The Houston Housing Authority (HHA) held its monthly commission meeting on April 23 at 3 p.m. at the central office of the agency. David A. Northern Sr, the Chief Financial Officer, along with committee chair Joseph “Jody” Proler, committee members Kenneth Li 李雄, Cynthia Aceves-Lewis, Alton Smith, and others were in attendance. This monthly meeting provided an opportunity for community residents to participate and meet with the committee, as all board meetings are open to the public, and the agenda items are posted three days prior to the meeting in municipal announcements.
The main discussion items of the day included public consultation and opinions, approval of the minutes from the March meeting, reports on four new business resolutions numbered 3768-3771, deliberation, discussion, and action on approval or appointment. Attendees raised issues related to property maintenance, living conditions, and rent at the housing authority, with the opportunity to inquire about HUD housing vouchers and more on-site. The meeting also had Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese translators available.
The first Chinese-American commissioner, Kenneth Li, mentioned that many people in the Asian community do not understand the role of the housing authority. He explained that the HHA helps over 60,000 low-income residents address housing issues through various programs. One of its main responsibilities is managing around 4,000 public housing units and 1,600 tax credit units throughout the city. Additionally, they provide services like the federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing vouchers.
Li noted that to address Houston’s housing shortage, HHA is collaborating with dozens of PFCs in the greater Houston area to build more affordable housing. The so-called “economically affordable housing” offers quality housing at affordable prices, with many complexes providing amenities like pools, fitness centers, and laundry facilities. As for eligibility, Li explained that according to HHA’s principles, housing costs should not exceed 30% of the household’s monthly income, meaning for a family of four with a median annual income of $80,000, the monthly housing expenses should not exceed $2,400.
The mission of HHA is to improve lives by offering quality, economically affordable housing options and promoting education and economic self-sufficiency. Li encouraged the Asian community to participate more in committee meetings to understand government housing subsidies and allowances, as these are the rights of taxpayers.