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HACA Aids Residents With Homeownership Programs. Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher program residents who are first-time home buyers are given the opportunity to purchase their own home. As of July 1, 2004, HACA has provided loan amounts of $10,000 on a first come, first serve basis to residents qualified for homeownership. As of 2007, 20 families have purchased a home, or obtained funds through the Down Payment Assistance Program, and three families have worked toward home ownership through the Family Self Sufficiency Program. The most attractive part of the Down Payment Assistance Program is the loan is forgiven after five years, if residents aren't in default. No monthly payments are required and repayment of the $10,000 loan is deferred unless the resident sells, transfers, refinances or converts the home to a rental property in their five years of homeownership.

HACA Designated as High Performer. The Housing Authority of the City of Austin has once again proven to be one of the top housing agencies in the country. The agency has come a long way since becoming the first housing authority in the nation beginning constructing in 1937. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded HACA a Public Housing Assessment System score of 93 percent and a Section 8 Management Assessment Program score of 100 percent for 2005. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has not yet released 2006 scores.

Customer Satisfaction Survey Results Show HACA's On the Right Track. In a continuing effort to be responsive to both the housing authority’s residents’ and customers’ concerns and satisfaction, HACA developed a series of surveys to determine a baseline for measuring and improving customer satisfaction. In HACA’s third year of conducting the evaluation, approximately 5,000 surveys were sent to all public housing residents, a portion of the agency’s vendors, Housing Choice Voucher residents and landlords. Receiving high response rates for the third consecutive year, the positive replies were a telling sign of HACA’s effectiveness and commitment to its residents, landlords and vendors. High marks were received in areas including HACA customer service, the inspection process and contractor vendor interactions with HACA staff. The housing authority achieved an overall rating of 3.21 on a 4 point scale.

Almost 500 HACA Youth Receive Gift Cards for Good Grades, Perfect Attendance. For the grading period ending in January, 298 housing authority school-age children received perfect attendance and 199 students achieved the A/B honor roll. The agency awards students with gift cards every grading period for perfect attendance and achieving the honor roll. For high school juniors and seniors planning for college, scholarship workshops were recently held at multiple housing authority properties attracting 45 people that received information regarding scholarships and applying for federal financial aid.

Record Number of Weeks Spent at 98% Occupancy. HACA closed out 2006 spending a record 193 consecutive weeks at 98 percent occupancy. For thirteen consecutive weeks spanning Nov. 29, 2006 to Feb. 21, 2007 occupancy had reached an unprecedented 99 percent. The housing authority once again achieved its mission of accommodating the maximum number of low-income families it can house. With 1,928 units at its disposal, HACA is proud to consistently provide safe, affordable, quality housing opportunities for families of low income.