HACLA President and CEO Rudolf C. Montiel took part in a ribbon cutting cermony for the Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez Learning Center (Mendez LC) on September 23. The campus consists of two schools - Engineering & Technology and Math & Science.

"This is an exciting time for the families of East Los Angeles as we celebrate the opening of the first new school in this community in over 80 years," said Mayor Villaraigosa.

The Housing Authority is excited to welcome a new state of the art school that will serve some of its youth residents from the Pico Gardens & Las Casitas and Pueblo del Sol housing developments.

"The new school will allow youth to get education, to get good paying jobs and not leave the community, but stay and make Boyle Heights reach its potential," said HACLA President and CEO, Rudolf C. Montiel.

Mendez LC is LAUSD's first new school project to fully implement the reform model of Small Schools. It is also one of LAUSD's premier iDesign Schools. The iDesign Schools Division works in partnership with LAUSD's Network Partners - one of five established civic and academic institutions with knowledge and resources - to improve student achievement. It is one of 80 new schools completed as part of LAUSD's $20.1 Billion New School Construction and Modernization Program to end involuntary busing and year round calendars.

HACLA Wins National Award for Water Conservation Program

noemail@hacla.org — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:00:00 GMT

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles continues to explore new ways and options to help our environment and save natural resources. The agency’s Water Conservation effort was recognized with an Award of Excellence by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO). Before a drought was declared in California, the Housing Authority launched a water conservation campaign which included resident education, water saving devices, new lease rules, indoor and outdoor water audits, and reduction of water and power usage. The Housing Authority partnered with Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and the Metropolitan Water District in order to implement a comprehensive water conservation campaign. Every facet of water usage was examined from indoor to outdoor water consumption including water discharged into the sewer system. As a result, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles saved a considerable amount of water. As part of the...

HACLA CEO, Mayor Villaraigosa join Summer Night Lights' End of Summer Celebration

noemail@hacla.org — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:00:00 GMT

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) hosted the Mayor's innovative gang reduction program at four of its public housing development sites. More than 600 youth at Ramona Gardens, Nickerson Gardens, Imperial Courts and Jordan Downs took part in various activities throughout the nine-week program. Below is the Press Release by the Mayor's Office. All-day event brings together youth from all 16 SUMMER NIGHT LIGHTS’ sites to celebrate the end of summer, with sports tournaments, musical entertainment, and free food. LOS ANGELES - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today joined thousands of youth and families at SUMMER NIGHT LIGHTS’ End of Summer Celebration at Jackie Tatum Harvard Recreation Center. The Mayor was also joined by State Senator Curren Price, Council President Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Jose Huizar. Today we celebrated the reclaiming of our parks, and putting them back in the hands of the families they are supposed to serve, Mayor...

L.A. Mayor, Actress Tatyana Ali and World Wrestling Entertainment Participate in Nickerson Gardens Mural Project Dedication

noemail@hacla.org — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Nickerson Gardens public housing development was chosen as one of three host sites in Los Angeles for a mural project by the World Wrestling Entertainment Incorporated (WWE). Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was on hand to help with the mural dedication ceremony. He was joined by more than 100 youth participating in the city’s summer job program. WWE wanted to find a creative way to give back to the community, according to Brenda Anderson, South Los Angeles Area Director with the Mayor’s office. Three murals would be painted in three different locations in the city – Downtown Los Angeles, the Valley and South Los Angeles. All three murals will have three elements that link them together, the Watts Tower, the downtown skyline, and the mountains for the Valley. And each artist, we have three different artists and they all have murals based on their own interpretations with those elements included, said Anderson. Local Watts artist Ronald Jackson was chosen to paint the...

Jordan Downs Redevelopment: Mayor Villaraigosa and Congresswoman Waters join the Jordan Downs community in their 4th meeting

noemail@hacla.org — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Congresswoman Maxine Waters commended Jordan Downs residents and HACLA for their hard work during the fourth community meeting on Saturday, August 22nd. The Recreation Center reached its full capacity, attracting more residents than before, indicating the growing interest and desire in the community to participate in the process. The Mayor and Congresswoman reiterated their support for the redevelopment and noted that the process has to involve the community and requires their active participation. I'm interested in the participation of the residents of Jordan Downs in moving this project forward. noted Congresswoman Waters. After overviews and presentations on the process so far, updates on the project master plan and discussions about the community plan options and Human Capital Plan, the residents asked questions to the Mayor, Congresswoman and HACLA CEO, Rudolf Montiel. We want to do this with the understanding that the key to success in this...

Helping improve Reading Skills among Public Housing Youth

noemail@hacla.org — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Estrada Courts Resident Management Corporation (RMC) held its First Annual Back to School Book Fair at the Estrada Courts Community Center on August 19. The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles contributed 450 books thanks to donations from employees. The employees of the law firm Nixon Peabody also donated about 500 books. Many of us are privileged to have resources and this is a great opportunity to give back to the community. It’s really gratifying to do this for the children. said Raquel Pelayo, with Nixon Peabody. We appreciate the Housing Authority's employees compassion for our youngest residents. Their donations will help children explore an imaginative world through reading and also help stregthen reading skills among our youth, said Rudolf C. Montiel, President and CEO of HACLA. The books were organized by age and category; the children were excited to take Harry Potter, Pokemon, and other popular books home to read. Some kids were already reading their books...

HACLA Partners to Help House Emancipated Foster Youth

noemail@hacla.org — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:00:00 GMT

August 13, 2009 North Hills – Housing Authority President & CEO, Rudolf C. Montiel, took part in the grand opening of the Rayen Apartments Thursday morning. The building has 48 units and houses 116 residents, most whom are formerly homeless emancipated foster youth. The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) provided Project Based Section 8 vouchers for all 48 affordable units at Rayen Apartments. Tenants will pay up to 30 percent of their incomes toward rent with the balance of rent paid through this subsidy. Brandee Berry, 23, spent most of her life in foster care. She struggled to pay the $600 rent on her apartment after leaving foster care transitional housing two years ago. Thanks to the rental subsidy, Berry now pays $145 a month for her studio. I’m very thankful, I’ve come from a long life of struggling… without you, I wouldn’t be standing here today, I don’t know where I’d be, I really don’t, said Berry. Berry currently attends Los Angeles Valley College...

Mayor Visits Youth at Imperial Courts

noemail@hacla.org — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Watts - The City’s anti-gang reduction program, ‘Summer Night Lights’ (SNL) is in full swing. Thursday night, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spent time with youth participants at Imperial Courts public housing development. The WNBA team, LA Sparks was also part of the night’s activities, volunteering there time and services to give participants a one-on-one lesson. The mayor talked with youth participants playing basketball at the gym. He even asked some of the youth what they wanted to see happen next year. LA Sparks Head Coach, Michael Cooper, put youth through drills to enhance their performance and players Betty Lennox and DeLisha Milton-Jones spent time giving a talk about ‘making the right choices in life’. Summer Night Lights is a nine-week anti-gang reduction program that targets inner cities. This year the Mayor’s office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) extended the hours of 16 park facilities to midnight to provide extra activities, including sports...

Property Listings

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:38:31 GMT

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) has launched a FREE rental listing service. This new service, provided through the national nonprofit Socialserve.com will provide full support to owners and tenants. Voucher Holders will be able to quickly locate available properties, and owners will be able to list properties in greater detail. The new service works in collaboration with Housing.LACouncty.gov, which averages 4,000 - 5,000 housing searches daily. Owners/Property Managers/Agents The listings that you have provided us are being phased out; you will need to register to list your properties. You can register online, or by phone (toll free) at 1-877-428-8844. The Socialserve.com call center will respond within 48 hours from the time a registration is submitted to answer your questions regarding listing and managing properties. Call center staff is available to you Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time at 1-877-428-8844 to assist you. Please...

Construction Goods and Services

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:17:03 GMT

Invitation For Bids (IFB) No. 1681 The Re-Roofing of (12) Buildings at Mar Vista Gardens IFB No. 1681 Volume 1 of 2 IFB No. 1681 Volume 2 of 2 IFB No. 1681 Planholder List IFB No. 1681 Bid Results The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) invites vendors to submit firm fixed price bids for the re-roofing of (12) buildings at Mar Vista Gardens Housing Development located at 11965 Alin Street, Culver City, CA 90230. A pre-bid conference to investigate the project site and review technical documents will be held at 11965 Alin Street, Culver city, CA 90230 on October 21, 2009 at 9a.m. Issue Date Due Date/Time Type of Solicitation Contact Information 10/11/09 10/30/09 Invitation for Bids John Price 2:00 p.m. Contract Administrator 2600 Wilshire Blvd. ...

Professional Services

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:30:04 GMT

Request For Propasals - RFP 7524 WIRLESS CAMERA SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM RFP 7524 Wireless Camera Surveillance System RFP 7524 Addendum 1 RFP 7524 Addendum 1 Attachment RFP 7524 Sign In Sheet The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (“HACLA”), in partnership with the Los Angeles Police Department (“LAPD”), invites proposals from qualified vendors interested in providing a fully developed state of the art Wireless Camera Surveillance Systems and Automatic License Plate Recognition Systems along with professional services to fully integrate these systems into existing HACLA and LAPD camera systems and infrastructure. The contract award is for an initial two-year term with three (3), one-year options to renew at the sole discretion of HACLA. Proposals will be accepted at 2600 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 3100, Los Angeles, CA 90057 until 2:00 p.m., Pacific Standard Time, December 15, 2009. Offers received after this date and time may, at the discretion...

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:53:18 GMT

Owner Newsletter

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:29:38 GMT

November 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008

Section 8 Owner Information

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:39:11 GMT

How to Become a Section 8 Owner Request for Rent Decrease (Paper Form) Request for Rent Decrease (Online - Recommended) Request for Rent Increase (Online-Recommended) Request for Rent Increase (Paper Form) Note: Effective SEPTEMBER 1, 2009 please DO NOT send your rent increase requests to the following address: HACLA RRD, Foy Station, PO Box 57367, Los Angeles, CA 90057. Please complete the Rent Request Form and submit to the address listed on the form. Owner Orientation Sessions Owner / Landlord Direct Deposit Enrollment Report Ownership Change Section 8 Department Migrates to New Computer System Reasonable Modifications Under the Fair Housing Act Owner Change of Address Request Form Owner Newsletter Modification of Housing Assistance Payment Contract The Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 signed into law on Wednesday, May 20th, 2009 (Pub. L. 111–22) provides a 90-day eviction notice requirement for tenants in foreclosed...

Owner Orientation Sessions

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:58:12 GMT

Every month Section 8 schedules three owner orientation sessions for new & prospective, (& sometimes existing) Section 8 Owners. Upcoming sessions are scheduled as follows: Dates: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009 Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 Tuesday Dec. 15, 2009 Location: 2600 Wilshire Blvd, 5th Floor Board Room Time: 10:00 A.M. - 12:30 P.M. Registration: All property owners & landlords interested in attending MUST pre-register by calling (213) 252-1253 or via internet from the Caledar of Events listing. Parking: Saturday attendees can park in the building parking garage. This is for Saturday sessions only. The attendees must use the public parking lots or metered parking on the street for the weekday sessions.

Procurement Opportunities

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:30:18 GMT

Construction Goods and Services This category may include architecture/engineering consulting services, site improvements, painting, building materials and services. Professional Services This category may include legal services, auditing services, business consulting, Information Technology consulting, and various other professional services. Non-Construction This category may include office supplies, furniture, window shades, vehicles and appliances.

Press Releases

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:29:41 GMT

Jordan Downs Public Housing Redevelopment: Residents and Community members Participate in Fifth Community meeting, November 4, 2009 Housing Authority Takes Action to Save Low-Income Families from Loosing Housing Assistance, Oct. 12 HACLA Wins National Award for Water Conservation Program, September 30, 2009 Jordan Downs Redevelopment: Residents and Community Members Participate in Fourth Community Meeting, August 22, 2009 Man Convicted of Selling Counterfeit Housing Vouchers, July 14, 2009 Jordan Downs Community in Watts Helps Redevelop their Neighborhood, July 8, 2009 Housing Authority Receives 9 National Awards of Merit, June 30, 2009 Summer Night Lights 2009, June 30, 2009 SEMAP Recognition, April 23, 2009 Stimulus Funding, April 21, 2009 Jordan Downs Public Meeting, April 17, 2009 Spelling Bee Contest, April 6, 2009 Jordan Downs Health Fair, April 2, 2009 Lourdes Castro-Ramirez selected as SAHA President / CEO, March 9, 2009 Jordan...

Tenant Newsletter

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:37:55 GMT

Tenant Newsletter Fall 2008

Tenant Newsletter Fall 2008 (spanish)

Lorem ipsum survey

noemail@hacla.org — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 23:54:35 GMT

Objectives:

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Release Date: 8-Aug-07 4:54 PM
Expiration Date: 8-Nov-07 4:54 PM

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Lorem ipsum

2007-08-08T23:54:35Z

Instructor: Instructor

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