1. 1
Board Operations and Training

2. 2
Functions of a Board
• Legally and financially responsible governing body
• Establishes mission, vision, strategic plan and operating policies
• Provides function of:
• Leadership – creating a community impact
• Legal oversight – meeting legal obligations
• Financial Oversight – ensuring budget is viable and accurate
• Operational oversight– ensuring ethical, legal and effective work
performance
• Board mechanics – following through on business requirements for
board recruitment, policy setting, etc.

3. 3
Why is Board training important?
• Governance and Finance are at the heart of any Public
Housing Agency’s (PHA) operation
• Governance is the process by which the PHA is held
accountable to the community
• The board of commissioners have the ultimate responsibility
for the PHA’s performance
• The board is supposed to make most decisions on major
operational norms and rules, and transparency to the
community

4. Board member Orientation
• Overview of agency’s history, mission, vision, values, by-laws,
programs, financials and current strategic plan
• Clarification of new member’s role/job on Board and in agency
• Introductions to PHA staff discussing each person’s role in the
programs of the agency and clarify lines of communication
• Tour of properties and facility or office, discuss agency’s
important documents and where originals and copies are kept
• Discussion of how agency records are maintained and backed-up,
how confidentiality is protected
• Discussion of Board & Committee meeting processes

5. 5
Suggested Topics for Board Training:
• Public housing history
• Understanding board structure, purpose, appointments, and
recruitment
• Role of the Board of Commissioners
• Responsibilities for Board and Executive Director
• Reports available for Board review

6. 6
Information to share with Commissioners:
• Consolidated Annual Contributions Contract (CACC)
• State housing law
• PHA policies
▫ procurement, tenant admissions and selection, 5 year plan, etc
• PHA financial condition
• PHA performance designation for (PHAS) and (SEMAP), if
applicable

7. 7
Review of program information
• Properties
• Programs administered (section 8, public housing, etc)
• Number of units
• Budget
• Staff size
• Major plans and projects underway
• Most importantly know needed improvements

8. 8
Relationship between HUD and HA under
CACC
HUD key responsibilities PHA key responsibilities
• Provide maximum responsibility • Comply and require owners to comply
with the requirements of the:
and flexibility to PHAs in
• U.S. Housing Act of 1937
administrative decision-making • all HUD regulations and
within all applicable statutes, requirements
orders, regulations and contracts • any amendments or changes
• Comply with HUD-approved
• Provide annual contributions to the administrative plan and HUD-
PHA in accordance with all approved program funding
applicable statutes, executive applications
orders, regulations, and the CACC
• Use HUD required program forms
• Proceed expeditiously with programs
under the CACC

9. 9
Relationship between Executive Director
and Board
Commissioner Executive Director
• Select and hire an Executive Director • Manage the day to day operations of the
• Evaluate Executive Director PHA
performance
• Hire, evaluate, train, and terminate staff
• Approve by-laws, resolutions, policies • Prepare operating budgets
and procedures
• Resident selection
• Approve the authority’s budget
• Manage facilities and maintenance
• Set basic PHA policies • Develop and manage resident Programs
• Govern PHA • Collect rents and enforce terms of leases
• Procure annual audit
• Advise Board of regulatory changes
• Execute Board approved policies

10. 10
Financial Management
• Suggested Board Meeting Information
▫ Monthly financial report
▫ Copy of latest bank reconciliation
▫ Summary of income/expense
▫ List of check vouchers issued
▫ Tenant accounts information
▫ Outstanding HUD or Audit Findings

11. 11
Financial Management for Commissioners
Do Don’t
▫ Pass resolutions and ▫ Sign blank or
policies undocumented checks
▫ Oversee policies and ▫ Use PHA resources for
procedures personal use
▫ Establish monitoring ▫ Except gratuities from those
controls bidding for PHA work
▫ Ensure annual audit is ▫ Involve yourself in business
conducted relationship with PHA
▫ Ensure integrity of PHA
operation
▫ Avoid conflict of interest

12. 12
Procurement & Contracting Requirements
Commissioners’ role Executive Director’s Role
• Developing, approving • Carrying out the
and officially issuing the procurement policies and
PHA’s procurement procedures established by
policies and procedures. the Board.
• Appointing a contracting • Developing or revising as
officer (ED) and appropriate the
establishing the levels of procurement procedures
authority. and obtaining Board
approval.
• Monitoring the
contracting officer’s • Serving as the
performance. Contracting Officer when
so designated and
• Approving contracts per supervision of
PHA policy. procurement and
contracting.