Housing agency ends its oversight

The North Las Vegas Housing Authority probably will soon hand over management of its public housing to Las Vegas, the first step in a plan to eventually demolish the housing and relocate hundreds of resident families and seniors, some of whom have lived in public housing for decades.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which largely funds housing authorities, "has told us to first divest ourselves of management, second get out of public housing altogether," said Don England, director of the North Las Vegas agency. "There's a threat that if we don't do it, they'll come in and do it for us."

The North Las Vegas agency will pay the larger Las Vegas Housing Authority a management fee to take over the 220 units. Eventually, England said, the smaller agency hopes to demolish those units and provide their residents with Section 8 housing vouchers, which allow people to rent housing provided landlords are willing to accept them.

England added that the agency hopes to one day build affordable -- rather than public -- housing on its land.

Smaller housing agencies like North Las Vegas's are seen as a drain to HUD, England said, and are being encouraged to get rid of their public housing.

But Larry Bush, a spokesman for HUD, said that isn't necessarily the case. HUD is simply targeting housing authorities that, like North Las Vegas, are not performing well.

"We'd like to see them obtain better management," he said.

The North Las Vegas entity is the smallest of the valley's three public housing agencies, each charged with helping provide affordable housing to the poor. The others are the Las Vegas Housing Authority and the Clark County Housing Authority.

In recent years, the North Las Vegas agency has run into financial and administrative problems and has been labeled a "troubled" agency by HUD.

A HUD audit released last year found that the agency failed to use $4.4 million in public money that was supposed to be spent to house needy people.

"Their record is not too hot," Bush said. "It's not something to admire."

The agency also has had to deal with high staff turnover and federal funding cuts, which are harder for smaller agencies to absorb, England said.

Bush further criticized the agency for the make-up of its board. Four out of the five board members, including its chairman, William Robinson, also serve as North Las Vegas City Council members.

"They have so much that comes before them that they can't give this (the housing authority) the level of attention it might need," Bush said. "In effect, they can't provide the kind of oversight that's needed to see that everything is being done appropriately."

Bush said he didn't know about North Las Vegas's plan to eventually demolish its public housing, so couldn't comment fully about the plan.

"At this point, we're not opposed to it," he said.

The North Las Vegas Housing Authority has a budget of about $13 million. In addition to managing 220 public housing units, it oversees about 1,400 Section 8 housing vouchers, England said.

Las Vegas Housing Authority Director Carl Rowe said his agency will be paid about $100,000 a year in management fees to take over management of the smaller entity's public housing.

The Las Vegas entity's board will likely vote on the matter at its June 19 meeting.

"It's another housing authority, and I feel a kinship," Rowe said. "Our mission is to provide safe, decent housing, and everyone who qualifies ought to have that benefit."

Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.