News

A Letter to Our Partners

Dear Community Partners,

As you know, we are witnessing historic and local challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic along with last Wednesday’s earthquake and continuing aftershocks.  In spite of these setbacks, I hope that this message finds you well.

I wanted to update you on our activities and how we are carrying out our responsibilities during this unique time.

Per our role as a Public Housing Agency, Housing Connect will continue to connect people with housing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  We have and will continue to adjust our approach to ensure that the health of our community is held in the highest priority.

Presently, Housing Connect offices are closed to the public until further notice.  Admittance to offices will be allowed by appointment only.  Housing Connect is also suspending all non-emergency, in-person customer services at this time.  To accommodate this change, we will be conducting as much of our day-to-day work electronically as possible.  Staff will be available by phone, email, and web conferencing.  We ask that clients continue to communicate with their assigned Housing Specialist and/or Landlord just as at any other time.  Due to the significant impact of the restrictions, please understand our response time may be longer than normal.

We know that many of our clients may not have the capability to contact us via phone or computer.  In these cases, we will communicate via mail.  We will mail paperwork and ask that it be dropped off at our offices in our dropbox that is to the left of the front door under the window.  Documents can also be emailed or faxed.

Below are some additional activities and changes we have implemented to respond to the COVID-19 crisis:

Client Wellbeing/Housing Stability

  • Continuing response to critical maintenance repairs
  • Continuing processing rent adjustments due to loss of income/job, as eligible
  • Performing wellness checks, with an emphasis on ensuring each household has adequate food and other essentials
  • Continuing to perform new or move inspections to ensure that households can continue to lease-up.
  • Suspending annual inspections, until further notice.
  • Ceasing evictions (with extreme exceptions such as criminal activity such as violence.

Distancing

  • Limiting in-person contact, to occur only when necessary.
  • Canceling group activities
  • Canceling any and all job-related travel
  • Directing our staff to stay home if symptoms are present, or if care of others is required.

Staff Support

  • Additional sick leave has been approved for staff
  • Remote work and staggered work schedules are being implemented to accommodate distancing, continuation of work responsibilities, and coverage of childcare
  • Sharing job responsibilities and functions with community partners when needed.

During this unprecedented time, we are committed to connecting low-income individuals to housing and providing services to assure they can maintain housing.  We continue to evaluate how to best ensure those we serve are supported in these hard times.  Please reach out if you have questions or concerns as we continue our work to provide housing to those who need it.

Sincerely,

JANICE KIMBALL
Chief Executive Officer

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