IN THIS ISSUE

Handicap Unit renovations complete! Meet Mrs. Elizabeth Womack, our Resident Board Member. Get to know our new Section 8 Coordinator. HQS Inspection Checklist for Section 8 participants. Photos from Father and Child Fun Day! 2014 Holiday Calendar. A Special Message from Executive Director Beverly Barber.

Father and Child Fun Day

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Last Summer, Opp Housing Authority celebrated the Second Annual Celebration of Fathers and Children. Children and adults alike enjoyed a backyard barbecue, face-painting, inflatables, games, and music played by DJ Jimmy Culbreath of Rhema Sound Recording Studios. Neice Danzey and Pamela Holston of Medical AIDS Outreach (MAO) were onsite to perform testing and promote community awareness about AIDS and HIV. Myron Williams from Wallace Community College Criminal Justice Department manned an informational booth about the criminal justice department at the college. This annual event celebrates the connection and reconnection and children. It encourages fathers to take an active role in their childrens lives. Look inside for more photos and a special thanks to the sponsors of this event.

2014 HoLIDAYS
The Opp Housing Authority Office will be closed on the following dates in 2014: January 1: New Years Day January 20: MLK Jr. Day February 17: George Washingtons Birthday May 26: Memorial Day July 4: Independence Day September 1: Labor Day October 13: Columbus Day November 11: Veterans Day November 27 & 28: Thanksgiving December 24 & 25: Christmas December 31: New Years Eve

Job Search Skills Seminar!

Just entering the job market? Wanting to get a leg up on your competition? Ready to improve your job search skills? Section 8 Coordinator Terry Kilpatrick will be conducting a Job Search Skills Seminar on Friday February 7, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at the J.T. Benton Community Room on Barnes Street in Opp. An English and business writing instructor for over 15 years, Terry will talk about job applications, job histories, basic resumes, interview skills, and much more.

Handicap Renovations Complete

After months of construction, the modernization of nine units at the Housing Authority in Opp have reached completion. Newly accessible bathrooms, sinks, cabinets, and a variety of safety features have made these apartments ideal for residents with diabilities. Look inside for more photos and the details.

OPPoRTUNITY NEWSLETTER

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2014

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From the Executive Directors Desk

Happy New Year! Its hard to believe that we have entered into a New Year! I am very thankful and blessed to have a hard working and dedicated staff for their untiring support though all of the daily tasks and obstacles that we come across each day. I am also thankful for the residents of OHA, there would be no me without you. I have also been blessed to have the support from the City of Opp and Covington County. I am just thankful, grateful, and blessed and I give all the praise to the Lord above. If you know me, you know there is no shame in my game about me giving my God His praise. We are nearing completion of the remodeling that has been going on for the past year. We have a total of nine handicapped accessible apartments, an office that is handicapped accessible and our community building that has been remodeled. The renovations will make it easier for everyone to access our office, apartments and common areas. Within the next few months, we will be entering into another remodeling project of having the roofs repaired at our Williams Road property. Please be mindful of the construction areas and make sure the children stay out of harms way. Representatives from the Opp Housing Authority attended the 73 rd Alabama Association of Housing and Redevelopment Authorities Annual Meeting in Panama City Beach, Florida. Tuesday, August 27, 2013, at the Scholarship Luncheon, Marlon Jones was awarded a $2500.00 scholarship from AAHRA. Marlon currently is a sophomore at Troy University. This makes the second year in a row that an Opp Housing Authority resident was awarded a scholarship. Wednesday, August 28, 2013 at the awards banquet, OHA received two awards from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. OHA also received a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of participation in the Fathers Day Initiative.U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development presented a Certificate of Excellence in Management Operations to OHA in recognition of exemplary performance under the Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) for outstanding program management, as evidenced with an overall score of 96%. Thank you for viewing OHAs newsletter. As OHAs Executive Director, it is very important to me that our programs and services are accessible to you. I invite you to learn more about what the housing authority has to offer, including information for residents, landlords, and potential residents. This year, OHA proudly celebrates 56 years of service to the community. I hope that our newsletter is a helpful guide to our programs and an informational resource for you. If you have anything you would like to submit to our newsletter, please feel free to contact our office at 334-493-9741 or email oha@oppcatv.com. I am excited about these accomplishments that are going on here at Opp Housing Authority. I thank you and I pray Gods continuous blessings for each of you.

Resident Council News

Residents of the OHA are asked to come out and participate in our resident council meetings. You will have an opportunity to give your input, suggestions and comments concerning the Annual and Five-Year Plans for the Opp Housing Authority. Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, January 23 at 3:00 pm at the J.T. Benson Community Center located at 813 Barnes Street.

Section 8 Application List Closed

The Opp Housing Authority Section 8 Program is no longer taking applications. Ending the Application Period for the Opp Section 8 Program will not affect the application status of current applicants. This closure of the application period applies only to the Opp Housing Authoritys Section 8 Program and has no impact on any other Section 8 Program.

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OHA Student Receives AAHRA Scholarship

Marlon Jones discusses what scholarship means to him
My name is Marlon Jones. I am a sophomore at Troy University and attend on the Troys Chancellors Scholarship. I am pursuing a degree in English with a Minor in Broadcast Journalism. My goal is to become a high school English teacher and basketball coach, combining two things that I love English and basketball. An alternative career choice would be that of a broadcast analyst. I actually grew up as what most would consider underprivileged having to grow up without my father in my life. However, the two women that raised me, my mother and my grandmother, filled that void. Both of these women are very special to me and have made me be the young man that I am today. My grandmother sacrificed so much raising me, my sister and my cousins after raising her own children. I owe her so much and will never be able to repay her for all shes done for me. This is my second year as a recipient of an AAHRA scholarship, and I am truly grateful. It was a tremendous help last school year and will be this coming school year as well as I continue in my endeavor to not become a part of the statistics. Instead, I plan to be there to help young boys who grew up in environments similar or worse than I did myself. I plan to make a difference in the lives of young boys through sports and being there to support/nur-

ture them. One day, Id like to also own a Sportsplex so young men such as the ones Ive described have a nice, safe place to hang out and enjoy the sports they love.

Scholarship Deadline January 17

Scholarship Opportunity for Assisted Housing School Seniors
College tuition continues to rise across the country, making the dream of earning a college degree harder and harder to attain. PHADA, the Public Housing Directors Association, has implemented a scholarship program for graduating high school seniors who are preparing to kick off their college career. PHADA will award three scholarships to three young people residing in a PHAD member agency. The Stephen J. Bollinger Memorial Scholarship memorializes its namesake for his dynamic dedication to public housing throughout his career. This $7,000.00 scholarship will be awarded to one young person, who will be presented with the scholarship at PHADAs Annual Convention and Exhibition in New Orleans, Louisiana in the summer of 2014. The winner will receive a trip for him- or herself and one parent or guardian to attend the convention. The second scholarship is the Freedom and Civil Rights Scholarship for $5,000.00. An essay-based award, this scholarship honors the achievements of the civil rights movement. In addition to the regular scholarship application, the student must submit a 300- to 500-word essay demonstrating his or her efforts and achievements in furthering the values of the Civil Rights Movement. The essay should discuss why the cause is still relevant today and how the civil rights movement relates to the students educational and career goals. The writer should include any relevant volunteer experiences and community involvement activities relating to advancing the civil rights movement. The third scholarship administered by PHADA, the HD Supply Scholarship, will also award $5,000.00 to a single graduating senior. HD Supply Facilities Maintenance, a leading supplier of maintenance repair and replacement products, funds this annual scholarship as a way of giving back to the public housing community. Each award will be deposited directly into the students account at the institution he or she will attend. The award can only be used to pay for tuition, books, and activities directly related to the students education, so if the student discontinues his or her education, the unused portion of the scholarship will be returned to PHADA. To apply, pick up an application at the Housing Authority, City of Opp, 800 Barnes Street. The deadline for application is January 17, 2014.

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Get to Know Mrs. Womack

Opp Housing Authoritys Resident Board Member
The Housing Authoritys Resident Board Member, Elizabeth Womack, knows public housing and has some clear ideas about what makes it work. A lot of people cant afford to buy a house, and public housing provides them with the next best thing, Mrs. Womack said. She knows firsthand about the benefits of public housing. Ive been in Opp housing for over thirty years and raised three kids here, Mrs. Womack said. During those thirty years, she has seen Opp housing grow into a community where people look out for one another. In short, the people and the community they form are at the heart of public housing in Opp. We all count on each other, Mrs. Womack said. This sense of cooperation is especially beneficial for the elderly tenants. The housing authority gives elderly folks who can take care of themselves a good place to live. The benefits of public housing grow from this sense of community providing in turn a sense of security for the elderly and other tenants less able to take care of themselves. The recent renovations are certainly steps in the right direction, as Mrs. Womack sees it. Im happy to see the handicap apartments completed, she said. The changes will make life easier for disabled tenants. Mrs. Womack has been on the Housing Authority Board since December 2011.

New Face in the OHA Office

Say Hello to Terry, the New Section 8 Coordinator
Theres a new face in the Housing Authority office. Terry Kilpatrick is the new Section 8 Coordinator for the Housing Authority. A native of Samson, Terry recently returned to his hometown in 2010 after living for the better part of twenty years in the Mobile area. He earned his Bachelors degree in English Literature at Troy University in 1992 and his Masters in English Literature at the University of South Alabama in 1995. Terry quickly put his education to work teaching writing and literature part time at Faulkner State Community College in Bay Minette and Fairhope and at the University of South Alabama from 1994 until 2009. While teaching primarily evening classes, Terry worked in the construction industry during the day his roles ranging from heavy equipment operator to proposal writeroften in the same workday. After moving back to his hometown, Terry worked with Samson-based federal contractor Hammer LGC, Inc., where he worked as a technical writer producing proposals, marketing materials, employee handbooks, and other business materials. For the final two years of his employment with Hammer LGC, Terry managed Hammer-owned Barrs Seafood, an Opp landmark. It was during this time at the helm of Barrs Seafood that Terry got to know the people of Opp and the surrounding area. Terry sees his role as Section 8 Coordinator as an opportunity to give back to the community that welcomed him so a few years ago. For its participants, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program provides decent, safe, and sanitary housing that might be otherwise out of reach, Terry said. My job, as I see it, is to administer fairly and efficiently by diligently tracking the needs of the participants and maintaining a synergistic relationship with landlords that ensures housing quality standards are established and maintained, he continued. Terry has four children. His oldest daughter lives in Mobile and teaches at Weinackers Montesorri School, his only son attends Truett Seminary at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. His younger daughters, aged nine and six, attend Samson Elementary.

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SECTIoN HoUSING QUALITY STANDARDS INSPECIoN PREPARATIoNS

Following these simple suggestions can help ensure meeting the Family Obligations section of the participants lease. Check your smoke alarms and replace batteries as needed. For your protection smoke detectors must be hooked-up and working properly at ALL times. Report all maintenance items to the landlord or manager prior to the inspection. The items may be able to be repaired before the annual inspection takes place. Thoroughly clean your cooking range, range hood and filterinside and outas often as necessary. Defrost and clean your refrigerator at least once a month or as needed. Never use a knife or a sharp tool to chip off ice! A pan of hot water or fan work best in speeding up the defrosting process. Clean both sides of all windows regularly, as you are able. Thoroughly clean and sanitize the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, tub and toilet, and remove hard-water stains on a regular basis. Wash and clean walls and all painted woodwork on a regular basis. Vacuum or sweep, and mop all floors on a regular basis. To help prevent infestation by cockroaches, fleas, mice, rats and other disease-carriers, remove all boxes, paper, garbage and other rubbish to proper garbage and recycling containers on a regular basis. Also remember to properly dispose of discarded furniture, appliances, bulky rubbish and junked automobiles. Maintain all sidewalks, lawns, shrubbery, and grounds (front, sides, flowerbeds and rear of the house/apartment) in a decent clean condition by keeping the lawn mowed, shrubbery trimmed, and free of garbage and debris.

MAINTENANCE REmINDERS
Routine and Prevention Maintenance is performed on the third week of each month either on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Pest Control is performed on the third Wednesday of each month. Our maintenance staff has indicated to us that they are having a hard time entering units to perform these services because of tenants having their screen doors locked. We ask that you be mindful of these days and leave your screen doors unlocked so that this maintenance can be performed. We also need to remind you that the A/C return unit closets are not to be used for storage. The maintenance men are unable to get to the filters to change out properly if there are items stored in this closet. In the past few months we have issued several Smoke Detector Fines for tenants tampering with or disconnecting their smoke detectors. It is a serious violation of your Dwelling Lease to tamper, disconnect, bag or urn off your Detector at the breaker. If it is discovered that your detector has been tampered with in any form you will be fined and the repeat offenders will be evicted. We ask that you please keep these items in mind and continue to work with our Maintenance Staff to help ensure a healthy, safe and clean environment for our dwelling units. Thank You!

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Renovations Reach Completion

Handicap Modernization Project at OHA
The Housing Authority of the City of Opp recently completed renovations of nine apartments, making life easier for current and future residents for whom the most everyday tasks can prove daunting. Our hope is that these changes will go beyond just the cosmetic and help improve the way of life for current and future residents with disabilities, Executive Director Beverly Barber said. A few of the apartments required moving interior walls to create a more practical and functional space for wheelchairs and other personal mobility devices. Performed by Opp General Contractor Catrett Construction, the nine renovations involved modifications that created safe and accessible living spaces for residents with disabilities. The improvements focused on the most frequented areas of the apartmentsthe kitchen and bathrooms. In the kitchen, the installation of more accessible counter and storage space through lowered cabinets and work surfaces allow for easier access by individuals confined to wheelchairs or with other limited mobility or flexibility abilities. Lowered, wheelchair-accessible sinks in the kitchens and bathrooms add to the functionality of both spaces. Also in the bathrooms, new grab bars not only provide convenience, but also give residents a safer bathroom experience and can mean the difference between independence and dependence. Similarly, handheld showerheads, additional grab bars, and a seating area in the combination tub and shower units make life easier for those residents with limited mobility. Even with all these safeguards in place, accidents do happen, so in just case of such an occurrence, the bathrooms and the master bedrooms are equipped with pull stations that activate a a flashing alarm and strobe located just outside the front door to indicate an emergency situation and to help responders and neighbors identify the location of the distress. Inside, the fire alarms come equipped with both audible and visual alarms for the safety and convenience of hearing impaired residents. Hearing impaired residents will also benefit from doorbells that feature both the familiar ring and strobes located throughout the apartment. Outside, the construction of ramps along with accompanying handrails makes entering and exiting the apartment safer and more convenient. Expanded parking spaces accommodate vans and other personal vehicles equipped with wheelchair capabilities. The accessibility improvements even include rotating clotheslines that lower with the push of a pin.

From lever handles on all exterior and interior doors to lowered peepholes and front-mounted range controls, the renovations are designed to provide residents with disabilities with a lifestyle that mainstream individuals often take for granted. Our goal was to provide ADA compliant, safe, and comfortable living spaces for our residents, Barber said. Providing safe and accessible living spaces to mainstream and disabled low income families alike is just one facet of the Housing Authoritys mission. The City of Opps Housing Authority is dedicated to serving the housing needs of the residents of Opp and Covington County. In addition to building improvements benefiting disabled residents, outreach events like the annual Celebration of Fathers and Children every June, which helps connect fathers with support services in their communities, put ideas into action and help build a lasting bond between the Housing Authority and the communities it serves.

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HoUSING AUTHoRITY CITY of OPP

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Beverly Barber, Executive Director Ext. 25 Abbie Catrett, Administrative Assistant, Ext. 23 Sheila Brown, Occupancy Specialist, Ext. 21 Terry Kilpatrick, Section 8 Coordinator, Ext. 22 Stephen Hollinghead, Maintenance Foreman Scotty Grider, Mantenance Billy Tillis, Maintenance Justin Stoudemire, Maintenance After Hours Emergency 334-504-5479 Reasonable Accommodation requests are welcomed. Please contact the office for more information.

CoNTACT INfoRmATIoN
800 Barnes Street P.O. Box 579 Opp, Alabama 36467 Phone: 334-493-9741 Fax: 334-493-2390 TDD: 800-548-2546 Email: oha@oppcatv.com
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THANKS To ALL OUR SPoNSoRS!

CONSTRUcTION
Kathy Gore Alma Kyles Shirley Lindsey Robert Edwards Winzell Gray Peggy Edwards Andrea Gray Esther Thompson VIRGIL K

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