HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF CAMDEN
FORCE ACCOUNT PROGRAM
(Funded through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009)
“On February 17, 2009, President Barak Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The purpose of ARRA is to:
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Preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery:
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Assist those most impacted by the recession;
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Provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health;
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Invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits; and
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Stabilize State and local government budgets in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and counterproductive state and local tax increases.”
In support of “HUD’s Economic Stimulus Funding and The Creation of Jobs, Training, and Contracting Opportunities” the Housing Authority of the City of Camden (HACC) felt the creation of a Force Account labor imitative was the way to maximize the first two purposes listed above.
As a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, (commonly known as the Recovery Act, ARRA or Stimulus Package) HACC received $4.2 million additional capital fund formula grant dollars. The effective start date for achieving the mandatory benchmarks was March 18, 2009. HACC is required to obligate 100% of the dollars within one year (March 17, 2010; Expend 60% within two years (March 17, 2011); and spend the entire amount (100%) within three years (March 17, 2012).
Force Account, in the context of the Capital Fund, refers to labor performed directly by the Housing Authority. “To the extent feasible, the PHA should consider employing existing or additional force account laborers on either a permanent or a temporary basis to perform Capital Fund stimulus grant work. See CFR 968.105 and 968.120. According to HUD guidance “The PHA shall use Force Account labor where it is cost effective and appropriate to the scope and type of physical improvements and the PHA has the capacity to serve as its own contractor and to maintain as adequate level of routine maintenance during force account activity.” (PIH 2009 – 12)
Housing Authority of the City of Camden personnel and for the past five years U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Department of Labor funded YouthBuild participants have completed dozens of unit renovations and removed and installed more than a hundred windows and doors; the precise scope of this Force Account program.
FORCE ACCOUNT PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Housing Authority of the City of Camden (HACC) will use the Force Account method to:
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Renovate the interiors of 10 residential units at Ablett Village;
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Install approximately 2150 new, energy efficient windows in 306 units at Ablett Village;
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Install 612 new entry doors at Ablett;
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Install approximately 1224 new, energy efficient screen doors at Ablett Village; and
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Renovate the interiors of 12 residential units at Branch Village.
HACC has established an ARRA Oversight Committee to monitor progress. The oversight committees will monitor progress on all outcomes, through a combination of weekly, monthly and quarterly reports from the Program Manager and Construction Management firm. Program specific procedures and management systems will be reviewed in accordance with program and fiscal contractual obligations. Comparisons will be made between projected outcomes and actual numbers achieved. On a monthly basis, the Program Manager will be responsible for consolidating data from program personnel. The Committee is comprised of the following persons/positions:
Mr. Alan Miller, Commissioner
Dr. Maria Marquez, Executive Director
Victor Figureoa, Deputy Executive Director
Melvin Gibson, Acting Finance Director
Tony Polcari, Financial Consultant
Malcom Isler, Housing Manager
Barbara Richardson, Housing Manager
Charles Valentine, Director of Modernization
Diane Davis, YouthBuild Program Coordinator
Errol Shorter, Force Account Program Manager
Gloria Wright, General Counsel
Jennifer Haynes, HR Consultant
The Board of Commissioners of the HACC adopted resolutions to insure compliance with all procedures for Processing American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Capital Fund Formula Grants activities.
Additionally, HACC has implemented the requirements listed in PIH Notice 2009 – 31: PIH Implementation Guidance for the Buy American Requirement of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 including Process for Applying Exceptions. HACC has placed a provision requiring compliance with Buy American requirements in all applicable contracts using Public Housing Capital Fund Recovery Formula and Competition (CFRFC) Grant Programs. The Authority has used Addendum 1 of PIH 2009 – 31 as guidance for Buy American contract language and the certification for insertion into bid and contracting documents.
STAFFING
The Housing Authority of the City of Camden prohibits discrimination on the basis of: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, and citizenship / status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States.
The Housing Authority of the City of Camden abides by HUD’s Section 3 regulations. The regulations state, The purpose of Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701u) (section 3) is to ensure that employment and other economic opportunities generated by certain HUD financial assistance shall, to the greatest extent feasible, and consistent with local laws and regulations, be directed to low- and very low- income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance for housing, and to business concerns which provide economic opportunities to low- and very low income persons.”
According to Section 135.34 – Preference for section 3 residents in training and employment opportunities:
(1) Public and Indian housing programs – In public and Indian housing programs, efforts shall be directed to provide training and employment opportunities to section residents in the following order of priority:
(i) Residents of the public housing development or developments for which the section 3 covered assistance is expended (category 1 resident).
(ii) Residents of other housing developments managed by the HA that is expending the section 3 covered housing assistance (category 2).
(iii) Participants in YouthBuild programs being carried out in the metropolitan area (or Metropolitan County) in which the section 3 covered assistance is expended (category 3).
ARRA DAVIS-BACON WAGE REQUIREMENTS
“Section 1606 of ARRA plainly indicates that the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirement broadly applies to ARRA-appropriated construction projects:
Notwithstanding any other provision of law and in a manner consistent with other provisions in this Act, all laborers and mechanics employed by contractors and subcontractors on projects funded directly by or assisted in whole or part by and through the Federal Government pursuant to this Act shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on projects of a character similar in the locality as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code. With respect to the labor standards specified in this section, the Secretary of Labor shall have the authority and function set forth in Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (64 Stat. 1267:5 U.S.C. App.) and section 3145 of title 40, United States Code.” (U. S. Department of Labor Memorandum No. 207 dated May 29, 2009).
REPORTING, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND TRANSPARENCY
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Consistent with the special purposes and goals of the Recovery Act, all funds will be tracked, accounted for, and reported on separately from all other funds.
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HACC tracks and reports on the specific outcomes and benefits attributable to use of Recovery Act funds. HACC will not commingle funds from any other source with Recovery Act dollars. Section 1512 (c ) of the Recovery Act sets out detailed requirements for quarterly reports that will be submitted within 10 days of the end of each calendar quarter.
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The submitted reports will contain:
a. The total amount of recovery funds awarded
b. The amount of Recovery funs received that were expended or obligated to projects or activities
c. A detailed list of all projects or activities for which recovery funds were expended or obligated, including:
1. The name of the activity;
2. A description of the project or activity;
3. An evaluation of the completion status of the project or activity; and
4. An estimateof the number of jobs created and the number of jobs retained by the project or activity
d. Detailed information on any subcontracts or sub-grants awarded by the recipient to include the data elements required to comply with Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-282), allowing aggregate reporting on awards below $25,000 or to individuals, as prescribed by the Director of the Office of Management And Budget.An estimate of the number of jobs created and the number of jobs retained by the project or activity