After conducting a competitive national search for a long-term administrator to lead the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO), the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) has announced that the current receivership team, Gilmore Kean LLC will continue to lead the agency from recovery to revitalization over the next three years. “In less than a year, David Gilmore and his team have done a tremendous job stabilizing and strengthening operations at HANO,” said HUD Assistant Secretary Sandra Henriquez. “Hands down, we feel this team is the most qualified candidate for this assignment.”
“We are honored that HUD chose us to perform this crucial task and we are confident that we can turn HANO from a troubled agency to one that other housing authorities will emulate,” said Gilmore. “The people of New Orleans deserve a housing authority they can be proud of and we will give them one that will provide better housing, services and quality of life for them.”
Last fall, Gilmore Kean, LLC, was selected to manage day-to-day operations and conduct a comprehensive audit of the agency that will serve as the roadmap for developing and implementing a long-term recovery strategy for returning the agency to local control.
Since that time, the team has moved quickly to resolve several critically important financial, human resource and redevelopment challenges. For example, HANO submitted a clean FY 2009 audit to the State of Louisiana on-time for the first time in several years. Gilmore Keane was also instrumental in restructuring HANO’s Housing Choice Voucher Program—allowing the agency to process more than 2,400 new vouchers over the past 90 days. The team also implemented the first multi-agency partnership with social service agencies to administer vouchers for families with preferences.
In addition, Gilmore Kean, LLC ensued that HANO fully obligated the $34.5 million in funding received through President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. In addition, Gilmore Kean LLC maintains a zero-tolerance policy for unethical and illegal behavior by HANO employees and takes immediate action when problems are discovered.
The team is also actively engaged in the redevelopments of ‘The Big Four’ public housing developments, making considerable progress toward building new homes and communities for families. In April, HANO opened units at Columbia Parc, formerly St. Bernard, and Harmony Oaks, formerly C.J. Peete. Earlier this year, Gilmore Kean and HUD worked closely with Providence/Enterprise, the Lafitte developer, to accelerate the number of affordable public housing units built in the first phase of development. In February, Gilmore approved a $10.5 million loan from HANO to jump-start vertical construction at Lafitte. While the extension of the GO-ZONE tax credits remain an issue, Gilmore and his development team are working closely with B.W. Cooper developer KBK Enterprises to ensure they move forward, as close to the plan as possible, and in a timely manner.
For more information, visit www.hud.gov or www.hano.org.
