Housing Opportunities Unlimited provides support for clients to be compliant to federal, state, and local governmental rules and regulations. These regulations govern the parties engaged in publicly supported construction and renovation projects involved in renovating rental and owned apartment developments in low-income communities.
HOU supports the objectives and engages in the activities required to achieve a sustainable and continuously improving community of residents and tenants. HOU works towards restoring and enhancing the quality of both the apartment living space and the safety, security and support services necessary to meet regulatory mandates and guidelines. This is done in order to achieve positive, safe, and secure community environments.
Relocation Planning
HOU provides resident relocation and project support consulting and training services to a diverse client base that includes resident organizations, management companies, developers, housing authorities, foundations and other organizations across the United States. Using the expertise developed over 42 years, HOU has tailored our consulting deliverables to meet the needs of each new engagement.
HOU first provided planning assistance for the Indianapolis Housing Authority in 1994. During this early project, HOU’s consulting work grew to include assistance with resident relations and the writing of Community Development and Self-Sufficiency Plans. Since then, HOU has taken the lead in developing HUD-approved CSS Workplans and Hope VI applications for its clients.
HOU provides relocation consulting services to clients during their site redevelopment approval process from the application writing phase through project completion. Housing authorities, developers, and other ownership entities seek HOU’s expertise regarding the application compliance with governing relocation regulations, the development of relocation implementation plans, and other needed relocation technical assistance.
Social Service Program Evaluation & Community Needs Assessment
As a stand-alone consulting project or as an integral part of HOU’s Relocation and Resident Services work at an existing site, HOU conducts service provider evaluations, community needs assessments, and focus groups to identify services and programs needed by residents. This can include the training and facilitating of Resident Services Committees, including Hope VI Resident Councils, as they meet regularly to discuss ongoing and evolving resident needs as well as community center program planning.
HOU has served as the HOPE VI evaluator to assess housing authority progress in meeting their HOPE VI CSS work plan goals for case management, career development, educational enhancement, homeownership, relocation, economic impact and availability of resident support resources.
Building the Capacity of Community-Based Organizations
HOU is committed to the values and benefits derived from helping residents take an active part in the redevelopment of their communities. In HOU’s work on major redevelopment projects across the country, we have helped community-based organizations build their capacity, raise funds, and administer grants. This work is accomplished on a consulting project basis or under the deliverables in a relocation project implementation.
HOU has led numerous strategic planning engagements related to the implementation of comprehensive community and supportive service programs. We have developed HUD-approved Community and Supportive Services Work plans for public housing communities in transition due to major redevelopment. The goal for this work is to build plans for the long-term sustainability of new and vibrant communities.
