About the
Sarasota Housing Authority

 

 

• Established in 1938
• Established under state law, Chapter 421. Under 421, the Mayor nominates SHA’s board members, but SHA is not a city or county agency.
• Governed by seven board members: John Colón, Chairman, Michael Carlson, Vice Chair, Valerie Buchand (Resident Commissioner), Veavie DeLaughter, Duane Finger, Marcella Levin and Joseph Miller.
• Currently owns, manages and/or administers:
• 420 units of conventional public housing
• 75 units of project based section 8
• 12 single-family homes (NSP)
• 1,125 section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers
• 85 homeless veterans vouchers (VASH)
• 66-unit Mediterranean (MLK), NSP2
• 15-unit Tuttle Manor (251 N. Tuttle Ave.), NSP2
• Annual operating budget of $19 million
• Full time staff of 29: all program staff have industry certifications.
• SHA took over the County’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program on 10/1/ 2010
• SHA was designated troubled by HUD and placed into administrative receivership (very rare) in April 2005. William Russell, who left his position as Deputy Assistant Secretary of HUD to take on this challenge, was hired as Executive Director in May 2005.
• SHA was turned back over to local governance in July 2008, marking one of the shortest and most effective HUD receiverships ever.
• SHA established its first resident services department in 2006. SHA provides many services including on-site affordable day care (run by Children First), job skills, life skills, computer, resume, GED, and vocational training, as well as traditional case management.
• HUD has designated SHA as a High Performer under financial, management and Section 8 performance assessments.
• SHA has partnerships with Boys & Girls Club, Brotherhood of Men, Habitude, Children First, Sarasota County School Board, SCTI, SCF, United Way, Jewish Family & Children Services, Salvation Army, Light of the World Intl. Church, Unitarian Universalist Church, DCF, and others.
• SHA was awarded three HUD grants in the past week (June 13, 2011): $47,000 for family self sufficiency staff, $177,000 for a three year grant to hire a resident service coordinator, and an additional 25 homeless veterans vouchers (VASH).