Housing board delays action on jurisdiction resolution

The Tucumcari Housing Authority board delayed action Thursday on a resolution that would have transferred jurisdiction over Tucumcari public housing to the Eastern Regional Housing Authority, which covers 12 counties in eastern New Mexico.

The Tucumcari housing board decided on the delay to allow attorneys for the city to review the resolution.

Thursday's vote to delay action continues a standoff between the city and the New Mexico office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which oversees public housing in the state, that began last August.

The state HUD office recommended to the Tucumcari Housing Authority in August that the regional housing authority should take over the Tucumcari authority because the Tucumcari authority had failed for three consecutive years to maintain a 98% occupancy rate.

In December, the board decided to remain independent despite the regional authority's intent to take over jurisdiction in June 2020.

Chris Herbert, director of the eastern regional authority, attended the Tucumcari Housing Authority meeting and told the board the regional authority is cutting off funding to the Tucumcari authority until the local authority agrees to the surrender of jurisdiction, according to Viki Riddle, director of the Tucumcari Housing Authority.

The resolution the local board delayed on Thursday would have had the Tucumcari authority "transfer the housing project and the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program to Eastern," acknowledging the decision requires the consent of the "city of Tucumcari" after the Housing Authority has agreed to support it.

The Tucumcari Housing Authority board consists of all members of the city commission and Tim Durkin, who represents residents of public housing in Tucumcari.

The local board voted in December to remain independent despite the apparent mandate to surrender authority. The housing authority board has opposed a federal takeover, saying a regional authority would not be as responsive to the needs of local public housing residents or as understanding when residents must miss a rent payment because of temporary financial difficulties.

Along with the local authority votes defying the regional authority's takeover intent, there has been a contentious exchange of correspondence between the housing authority on HUD relating to submission of a "Recovery Agreement and Action Plan" for the Tucumcari authority.

The local authority apparently drafted such a plan in January, which Mandy Griego, acting director of the state HUD office, rejected.

"The document submitted is not acceptable, therefore we will also be preparing a (corrective plan) to go along with the Recovery Plan."

Griego said the Tucumcari plan was vague, and that the city's solution of hiring staff was an inadequate response. Staff shortages, Griego said, "are no excuse."

In a letter dated Feb. 20, Griego said, "It is evident that the (Tucumcari Housing Authority) board has not taken and still does not take its role in governance of the HUD programs seriously.

"The board's lack of awareness or concern over the years-long decline of the programs clearly indicates that THA is not ready, willing, or able to shoulder the responsibility of complying" with federal standards.

The only pathway to recovery lies with a transfer of (authority) to a responsible organization."

Much of the correspondence also deals with delays in HUD's approval of payments on vouchers to cover operating costs of Tucumcari public housing projects.

City manager Britt Lusk has observed HUD's 98% occupancy rate is unreasonable for a small authority such as Tucumcari's. It means if two units are unoccupied at any time, the city fails to meet the standard.

Besides Tucumcari, the eastern regional authority covers Curry, Guadalupe, Harding, Union, Roosevelt, Chaves, De Baca, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln and Otero counties.

Tucumcari's Housing Authority maintains ownership and controls 90 public housing units within the city limits, an $800,000 per year operation.