Replacement Siding Project

The Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority (FMHA) will receive bids from qualified contractors for the replacement of siding for 20 townhomes located in Lancaster, Ohio, 43130. For detailed specifications, refer to our Projects Open for Bidding page.

All bids will be received and publicly opened at 2:00 PM on June 5, 2012 at FMHA Offices at 315 N. Columbus St., Lancaster, Ohio, 43130. Attn: Mike Reed. Late submissions will be returned unopened. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled on May 23, 2012 at 2 pm at 1902-1904 W Chestnut St, Lancaster, OH 43130. Bidder’s packets are available for free download from our website cited above. Bidders must agree to comply with Section 3 of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended, and are asked to assist the FMHA in meeting their Minority Business Enterprise Goal listed in the Contract Documents also available on the website. The Independent Estimate for this project is 0,000. For those whose bids exceed ,000, a 5% bid bond as detailed in the Bidder’s Packet, is required to be submitted with the bid. (740) 653-6618 attn: Mike or TTY/Ohio Relay Callers (740) 653-2653

Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority, an equal opportunity employer, has an immediate opening for a full-time Occupancy Specialist. The qualified candidate will perform a variety of clerical and data entry tasks including casework management. This person must possess a strong commitment to customer service. Professional manner and appearance are essential. Verifiable computer skills are required. Please submit your resume to 315 North Columbus Street, Lancaster, OH 43130 or email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by May 14. No phone calls.

Click here to download the complete job description.

Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority Receives Funding to Assist Homeless Veterans Through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program

The Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority (FMHA) has been awarded ,916 to launch the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Program in Fairfield County. This funding, from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is a coordinated effort involving HUD, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and FMHA to provide permanent housing for homeless veterans in conjunction with supportive services.

These funds will provide FMHA with 15 Housing Choice Vouchers that are reserved for homeless single veterans or veterans with families. Under the VASH Program, the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Chillicothe and the Veterans Administration Clinic in Lancaster provides supportive services and case management to eligible homeless veterans and then refers the veterans to FMHA for rental assistance.

Qualified veterans receive a Housing Choice Voucher and are able to rent apartments, condominiums or homes from property owners who are willing to participate in the program. In addition, veterans will pay approximately 30% of their income for their portion of monthly rent and FMHA will pay the balance directly to property owners.

As well as assisting homeless veterans, this award supports strategies identified in Fairfield County’s Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness. The Plan, developed by the Fairfield County Housing Coalition, provides a blueprint for how our community will work together to confront the issues that cause homelessness and create housing and supportive services needed to end homelessness.

FMHA currently assists 949 families per month with monthly assistance payments to approximately 370 landlords in Fairfield County.

Veterans who are interested in the VASH Program should call Amy Combs at 1-800- 358-8262.

Property owners who would like to rent to VASH veterans should contact FMHA at 740-653-6618 X233.

Hello, my name is Heather Shonk and I am a prior resident of Amherst Place. I joined the Public Housing Family Self -Sufficiency Program shortly after moving to Amherst and have participated in it since it was started by Amy Swartz. Amy, which I consider a friend and have confided almost my entire life and financial situation to, diligently helped me in my personal and financial life as much as she could.

After only approximately 2 years I earned my LPN and went from bankruptcy to good credit, good enough to be approved to buy my own home. It took a lot of work and effort on my part and Amy’s but we got it done. By all means I am not an organized person; my life is chaotic and crazy. I took the Homebuyer Education class through FMHA and Amy had information on a few different down payment assistance programs. I chose the City Development Loan for 5,000 dollars of down payment assistance, which is only available through Amy’s program. I did, however, have to contribute some money of my own to put down on my home, around 2,000 dollars, which was a lot less than I had expected thanks to the City Development Loan. My house payment is not much more than my rent was while living at Amherst, but I own it and it is mine. I was able to save a decent amount of money while on the Self– Sufficiency Program which will help me now with home improvement costs.

The Self– Sufficiency Program is truly a program that helps people get on their feet. I support it completely. It helped me achieve one of my biggest dreams of owning my own home. Amy is a friend and a great resource to everyone; she will do anything in her power to help you achieve your goal. If she does not have the information she will find it. She helped me and she can help you achieve you goals, whatever they maybe. I advise everyone to take advantage of a great program and a great person, that will do anything in their power to help you achieve your goals.

- Heather Shonk

A recent financial audit of Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority by the Auditor of State Dave Yost’s office has returned a clean audit report. FMHA’s excellent record keeping has earned it the Auditor of State Award.

“Our CFO Lisa Griffith deserves all the credit. She and her team, Carrie Rhonemus and Tabitha Morgan provide the financial foundation that allows us to continue to grow and seek housing opportunities for our organization. Our continued success is built on our commitment to financial transparency and ethical standards,” stated Susan Secoy FMHA Deputy Director.

The Auditor of State Award is presented to local governments and school districts upon the completion of a financial audit. Entities that receive the award meet the following criteria of a “clean” audit report:

• Must be a GAAP entity without a CAFR (Certified Annual Financial Report) that timely files their financial reports with the Auditor of State;
• The audit report does not contain any findings for recovery, material citation, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, Single Audit findings or questioned costs;
• The entity’s management letter contains no comments related to:
  • Ethics referrals
  • Questioned costs less than ,000
  • Lack of timely report submission
  • Reconciliation
  • Failure to obtain a timely Single Audit
  • Findings for recovery less than 0
  • Public meetings or public records

Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority closed the Housing Choice Voucher Program Waiting List on March 31, 2010. However, the Housing Authority has continued to accept applications from Veterans during this time. Individuals meeting this classification may submit their application by the following process:

1. Click here to obtain a printable application.
2. Obtain a DD14 form showing an Honorable Discharge from the Veterans Administration.
3. Return the completed application with the required DD14 showing an Honorable Discharge by mail or by using the FMHA Drop Box located on the outside of our office by the front door. Only applications with the required DD14 showing an Honorable Discharge document will be accepted.

Veteran Definition

A household that contains a person who served in the active military of the United States and was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable; OR a household that contains a person serving in the active military of the United States. Each applicant for financial assistance, under the Veteran definition, shall be a veteran, as defined above, or active-duty member; or dependent spouse, surviving spouse, dependent parent, minor child, or ward of a Veteran or deceased Veteran, as defined above, or deceased persons who were so serving at the time of the death, or an active-duty member.

Our goal is to contact every veteran in Fairfield County who needs rental assistance by Veterans Day.

FAQ about Homeless Veterans from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans website at www.nchv.org/background.cfm

Who are homeless veterans?

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states the nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly five percent being female. The majority of them are single; come from urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. About one-third of the adult homeless population are veterans.

America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF), and the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America. Nearly half of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam era. Two-thirds served our country for at least three years, and one-third were stationed in a war zone.

Roughly 56 percent of all homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 12.8 percent and 15.4 percent of the U.S. population respectively.

About 1.5 million other veterans, meanwhile, are considered at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing.

How many homeless veterans are there?

Although flawless counts are impossible to come by – the transient nature of homeless populations presents a major difficulty – VA estimates that 107,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. Over the course of a year, approximately twice that many experience homelessness. Only eight percent of the general population can claim veteran status, but nearly one-fifth of the homeless population are veterans.

Why are veterans homeless?

In addition to the complex set of factors influencing all homelessness – extreme shortage of affordable housing, livable income and access to health care – a large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse, which are compounded by a lack of family and social support networks.

A top priority for homeless veterans is secure, safe, clean housing that offers a supportive environment free of drugs and alcohol.

Although “most homeless people are single, unaffiliated men… most housing money in existing federal homelessness programs, in contrast, is devoted to helping homeless families or homeless women with dependent children,” as is stated in the study “Is Homelessness a Housing Problem?” (Understanding Homelessness: New Policy and Research Perspectives, Fannie Mae Foundation, 1997).

Since 1987, VA’s programs for homeless veterans have emphasized collaboration with such community service providers to help expand services to more veterans in crisis. These partnerships are credited with reducing the number of homeless veterans by more than half over the past six years.

What services do veterans need?

Veterans need a coordinated effort that provides secure housing, nutritional meals, basic physical health care, substance abuse care and aftercare, mental health counseling, personal development and empowerment. Additionally, veterans need job assessment, training and placement assistance.

NCHV strongly believes that all programs to assist homeless veterans must focus on helping them obtain and sustain employment.

The PHA Plan serves as a strategic planning tool addressing payment standards, preferences, admission and occupancy procedures, capital improvement needs, the Homeownership Plan, etc. The Plan process is an annual opportunity to determine the role of the Housing Authority in our community – now and in the future.>/p>

The Public Housing Reform Act requires submission of both a Five-Year and an Annual Plan. The Five-Year Plan describes the agency’s mission and the long- term plan for achieving that mission over a period of five years. The Annual Plan provides details about the Housing Authority’s current programs and the resident population served, as well as FMHA’s strategy for addressing the housing needs of currently assisted families. In addition, the law requires that the plan be consistent with the City of Lancaster’s Consolidated Plan.

To ensure public participation in the process, the Plan, including attachments and supporting documents will be available for inspection by the public during normal business hours (8am – 4 pm Mon-Fri) at the FMHA office.

Housing Authorities are required to establish a Resident Advisory Board (RAB) whose membership consists of individuals who reflect and represent residents assisted by the Housing Authority. The RAB makes recommendations regarding the development of the PHA Plan and any significant amendments or modification to the Plan. Residents can ensure their needs are being addressed and become more involved in issues that directly affect them. In addition, residents will be more aware of the process that our Housing Authority undergoes to prioritize capital fund activities. FMHA also benefits by working with the residents who provide important information regarding the physical condition of their units and neighborhoods.

Annual Plan Important Dates

Jul 19 – Sep 2 Available to the public for review

Sep 2 Public Hearing

Oct 17 HUD Submission

FMHA offers FREE Home Buyer Education July 16th from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Call today to reserve your seat.

Click here for details!

This year’s Landlord Appreciation Night was sponsored by the Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority, the Fairfield County Sherriff’s Office, and the Fairfield County Landlord Association. The event, which occurred on June 15th, was an opportunity for landlords, property managers and anybody else involved in property rental or interested in rental information to meet and discuss different aspects of renting properties and their personal experiences with housing management. Attendees were treated to refreshments and door prizes, along with an instructional presentation given by Fairfield County Sherriff Dave Phalen. Sherriff Phalen’s informative presentation gave the attendees information regarding the legal aspects of property management, various methods of screening possible rental applicants, as well as some of Sherriff Phalen’s personal past experiences dealing with crime and housing. The Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority was glad to be a co-sponsor of the event and looks forward to another informative and enjoyable time next year. Thank you to everybody who attended – we appreciate your input and drive to strengthen property management in Fairfield County!

Check out some images from this year's Home Ownership Expo:

FMHA Assists Two Clients in Becoming Homeowners

The Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority participates in the federally funded Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency and Homeownership Program through The U.S. Housing and Urban Development department. The Homeownership Program launched in 2001 and continues to exist with regulations in effect from HUD.

With participation and compliance for this program, a participant is eligible to substitute the monthly rental subsidy to monthly mortgage payment assistance. Each participant must complete the HUD requirements before purchasing a home. This program provides mortgage assistance for up to 15 years for non-disabled families, and for disabled families the mortgage assistance is for 30 years. The monthly mortgage assistance is based on income for the household, which is reviewed at least annually. After a participant purchases a home, they must continue with on-going homeownership counseling to ensure they are successful homeowners.

Despite the economic downturn in the housing industry, the FMHA HCV FSS & HOP Coordinator has successfully assisted two clients purchase their homes through the Homeownership Program. Through their patience, determination and hard work they are now homeowners!

Congratulations to both of our new homeowners!

FMHA & OHFA Partner to Help Families Facing Foreclosure

Restoring Stability: A Save the Dream Ohio Initiative targets homeowners who have experienced difficulty paying their mortgage or are currently at-risk of mortgage loan default or foreclosure. Through the program, the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) and FMHA will administer federal foreclosure prevention funding to help families dealing with a permanent or temporary loss of income. Homeowners, who may not have previously qualified for other existing loan modification or foreclosure prevention programs, may be eligible through this program. The federal foreclosure prevention funding is available through four different programs, which include:

• Rescue Payment Assistance: Provides a payment to a participating homeowner's mortgage servicer to help bring the homeowner current on his or her delinquent mortgage.
• Partial Mortgage Payment Assistance: Provides partial mortgage payments while unemployed homeowners search for a job or participate in job training.
• Modification Assistance with Principal Reduction: Provides a payment incentive to mortgage servicers to reduce a participating homeowner's mortgage principal to the level necessary to achieve a loan modification and affordable monthly mortgage payments.
• Transitional Assistance: Provides homeowners who cannot sustain homeownership with an alternative to foreclosure by offering an incentive to mortgage servicers to complete short sales and deed-in-lieu agreements. Transitional Assistance allows homeowners to exit their homes gracefully.

For more information or to make an appointment, please email Rob Goodrich: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

HUD Proclaims June as National Homeownership Month

As a leading advocate for responsible homeownership, Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority celebrates National Homeownership Month. Throughout the month of June educational outreach efforts are underway to provide home buying information and financial tools to families. Buying a home is the single largest investment ever made by most households. Equity in the home offers an opportunity to build wealth and stability in our community.

The Housing Authority kicks off the celebration annually with the Homeownership Expo. The success of the expo relies heavily on the efforts by local businesses and organizations. Realty companies, financial institutions, and social service agencies all take part in promoting responsible homeownership and education. This year, the “street fair” atmosphere takes place on Thursday, June 9 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in the Housing Authority parking lot at 315 N Columbus Street, Lancaster (rain date June 16th). There will be free food, refreshments, a Bouncy House and games for the kids, door prizes, and a DJ who will provide entertainment and music. Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Bob Sulick and volunteers assemble a cedar Adventure Clubhouse during the Expo and at the conclusion, a drawing takes place and the lucky winner takes home the grand prize. This event is free to the public, including the raffle tickets for the clubhouse. This year’s clubhouse was generously donated by Fairfield National Bank. If you have questions about the event please contact Heather Currence at 740-653-6618 ext. 222 or by email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

FMHA Receives Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency Grant

HUD announced on March 24th that Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority will receive ,645 to link low-income families with necessary education and job training in order to set them on the path to self-sufficiency. This grant is funded through HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency Program. The grants allow housing authorities to work with welfare agencies, schools, businesses, and other local partners to develop a comprehensive program to help individuals already participating in HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Program increase their education and gain marketable skills that will enable them to obtain jobs that pay a living wage. FMHA has been fortunate to have had this program for a number of years and we look forward to continuing our partnership with our families and community.