Executive Director Position
Executive Director Position
2nd Round Interview Power Point Presentation
Candidate – LaMont R. English
The Assignment:
- For this interview, the assignment is for me to prepare a 20 minute PowerPoint (PP) Presentation.
- They have made it very clear that it is important for me to stay within the 20 minutes provided.
The Power Point Presentation Scenario:
- “If selected as Executive Director, how would I predict the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority (YMHA) will be different in 3 Years under my Leadership?”
- “How do I see myself shaping that change and ensuring that the Authority is in a secure financial position?”
- “I am to select no more than 3 Strategic Goals and Objectives from the (5) Five Year (PHA) Public Housing Authority Plan Document.”
- “I am to include a detailed analysis of the YMHA Fiscal Financial Report on the Status of the Agency.”
- The Interviewing Panel of Commissioners my ability to analyze these documents and develop a Power Point Presentation that clearly demonstrates how I as the Executive Director of Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority will lead the Organization into growth and success in the next 3 years.”
Materials YMHA provided me to work with:
- Attachment: 2020 -2024 (5) Five Year (PHA) Public Housing Authority Plan
- Attachment: YMHA Fiscal Report – December 2020 (Fiscal year is July 1 – June 31)
My 3 Strategic Goals and Objectives
from the (5) Five Year (PHA) Public Housing Authority
Goal #1: Create a Strategic Plan
(See Attachment of 2020 – 2024 5 Year (PHA) Public Housing Authority Plan)
(Objectives)
- Create an Agency Strategic Plan with participation of the Housing Commissioners and Leadership Staff during the 2020 – 2024 time period.
- I would form a TEAM.
- A team that includes active participation and input from the Residents, Resident Councils, Leadership Staff and our Board Commissioners.
- I want the Board of Commissioners to not just be informed of what is going on, but part of the Team.
- I want this Team to be Proactive as opposed to Reactive.
- Example: The driving force behind our movement should not always be because a Resident has made a complaint.
- Let’s try to do what’s right, because it’s the right thing to do!
- This can be achieved optimally by a collective Retreat. ( In Person or Virtually)
- We want our Residents, Employees and the Community as a whole to see that we are Allies not Adversaries.
- Our Residents:
- I insist on having the representation and input of the Residents.
- I want them to always have a voice and a seat at the table.
- I would have regular dialogue with the Resident Leadership
- I feel that I should be present at Resident Council Meetings whenever possible.
- Our Residents must clearly see that the Executive Director cares about them.
- I would utilize this team and what we have developed collectively as a Road Map to our future greatness and success.
- We cannot expect to get to someplace great if we don’t have clear direction to get there.
- There is enough negativity, Lets surprise them and let them see that we are a unified positive force for the future EXCELLENCE of YMHA.
- Together Everyone Achieves More!
Goal #2: Improve YMHA’s Financial Viability
(Objectives)
- Improve Internal Controls:
- We need to do a better job of monitoring where we are at.
- I would require the Finance Director to routinely meet Department Heads & Managers.
- I would work with the Finance Director to create a structure of financial accountability.
- Require the Finance Department to monitor and communicate with people regarding where they are in their budget before there is a problem.
- We need to be proactive as opposed to reactive with our financial responsibilities.
- I want people to take ownership for their Departments. (i.e.: The Amps)
- Centralize Purchasing
- Reduce Operational Expenses
- Analyze Public Housing Financials.
- This is the first place to look.
- Currently our largest budget item and area of concern.
- Administration and Maintenance make up 40% of our expenditures
- Control / Reduce Health Care Insurance Costs:
- Benefits Cost Structure
- We need to look at reducing the reducing the current benefits structure.
- Our largest is having to pay Salary & Benefits.
- Benefits cost us 650,000.00
- We are currently “Self-Insured” possibly not the best structure.
- As of December 2020 we have already paid $50,000.00
- By the end of January we are approximately 4 times over budget.
- Leave Accrual Policies:
- When people retire from YMHA we currently give them 100% of their Sick Time.
- Ohio revised code suggests that employees should get 55%
- There is currently no limit on the amount of accrual an employee can receive.
- I would like to implement a carry-over limit on Annual (Vacation) Time.
- Example: Stop allowing employees to carry over 20 years of vacation time that ultimately puts us in a positon of having to pay them that amount of time in full when they leave the company.
- I would like to begin limiting how much we allow employees to carry over and gradually reducing or eliminating the buyouts.
- Identify and Develop Alternative Revenue Sources:
- I have saved this objective for last as a transition point that I will address in Goal #3.
Goal #3: Preserve & Reposition YMHA’s Affordable Housing Portfolio
and Address Capitol Needs.
(Objectives)
- Complete a Housing Portfolio Assessment and Preservation / Repositioning Plan for YMHA’s properties during 2020-2024 time period.
- I will facilitate the introduction of a Physical Needs Assessment.
- A building by building analysis.
- Will allow us to know exactly what shape each of our properties is in.
- Determine and prioritize our Short Term and Long Term needs.
- In this phase we will conduct a building by building assessment of each of our properties.
- I will facilitate the introduction of a higher level Portfolio Analysis.
- This will show all of our properties as a whole.
- I will facilitate the introduction of a higher level Portfolio Analysis.
- This will show all of our properties as a whole.
- This study will allow us determine what the actual viability of the properties are.
- Identify, analyze and use HUD and non-HUD programs and resources to advance goals of the Plan.
- I will introduce a variety of Financing Strategies.
- Funding Sources that could bring us more income and improve our properties.
- RAD – Rental Assistance Demonstration.
- Congress funds at 100%
- The rent could create a viable income stream.
- Low Income Housing Tax Credits – Provides a tax incentive to Construct or Rehabilitate affordable rental housing.
- The (LIHTC) subsidizes the acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing for low and moderate income tenants.
- We can bring in income via Developer fees.
- 9% – 15% of the Rehab or Development.
- Example: 10% of a $10,000,000.00 project = $1,000,000.00 of income.
- Dispose and /or Demolish Obsolete Housing.
- The aforementioned Physical Needs Assessment and the Portfolio Analysis will give us a clear picture of how we should move forward as it relates to disposing or demolishing of properties.
Detailed analysis of
YMHA Fiscal Financial Report on the Status of the Agency
(See Attachment of YMHA Fiscal Report – December 2020)
- Brief background on the documents that I received for analysis:
- For Fiscal Year ending 2021
- The YMHA Fiscal Year runs from July 1 thru June 30th.
- The document provided for today is a snapshot of our first 6 months.
- Page #1 Monthly Income & Expense Statement
- The top 2/3 of this page deals with our Expenses.
- The bottom 1/3 of this page deals with our Income.
- We are in a state of surplus in all of our programs at this point of the Fiscal Year.
- Page #2 Monthly Income & Expense Statement – Public Housing
- Our #1 Highest Expense is Salaries and Benefits
- Line item #4110 – Administrative Salaries = $741,289.10
- Line item #4410 – Maintenance Salaries = $625,870.28
- Line item #4540 – Employee Benefits = $650,319.89
- Total = $2,017,479.27
- 40% of our total Expenditures are on Personnel.
- Our #2 Highest Expense is Utilities
- Line item #4310 – Water / Sewer Utility = $516,938.13
- Line item #4320 – Electric Utility = $449,545.91
- Line item #4330 – Gas Utility = $172,059.87
- Total = $1,138,537.91
- 22.6% of our total Expenditures are on Utilities.
- Our #3 Highest Expense is Public Housing Contracts
- Line item #4430 – $459,463.94
- These items include Electricians, Pest Control, Plumbing, Painting and Elevator.
- This total is 9.1% of our total Expenditure
- These are the 3 vital areas that I feel we need to look at moving forward..
- The good news is we are in a $1,319.473.84 Surplus in each of our (10) Ten Amps.
- ***Capital Fund Support (Personal Note)
- Central Office gets its boost from the Capital Fund.
- Unlike Income such as rent and operating subsidy. The Capital Fund Support is only received (1) one time annually.
- That means if we are forecasting we can double the other numbers accept CFS.
- Page # 3 Monthly Income & Expense Statement – HCV
- 2 Important Sections to this Document
- #1 Administrative Income & Expense
- #2 Housing Assistance Payments (HAP)
- Administrative Income & Expense
- We are in a Surplus
- We were projected to be in a $25,000.00 deficit
- However, our year to date actually shows we have a $61,000.00 Surplus.
- This is largely a result to our increase in Administrative fees and decrease in our Employee Benefit Expenditures.
- Housing Assistance Payments or (HAP)
- This money comes directly from HUD.
- We are simply the conduit or middle man. The money passes thru us.
- HUD gives us this money so we can pay our Landlords.
- This is a subsidy that comes to us so we can directly pay the Landlord.
- This is designed to be a break even system.
- We are slightly ahead due to some Fraud Recovery
- Page # 4 Monthly Income & Expense Statement – Lowellville
- Lowellville is a HUD Multifamily Property
- This property is NOT Public Housing
- Often mistaken for PH but funded differently
- Lowellville consistently generates a small surplus every month.
- This is reflected in the Net Surplus Line = $45,501.02
- Page #5 Schedule of Cash & Investments
- $5,703,666 Total of our General Fund Cash and Investments
- Cash Reserves section breaks totals down by the AMPs
- AMP 11(Mathews Road) is included on this page.
- This will be the only time that you see this AMP listed.
- (HAP) Reserves: This line item is listed as a Negative.
- HUD holds our reserves for us.
- We are only able to draw down on HUD held reserves when the deficit is large enough.
- *There is no information on this report that shows our HUD held reserves.
- Page#6 Capital Fund Programs – Status Report
- Bottom of report details Obligation Deadlines and Expenditure Deadlines
- Obligation Deadline – 24 months at 90%
- Expenditure Deadline – 48 Months to fully spend your money
- HUD will let you know timeframe of extensions
- In July HUD gave an additional 6 month extension due to COVID 19
- (4) Four active Capitol Funds
- Capital Fund (518) Year 2017 – Deadline of February 2022 (Good Shape)
- Capital Fund (519) Year 2018 – Obligation Deadline has been met (Good Shape)
- Capital Fund (520) Year 2019 – Obligation Deadline has been met (Good Shape)
- Capital Fund (521) Year (2020) – Deadline of September 2023 (Good Shape)
- We have (2) two year to figure out with these funds.
- We still have time to evaluate.
- COVID-19 FundsHCV – $462, 012.96 RemainingLIPH – $591,019.30 Remaining$1,053,032.26 Total Remaining December 31, 2021 Deadline to use remaining If there are funds remaining towards the end of the that have not been utilized for COVID-19 expenditures we may use the funds elsewhere.
