VP Rotary Club hears from Ville Platte Housing Authority director

November 25, Meeting
During the November 25, meeting of the Ville Platte Rotary Club, Rotarian Peggy Tate welcomed Grant Soileau, Executive Director of the Ville Platte Housing Authority (VPHA). He gave a brief history of the body, noting the Ville Platte Housing Authority was first established in the early 1950s with a five-member board appointed by the mayor. The first grant developed 90 housing units, with 70 on North Dupre and 20 on South Dupre streets. The VPHA currently employs eight full-time employees and four part-time workers. The Housing and Urban Development federal agency (HUD) oversees housing authorities grades all local housing authorities on management, financing and maintenance, and the VPHA currently has a high performing grade of 93. The VPHA currently manages 218 rental units, with 578 people currently residing in the units. Soileau says HUD has been cutting back on the subsidies, noting that if any housing agency has an excess of savings, the agency will not receive any subsidies until the agency’s savings have been nearly depleted, in essence punishing a board for operating well financially. Soileau said HUD charged 15 percent of a tenant’s income for rent, but as of November 2014, the percentage has increased to 80 percent of the fair market rent value, which will affect local residents. He also noted that all tenants do receive gas and electricity bill credits. Soileau said that due to HUD’s quick 16-day turn around policy on vacant units, not as much time is available for remodeling or repair of vacant units, as the board could lose its subsidy if a unit/units stay vacant past 16 days. He also stated the board is always looking for new ways to make money and keep the units up to date.