Housing of Choice for the New Millennium
| Welcome to the Housing Authority of Kansas
City, Missouri (HAKC) website. During my eight years of service
as the Receiver for the Housing Authority of Kansas City,
Missouri, we have witnessed a dramatic turnaround of the agency.
We have continuously improved the level of our services and
the quality of HAKC’s housing stock. During Receivership,
the Housing Authority of Kansas City improved its national
standing from a ‘troubled agency’ to a ‘high
performer’ status in most key areas of performance measurement.
“Housing of Choice” is now a reality for the thousands
of families we serve.
Currently, we are in the final stages of Receivership. In
September 2002 the Authority transitioned to a local Board
of Commissioner
|
Jeffrey K. Lines
HAKC Special Master
|
governance structure. My role has changed
to that of Special Master for the Housing Authority, with
oversight responsibilities of the Board and the housing authority.
Throughout Receivership, we improved the quality of housing and,
more significantly, the quality of life for thousands of residents
of Kansas City, Missouri. Crime in our developments has been dramatically
reduced, partnerships with social service providers increased, and
a true sense of cooperation and working with residents as a team
has been achieved.
It took all of us to achieve this goal - residents, community partners
and HAKC employees. By early 2003, we will have renovated, rehabilitated
or rebuilt every HAKC apartment complex, and our inventory of scattered
site homes has increased to a total of nearly 500 homes. The number
of Section 8 vouchers we administer has increased significantly
and thus provides thousands of lower income families an opportunity
to live in homes throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area, close
to the jobs and schools of their choice. The Authority now serves
approximately twice the number of households than it did at the
start of my tenure as Receiver. We now provide an extraordinary
array of housing assistance choices to eligible households in Kansas
City.
Our primary mission, of course, is to serve our community by providing
affordable housing and assistance to those in need. Now we must
strive to maintain and sustain over the long term the quality of
our housing stock. Additionally, we are committed to further improving
the services to our elderly and disabled families with special needs.
While continuing to enhance affordable housing for low-income families
and individuals we must remain accountable for the services we provide
and the manner in which we provide them.
We have successfully met many challenges. We will continue to
develop and enhance good working partnerships with outside resource
agencies that have the same concerns as the HAKC, and network with
agencies and Section 8 landlords that have a stake in providing
affordable housing to our clients.
As you browse our website, you will learn even more about the
Housing Authority of Kansas City, Missouri, further discover the
accomplishments and progress we have made and we hope become as
proud as all of us are in the valuable service we provide our residents
and the Kansas City community.
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