Elements that Impact City of Wasco Housing Authority - Research Paper Example

Elements that impact City of Wasco Housing Authority Abstract The essay will discuss exhaustively about the development of a community project. It gives an overview of the background information of the organization, its past involvement within the community, as well as the current involvements. Other than that, it offers a brief overview of the pending community involvements. The essay will also discuss the impacts of the current involvements within the community. Upon evaluation of the project, the essay seeks to give a brief history on the viability of the projects and the ability of the organization to take up the project, the current projects in progress, and any other possible project that the organization would undertake. Most importantly, the essay will discuss the most viable project that would be recommended for the organization. Elements that Impact City of Wasco Housing Authority CHAPTER 1 History and background The City of Wasco Housing Authority (WHA) is a public housing authority created in 1950. It was created and authorized to provide subsided accommodation to farm labor workers and low-income households with their housing needs by state law. Unlike the Kern County Housing Authority, WHA is distinct because it is small in size and not connected to a large housing authority. It receives subsidy to support its operations from the Housing and Urban Development. The law requires the Authority to comply with regulations and notices and ensure consistency in operations of the program. The authority used a modernization program to replace labor units built during the Second World War. The units required urgent replacement and thus, upon receiving funding from the United States Rural Development (USDA), the authority immediately replaced the labor units. The program assisted in lowering maintenance costs for the authority. Consequently, it improved the quality of life for the clients. Public housing is administered by the City of Wasco Housing Authority and funded by the federal government. The PHAs are governed by a board of officials commonly known as commissioners. They are appointed into office in accordance with state housing laws. They serve in a similar capacity as directors of a corporation. The commissioners are charged with the responsibility of establishing policies under which the authority performs its business and ensures that they are followed by PHA staff. In addition, the board is charged with the responsibility for preserving and expanding the agency’s resources and assuring the agency’s continued viability and success. The actions of the PHA are undertaken through written resolutions that are adopted by the board. They are then kept into the official records of the authority. The executive director, selected and hired by the board is the principal staff member of the authority. The executive director monitors day to day operations of the authority and it has the fundamental duty to carry out the policies established by the commissioners. The duties of the executive director are hiring, training, and supervising staff members of the authority. They also make budgeting decisions as well as making financial plans for the agency. Consequently, he is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the Authority complies with federal, state laws and the program mandates. They also act at the capacity of checking whether the plans and programs as well as the activities coverage is in line with any principle guidelines guiding the execution of such duties and programs, which may be based on societal values or expectations. Current activities Currently, the project aims at ensuring safe, decent and affordable housing, creating opportunities for the self-sufficiency and economic independence of the residents. In this regard, the core aim of the project is to ensure equity and equality, in terms of the level of access to housing resources, the contribution of housing to a healthy society and the potential to compete on an equal scale within the society. In addition, they aim at providing assurance for fiscal integrity by all participants. The parties here include government agents, community groups and organizations, as well as those campaigning for development and change within the society in question, for example NGOs and other development program personnel. The Authority achieves these goals through strategically laid down procedures, which are put into operation through a detailed consideration of the needs and most times, the opinions of the recipients of the service – who are the members of the society. These procedures include; recognizing residents as the ultimate consumers, improving PHA management and service delivery efforts via oversight, selective intervention and assistance by diagnostic, highly skilled, as well as results oriented personnel. These procedures are affected, to make sure that the program’s implementation and the address offered to the problems in question, presents the expected results in terms of the delivery of equity and development. More so, they seek problem solving partnerships PHA, resident, and community and government leadership. From these partnerships, the different parties to the development efforts exchange opinions and insights to one another, often, offering contribution regarding any changes that may be necessary throughout the entire program. They act as agents of change during periods when their performance is unacceptable. Also, in cases where local leadership is judged as not capable or not committed to improvement, they may act as agents, which shows the importance of having different lines of change implementation oversight – as the shortcomings of one group are least likely to affect the realization of the desired goals, which directly impacts on the realization of the set targets and standards. The different lines of oversight, further, serve to guide the execution, to ensure that accountability, responsibility and general expectation from the different parties is maintained. Consequently, they efficiently employ limited HUD resources through risk assessment techniques to focus oversight efforts. CHAPTER 2 Determination of alternatives and final project selection Several processes or methods can be used in determining alternative projects. One of the methods which can be used is carrying out project appraisals. Basically, a project appraisal involves an analysis of the costs and benefits of the proposed project. In this case, the different parties with the right to offer opinions on the execution of the project in question are expected to offer insights on the costs and benefits to be realized, possibly offering competitive advantage creation models, including cost cutting strategies. To effectively determine the costs and benefits, most project management experts use the cost benefit analysis model, which clearly demonstrates the costs and benefits involved in a project. Using this model, further, offers insights on the models and the strategies that may be implemented, towards cutting the costs associated to project execution, as well as realizes an improvement in performance. Determination of the social costs and benefits associated with a project is also critical, because, despite the financial costs and benefits, social costs and benefits are also important, because they directly affect the community where the project is to be initiated and implemented. The determination of these social costs and benefits, further, offers insights on the significance of the project to the society in question, the expected benefits to be drawn by the different groups, and checking whether it addresses the needs of the target group – which may include those that are marginalized within the society. Another method which can be used in determining an alternative for a project is carrying out an analysis aimed at identifying which project is more compatible to the surrounding community where the project is to be initiated. The advantage of checking the compatibility of the program in question, against the options that are more likely to benefit the target society, is further of benefit – as it helps identify whether the program and project in question will address the core problems to be solved, and not waiver from addressing them. Alternatives of a selected project should be the projects which have almost similar benefits to the selected project. In other words, the alternatives should be those with more similarities to the selected project. In this line, the similarities are checked with reference to the basic problems or the issues to be solved or addressed at the target society – as opting for a project which is similar to the one in question may lead to inefficiencies sin addressing the issues in question. In this case, various housing projects should be proposed and comprehensive project appraisals carried out, to determine which projects can act as alternatives for the selected housing project. A cost benefit analysis should be carried out, so as to establish which projects are more similar to the selected project. The results of the cost benefit analysis, in this case, should fully reflect the benefits to be drawn from employing the original model. This is especially the case, where the project execution teams should check that the option taken does not impose on the target society – costs that would otherwise not benefit the project, as well as check it against the benefits column. The projects with more similarities to the selected project can therefore be used as alternatives for the selected project. In other words, the selected project should be the one with the highest number of benefits to the society in general. CHAPTER 3 Why the project is needed/goals and objectives The authority is committed to providing outstanding services to all applicants for public housing, residents and the public, which is affected through close coordination with the authorities and information lines near the applicants of these services, as this offers more light on the needs of the applicants – which may need urgent address. In order to provide superior services, the authority resolves to carry out several strategies. Firstly, it seeks to administer applicable federal and state laws, as well as regulations, to achieve very high standards in compliance measurement indicators, while preserving efficiency in program operation to enhance consistent and fair treatment of customers. In this case, the services delivery model and vehicle should be checked against the legality standards in use – ensure that the specific details are in line with the standards and the expectations to be drawn from the case. Also, it aims at providing safe, decent, and sanitary housing, which complies with the standards that are required for extremely low income earning families. They resolve to encourage self- sufficiency of the families that are actively participating, and help in expanding socio-economic, recreational, educational and other human service’s needs. Achieving a healthy mix of financial benefits in its public housing developments, by attracting and retaining higher income families, as well as working towards deconcentration of poverty goals, will be in their list of activities. Alternatively, they seek to promote fair housing and the opportunity for extremely low and low income families irrespective of their races, ethnicities, national origins and religious beliefs. Here, the model used towards the address of the services in question – should be checked by the different stakeholders, to ensure that it does not present benefits on the basis of certain societal basis, where certain teams may direct resources and services to areas of choice. They also aim at creating positive public awareness and expanding the level of community and family support, so as to accomplish the mission of UHA. They resolved to attain and sustain a level of standards and professionalism which is high, in daily management of all the components of the program. The execution is checked from time to time, to ensure that the expected standards are sustained; to professionalism maintained and that the program is retraced towards the realization of the maximum benefits to be registered from the program. Lastly, they resolved to administer an efficient high-performing agency, through continuous improvement of the WHA’s support systems and commitment to employees and their development. CHAPTER 4 Managerial commitment and employee involvement To accomplish success, WHA must have effective leadership dynamics, group dynamics and organizational culture. These areas of dynamics are mainly aimed at offering platforms – from which the changes in interests and needs can be addressed; as well the reaffirmation of the goals is upheld, so as to ensure that the project presents the maximum benefits to be drawn. This is essential for such a small organization. Leadership refers to a process where an individual influences other individuals in order to achieve a common goal. In this case, the leadership role should not be executed through coercion or through other ways that are destructive to the society or the program in question – but should be checked and affected through models that offer the best opportunity, for the different parties to the development to feel like contributors towards the overall implementation process. This definition contains four fundamental aspects: leadership is a process, in that it is not developed instantaneously and applied at certain times and not others; leadership involves influence within a group, that the leading of those in charge should be favorable to those led, as it will determine their level of participation and contribution; and leadership involves goal attainments, where every party is checking their contribution and influence, against the common goals to be met from the project or overall development. Leadership is what gives us leadership dynamics. At WHA, they must have a strong leadership dynamics to survive in such a large profession. The approach of the WHA is to identify and develop strengths, prompt solutions, and successful strategies to maintain these developments. A current example of the WHA leadership dynamics is considering a different option; that they needed a full-time executive director opposite to their previous part-time director. In order to accomplish this, they had to do some reengineering. Reengineering is defined as radical redesign and fundamental rethinking of business processes, aimed at achieving dramatic improvements in critical contemporary evaluators of performance. They had to take into account, their current burden and decide if this was feasible. Recently, the WHA hired a new full-time executive director to run the housing authority. This will strengthen the relationship with the WHA employees, commissioners and residents (Osland, Kolb, Rubin, & Turner, 2006). Leadership is a process. The new executive director will have to come in and establish himself. He will have to gain the confidence of the staff. He will do this by respecting his employee’s current positions and their ideas. Asking clarifying questions, instead of demanding spontaneous changes without clarifying to why these changes are being given, will be critical. It will also take time for him to learn the strengths and weaknesses of the staff and to understand the culture of the organization. Respect will be earned, and confidence will be gained as the board, staff and tenants learn to trust him (or her) and again, this is a process that takes time. Leadership involves influence. The new executive director will also have to gain the ability to influence as he gains trust. His ability to make changes and set a new course is dependent on his ability to convince the board, staff and tenants, that his vision is sound and worthy of trust. A good executive is the one who employs qualified personnel in an organization, and gives them the freedom to work without any unnecessary pressure. All the stakeholders in the organization will learn to become comfortable with his management style. Leadership occurs within a group. The new executive director will have to work within the dynamics of the various stakeholders or groups. The organization as a whole, is a group made up of staff, commissioners and residents, but the executive director will also have to work within each group as well. Each group; staff, commissioners, and tenants, has their own needs, concerns and expectations. An example of this is that the staff would like to have a new alternative work schedule. The executive director will also have to consider the impact on the residents and commissioners. Managing each of these separately, while keep the larger organization in mind. Leadership involves goal attainments. Ultimately, the new executive director must keep in mind the mission and vision for the agency, as he works to sustain it strategies, processes and successes. Having just started to implement these changes for just one month, they should be able to see the difference in their leadership dynamics. Having someone to guide, analyze and evaluate their daily routine is significant to their organization. A summary of leadership features includes; challenging the status quo, developing visions and setting direction, developing strategies for producing changes toward the new vision, communicating the new direction and getting people involved, and motivating and inspiring others. In addition, an essential element to the success of WHA is their group dynamics. Group dynamics refers to the complex forces that are acting upon every group, throughout its existence, which allows it to behave in the manner in which it does. We can think of every group as having certain relatively static aspects such as its name, constitutional structure, ultimate purpose, and other fixed characteristics. However, it also has dynamic aspects such as always moving, doing something, changing, becoming, interacting, and reacting. The form and direction of its movement is dependent on forces being exerted upon it, from within itself and from outside. The interaction of these forces and the resultant effects on a given group constitute its dynamics. The WHA understands the behavior of people in groups. These groups may comprise their commissioners, their residents or their employees. They must have outstanding ability to work as an individual group or as one large group to accomplish goals and set tasks. They must also have knowledge of how the group works together. Even if their group contains thoughtful, non- conflicting and cooperative people, there will be a dynamic that propels the group as time moves forward. Leadership and ideas will be challenged. Feelings may get hurt, and personality differences will emerge. Groups are different from a collection of individuals who are non-consistent, because they influence each other in their interactions. Basically, group dynamics concerns itself with a group behavior which is representative. Groups can be categorized into primary, aggregate, secondary and category groups. Tuckman's Stages Model is a four-stage model for a group. The model demonstrates the four stages in which group decision-making process should go through. These include forming and storming among others. According to this model, if any decision making process goes through these stages, then the decision made is in most cases very reliable, because the stages involve critical analysis of the situation under consideration. Each of these stages is critical, because it has its own role in the whole decision making process. This model has been applied in many organizations; through it has its own limitations, which have been the key areas of discussion by the critics of this model. The final element that affects the success of WHA is organizational culture. Group dynamics defines organizational culture at the most basic level as something that is common to all or almost all members of certain social group such as a nation, a region, an organization, a profession, an age group or a religious group. In addition, it is viewed as a system of values and beliefs, symbols, heroes, rituals and practices. More so, it is defined as something that is transmitted from one generation to another. Most importantly, it is defined as something that human beings get socialized into from day one. A company can benefit tremendously by understanding the organizational culture that is within them. According to Jim Wheeler, the executive director at WHA, organizational behavior is an essential aspect of the business. The principles that are contained within it add value to the company and strengthen our work force. Knowing your organizational culture, allows one understand the communication, what motivates, and how to listen to his/her employees. This is vital for the employee’s success at WHA. Being a small public housing authority, The City of Wasco Housing Authority has to successfully accomplish what other large housing authorities do in a large group setting with a small group. This means that the leadership dynamics, group dynamics and organizational culture, are crucial to its survival as an organization. Many members of the small group are able to “wear many hats”, and are able to do more diverse activities, which can be helpful at times as well as a burden at other times. However, having the knowledge, experience and understanding of these elements, keeps WHA holding a successful position with satisfied employees, residents and commissioners. CHAPTER 5 Evaluation and timeline In ensuring safe and decent portion, WHA must ensure that it is able to meet the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development and the United States Agricultural Rural Development annual surprise inspection requirements. These surprise inspection requirements are put in the way of the project implementation and execution – so as to ensure that the execution team does not implement the project with basic shortages or limitation points, especially, at the time when they know that they are not under supervision. The inspections are designed to measure the nationwide management performance of all public housing authorities. The inspections have so far been highly beneficial and productive in ensuring that the performance of these teams is kept at the maximum, towards the pursuit for the expected goals and standards. The authority carries out evaluation, to determine the best project to undertake. Its evaluation is based on a number of factors. These factors include physical inspections, the financial condition at the present time, the management operations, and consequently, the resident satisfaction (Caarayannis, Kwak, & Anbari, 2005). The inspections serve to improve delivery of services in public housing as well as promote trustworthiness in the public housing system among public housing agencies, the residents and the general public. This is achieved by providing a management toll for adequately and fairly measuring the performance of the authority. A weighted average of the total score for the four indicators is used to compute the overall score, with each indicator having its own percentage composition. The physical condition takes up 40% of the overall, whereas the financial condition indicator and the management operations indicator comprise 25% each. The capital fund program indicator weighs least at 10%. Upon measurement of the weighted average, the authority receives an assessment performance designation based on the overall inspection score. The authority can include scores of high performers, standard performers, substandard performers or troubled performers. The department of Housing and Urban Development assesses the performance of the Authority. Thereafter, it scores the units in a certain order. High performers may receive assessment every three years, while a standard or substandard performer may receive assessment every other year. On the other hand, projects designated as troubled or capital fund- troubled, receives an assessment every year in accordance with the regulations. To meet such high standards, the executive director along with the staff, must work hard each day so as to maintain the overall appearance of the site and units. The authority must maintain its housing property in a manner that meets the physical condition standards. The standards aim at addressing the key physical areas of the public housing site, building systems, dwelling units, and common areas. In addition, they identify health and safety considerations. They also address acceptable basic housing conditions, not the décor or other cosmetic appearance of the housing. Violations of any of these standards are noted and reported to the department of Housing and Urban Development’s area director. The executive director of the Authority is charged with the responsibility of seeing that the proper changes or repairs are made. The nature of relationship that one desires to have with the Housing and Urban Development department depends highly on this score. The most critical inspection responsibility is difficult to identify. If any must be singled out, it would be the commitment in assisting the organization in its conceptual effort to assist families with their housing needs (Dasgupta, Kumar, & Marglin, 2006). In order to achieve this responsibility, one must believe in what can be accomplished through one’s own housing programs with the residents’ best interest at heart. In order that one effectively succeeds, one must truly believe in what one can do to enhance the quality of the resident’s life through your skills and knowledge, in addition to what you are already doing. Consequently, staff meetings are essential in enhancing success of the project to be undertaken. The meetings serve to give information about the general feasibility of the project, and getting information about how the whole process of the project evaluation will be carried out. The meetings also help in providing solutions for problems that may arise during the process of evaluation as well as implementation, therefore, ensuring that the goals of the organization involved in a new project are achieved. In addition, the meetings serve to make adjustments of attitudes prior or following a decision, depending on the direction the project takes. Most importantly, the meetings assist in offering instruction to the committee members (Caarayannis, Kwak, & Anbari, 2005). There are professional associations in the field of project management. These include Project Management Journal and the International Journal of Project Management. The essential factors which the organization considered in the evaluation of a viable project as well as enhancing success for the current project include project leadership, organizational culture and group dynamics, risk and investment planning, human resource management, as well as computer-supported project management. Risk investment planning involves identifying effective strategies of investing, according to the long-term goals of the investor. In making an investment plan, a number of factors are put into consideration. The investment plan must have a viable objective. As such, the investors for the authority must have a goal in mind. They must be able to decide among safety, income or growth, the most influential and favorable characteristic to satisfy. Secondly, the investment plan requires a time frame. It is noteworthy that the group investors are aware of the time in which they are ready to spend the money set aside for investment. Consequently, the investment plan is required to account for the level of risks; the investors are willing and comfortable pursuing. Some investments may cost an investment group all the funds they intended to use in the investing process. Such investment proposals are too risky to venture into. In order to reduce the risk involved in investment, it is recommended that diversification be adopted. This method eliminates all chances of a complete loss of funds, in as much as it presents different variations on the investment value (Dasgupta, Kumar, & Marglin, 2006). The investment plan must adequately provide for the quantity that is required to be invested and how often it is invested. Many investors adopt minimum investment amounts strategy. As such, it is vital that decisions on the amount to invest are made wisely upon effective evaluation. Most importantly, a good investment plan will be effective if all available choices for investment are keenly studied and comprehended. A detailed list of all the investment choices available and those seeking to fulfill organizational goals should be provided. A comprehensive study of all the choices should be carried out to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each. Finally, some investment proposals are laid off leaving the investors with a smaller number which they are more comfortable to pursue. On the other hand, human resource management entails controlling of an organization’s workforce. It is charged with the responsibility of selecting, training assessment and rewarding employees. In regards to this, an investment project will succeed if the human resource management identifies the most competent laborers. Before initiation of an investment project, the human resource management department should advertise for the requirement of project analyzers as well as developers. Applications received should be thoroughly proofread. The human resource managers should then make a selection in respect to the compliance standards and qualifications outlined by the department. This helps to improve efficiency in implementation of the investment project. Also, it seeks to reduce time wastage that may occur as a result of incompetency by workers pursuing the implementation of the project. Most importantly, it assists in reducing additional costs that may arise as a result of training the incompetent workers, making repairs on poorly constructed points, and hiring more workers in the course of implementation of the project (Osland, Kolb, Rubin, & Turner, 2006). The study of group dynamics, culture, project leadership, human resource management as well as risk investment evaluation, serves to fulfill certain objectives. Firstly, it seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed project in relation to achieving the benefits outlined by the investment group. In addition, it allows for an assessment of the overall value for money to be made through comparing costs and benefits. Further, it helps in capturing lessons learned and revealing available opportunities for the purpose of raising the benefits of the project. Recommendations are usually made on activities needed to be carried out in order for the benefits of the project to be increased. Evaluation of viable projects is necessary in order to maximize the value of return on investment accrued from projects under review, as well as those to be taken in the future. The evaluation aims at determining and thereafter, confirming the benefits achieved upon earlier planning. Consequently, they identify benefits that are not yet achieved and determine whether any action to investigate why they have not been achieved is necessary. More so, evaluation assists the investment team to identify any benefits achieved and had not been anticipated for, as well as the dis-benefits that have accrued as a result. Most importantly, it aids in understanding and providing documentation as to why certain benefits were or were not achieved as well as providing lessons learned, for future projects within cost- benefit analysis by the management. The documents kept in records are a tool for enhancing growth of future return on investment. Evaluation also aids in informing future decisions, as regarding the prioritization of projects by demonstrating the value of money related to the investment. The post project review should always be undertaken at a time that best demonstrates the actual performance of the investment, depending on the kind of benefits expected to accrue and their sequencing. Upon completion of the post project review, a report is compiled. The report offers an assessment of the value of the overall amount of money provided by the investment. In addition, it provides an assessment of the cumulative net benefit yield as well as recommendations for future investments derived from positive and negative lessons. Conclusion The best choice for a viable project is dependent upon a number of factors the investment project should attain. This is to mean that the project to be pursued must lie within the budget limits encompassed by the investing organization. It should be cheap not to cost the organization all its benefits earned prior to initiation of the project. The investment project to be pursued should be such that it qualifies to fulfill the goals of the organization. Moreover, its benefits to the organization should be verifiable and outstanding. Most importantly, it should not expose the organization to very high risks, threatening to cause closure of the organization as a result of excessive losses incurred (Dasgupta, Kumar, & Marglin, 2006). The authority chooses to pursue providing housing at affordable and effective prices. Residents of the area and especially low income earners will greatly benefit from this action by the authority. They will enjoy decent housing at affordable prices which will attract more people to embracing the project. As a result, the authority will increase their return on investment in the future. In addition, the project’s risks do not threaten the succession of the organization and its perpetuity. Thus, the project is viable for implementation (Caarayannis, Kwak, & Anbari, 2005). References Caarayannis, E., Kwak, Y., & Anbari, F. (2005). The Story of Managing Projects: An Interdisciplinary Approach. New York: Praeger Publishers. Dasgupta, P., Kumar, A., & Marglin, S. (2006). Guidelines for Project Evaluation. Geneva: United Nations Publications. Osland, J., Kolb, D., Rubin, I., & Turner, M. (2006). Organizational Behaviour: An Experiential Approach. London: Prentice Hall. Read More