FINDINGS
F1. The HAMC (Housing Authority of Monterey County) does not currently have any meaningful procedure for the receipt, processing, investigation or response to complaints regarding abuse of its housing assistance programs.
F2. The Board of Commissioners has not had
a formal complaint tracking mechanism.
F3. Resolution 2813, adopted by the Board
in March 2015, does not provide for an ongoing complaint
log that should be available to the public and staff at Board meetings,
F4. Resolution 2813 does not require a
process whereby analysis of complaints by the Board is mandatory
as a regular agenda item.
F5. The Executive Director of HAMC did not
respond to at least one member of the public (the complainant referred to above) even though she stated in writing that she
would. Therefore,
this particular complaint was unresolved. There may still be ongoing violations at
that particular address.
F6. HAMC staff do not respond readily to
complaints about a given address, and prefer to focus
on individual clients by name, despite the fact addresses can be
cross-referenced on the
database, and names of clients currently living at that address can be called
up.
F7. HAMC staff also do not maintain a
formal log of complaints received.
F8. The agency needs more staff help to
investigate complaints and community concerns, for example a program integrity specialist.
R1. That Resolution 2813 be expanded to
provide transparency to the public and staff as to how complaints are analyzed and managed. A log of these issues, with timelines and
responses documented,
should be the basis of an ongoing quality management review by the Board, thus
checking their status and being responsive to the public.
R2. That the HAMC adopt a formal written
complaint resolution policy and procedures. This would
include of a log of incoming complaints, to whom they were assigned, and how
and when
they were resolved.
R3. That the HAMC respond to complaints
about particular addresses where their clients are located
as readily as they do to complaints about individual clients by name. They are
encouraged to use all database entries available for pertinent information.
R4. That HAMC establish a Quality
Management committee to review, analyze, and report on complaints
received by the Agency.
R5. That the HAMC hire a program integrity
staff member to work with the Housing Programs for outreach and investigation of possible fraud and mismanagement. A person in
that position would
assist the HAMC in fiscal management by identifying misuses. He/she would work
with the DA to prosecute and recover monies.
R6. That the HAMC investigate, currently,
the address that was the subject of the complaint referred to in this document.
R7. That HAMC increase interaction with
Law Enforcement so that there could be cross reporting on addresses of police
calls (such as when the police know the address is an HAMC project-based unit.)
R8. HAMC establish a program to create
more owner/landlord awareness of current and ongoing regulations
that they may need reminders about. Quarterly meetings with landlords would be useful, in addition to an HAMC newsletter.
Pursuant
to Penal Code § 933.05, the MCCGJ requests responses to all Findings and Recommendations
from the following governing body:
•
The Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of Monterey County
2014-2015
Monterey County Civil Grand Jury Report
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF MONTEREY COUNTYPRESERVING RESOURCES FOR QUALIFIED RESIDENTS
June 2015
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