Miami-Dade County - Public Housing Agency

Adker Consent Decree: The Decree represents a significant step in desegregating public housing, providing African Americans (mobility pool members) in public housing with a choice of housing options and improving the quality of life in public housing and surrounding neighborhoods.

Applicant Center & Leasing (ALC): This division of MDPHA accepts applications for public housing, and Section 8. Interviews prospective residents, determines eligibility, assigns units, maintains a list of qualified applicants, provides relocation services for the residents, and oversees the MOD relocation plans.

Assisted Living Facility (ALF): In 1999, MDPHA opened Helen Sawyer Plaza Assisted Living Facility, the first licensed public housing Assisted Living Facility (ALF) in the nation. It was conceived by MDPHA as a way to meet the physical and emotional needs of elderly public housing residents. The concept evolved from a lack of affordable housing alternatives to meet the demand for senior housing and a need for new funding sources to satisfy the problem of long-term care.

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Bank Partnership Program: These banks partner with MDPHA to provide loans to Miami-Dade County residents.

Development and Loan Administration Division (DLAD): A division of MDPHA that is responsible for Surtax home ownership assistance loans by providing first and second mortgages which assist eligible families in purchasing a home. DLAD works with private developers and community development corporations who facilitates construction and development of affordable homes.

EDGE Program: The Employee Demonstration of growth and Efficiency program (EDGE) is an initiative from the Public Housing Operations Division.

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Fair Housing Act: A law that prohibits discrimination in all facets of the homebuying process on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability.

Family Self Sufficiency Program (FSSP): This program was designed to assist MDPHA's Section 8 and public housing residents reach and maintain economic independence through job training, education, and employment. Staff will assist and help residents in identify their goals and help them to make short- and long-range plans to reach their goals.

Family Unification Voucher Program: provides rental assistance on behalf of low-income families for whom lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in the threat of imminent separation from their children. MDPHA coordinates this program with the State of Florida Department of Children and Family Services. 400 vouchers are available.

Fannie Mae: Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA); a federally-chartered enterprise owned by private stockholders that purchases residential mortgages and converts them into securities for sale to investors; by purchasing mortgages, Fannie Mae supplies funds that lenders may loan to potential homebuyers.

Fannie Mae Line of Credit: MDPHA has established a Fannie Mae Line of Credit Loan Committee to make funds available for the development of affordable housing. Priority consideration will be given to infill development. The Fannie Mae Line of Credit is to be utilized for short-term financing. All funding recommendations are subject to availability if funds. The Loan Committee will give priority consideration to those projects that are ready to proceed and are securitized.

Federal Housing Administration (FHA): Established in 1934 to advance homeownership opportunities for all Americans; assists homebuyers by providing mortgage insurance to lenders to cover most losses that may occur when a borrower defaults; this encourages lenders to make loans to borrowers who might not qualify for conventional mortgages.

Finance and Administration Division: A division of MDPHA that provides financial and administrative support to the agency. Ensures that federal and county requirements are met. Has managerial responsibilities for all financial activities, including budgeting, accounting, procurement, employee relations, management information systems, contract administration, materials management and loan servicing.

Fraud Control: MDPHA has a fraud hotline that is available specifically to receive allegations of suspected fraud or wrongdoing by residents, employees, or entities doing business under MDPHA authorization. All calls are confidential and you may choose to remain anonymous at all times. The fraud control hotline is: (305) 644-5302.

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General Services Administration (GSA): This Miami-Dade County Department supports departmental operations of Miami-Dade County. GSA also provides services to the public - its divisions coordinate the purchase and sale of real estate for Miami Dade County, the disposal of surplus property, fueling services and the management of several parking facilities in Downtown Miami.

Homebuyer Counseling: Provides financial management, credit counseling and other related technical services to participating families for the purpose of financing a single-family home.

Homeowner's Insurance: an insurance policy that combines protection against damage to a dwelling and its contents with protection against claims of negligence or inappropriate action that result in someone's injury or property damage.

HOPE VI Grant for Scott Homes & Carver Homes: MDPHA's $35 million Homeownership Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE VI) grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will completely revitalize the Scott Home and Carver Homes public housing developments. The mission of the HOPE VI program is to end the physical, social, and economic isolation of obsolete and distressed public housing by recreating sustainable communities and lifting residents from dependence and persistent poverty.

HOPE VI Grant for Ward Tower Assisted Living Facility (ALF): Ward Tower ALF, to be built on the southwest corner of NW 22nd Avenue and 54th Street, will be a state-of-the-art facility catering to the social, emotional, and physical challenges of Miami-Dade County's frail elderly community. With a customer-focused, innovative approach, gleaning best practices from MDPHA's existing Helen Sawyer Plaza ALF, the five--story Ward Tower ALF will care for a multiethnic/racial population brought together by its unique needs.

Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8): Section 8 is a federal housing program providing rental assistance to eligible families and elderly residents that allows them to rent units in the private rental market. The most common Section 8 assistance is the voucher program. The program is tenant-based and the assistance stays with the family-where ever they choose to live as long as the landlord agrees to participate in the program.

Housing Development Division: A division of MDPHA that is responsible for development or re-development of projects such as the HOPE VI Scott/Carver Home Revitalization project, the HOPE VI Assisted Living Facility at Ward Towers, and development of infill housing.

Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA): This program provides rental housing to low-income persons and their families living with AIDS. The program is contracted by the City of Miami to MDPHA who administers the long-term rental assistance program. For more information on HOPWA, call MDPHA at (305) 860-5539.

HUD: the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; established in 1965, HUD works to create a decent home and suitable living environment for all Americans; it does this by addressing housing needs, improving and developing American communities, and enforcing fair housing laws.

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Infill Program: The aim of this initiative is to promote economic development in urban core areas by increasing affordable homeownership, thereby improving the physical appearance of less than desirable neighborhoods, and generating a positive property tax base. The initiative provides low mortgage payments through the use of multiple funding sources.

Infill Housing Properties for Sale: MDPHA on behalf of Miami-Dade County, as represented by General Services Administration, is requesting bids from one or more individual(s), group(s), company(ies) or any other entity(ies) legally capable of holding title to real estate, hereinafter referred to as the "Bidder(s)," to purchase, as-is, any or all groups of properties, or multiple groups of properties.