St. Petersburg Housing Authority Earns Federal "High Performer" Rating for Two Major Programs

ST. PETERSBURG, FL (JULY 17, 2023) - The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) has achieved outstanding recognition from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), following the most recent reviews of agency performance. SPHA is thrilled to announce that it now holds the distinction of earning the "High Performer" designation, HUD's highest possible rating, for two of its major housing programs.

SPHA's Chief Executive Officer and President Michael Lundy said, "Earning these two ratings is a remarkable accomplishment, and I am so proud of all this agency has achieved. Through our solid Board of Commissioners, hard-working staff, and strong community partnerships, we have the foundation to build more affordable housing opportunities for our city now and the vision to innovate the housing landscape for the future."

Chairperson James Dates of the SPHA Board of Commissioners said, "These 'High Performer' ratings mean that SPHA has regained our national standing, and we are committed to continuing to make forward progress locally. The SPHA Board of Commissioners has faith in the leadership of Mr. Lundy as CEO and the commitment of our staff to further our mission of service, to achieve the agency's development goals, and to create more opportunities for stronger communities."

For fiscal year 2022, SPHA's Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, commonly known as "Section 8", received a perfect score of 100 percent on federal assessments. The Section Eight Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) measures agency performance in 14 key areas, including selection from the waiting list, lease-up, and Housing Quality Standards inspections.

The Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) uses a 100-point scoring system to review agency performance in managing its Public Housing program, and SPHA earned a score of 94 percent in its most recent assessment. PHAS evaluates four key areas of Public Housing management: physical condition, financial condition, management operations, and capital funds.

SPHA is the leading affordable housing provider in the city of St. Petersburg, serving more than 4,000 low-income households. SPHA's mission is to provide safe, sanitary, accessible, decent, and affordable housing to eligible citizens of the city of St. Petersburg, while enhancing and promoting resident self-sufficiency.

Photo of the St. Petersburg Housing Authority main office.

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ABOUT THE ST. PETERSBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY (SPHA):
An independent quasi-governmental entity and a political subdivision of the State of Florida, operating under Chapter 421 Florida Statutes, SPHA is the local administrative agency for housing assistance programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). SPHA offers a variety of programs and services that provide affordable rental housing to low-income families, seniors, veterans, and the disabled in the greater St. Petersburg region. For more information, visit www.stpeteha.org.