MRPC News Release
Jan. 23, 2006
For immediate release
For more information, contact:
Bonnie J. Prigge, (573) 265-2993
REGIONAL HOUSING AGENCY RECEIVES CLEAN AUDIT
The Phelps County Public Housing Agency received a clean audit opinion for the year ending Sept. 30, 2005, board members learned at their quarterly meeting on Jan 12.
Verkamp and Malone, a certified public accounting firm from Rolla, performed the audit. The auditors found no material weaknesses and no instances of noncompliance during their review.
The Phelps County PHA provides subsidized housing assistance to very low income residents in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps and Washington counties with the exception of the city of Rolla, which has its own public housing authority. Osage County, also a part of the Meramec Region, is served by a Boone County agency, and Pulaski County is served by Missouri Ozarks Community Action, Inc. in Richland.
The Phelps County PHA is governed by a seven-member board made up of the presiding commissioners in the six counties involved and one client representative. The PHA contracts with the Meramec Regional Planning Commission to operate the program. During the last fiscal year, over 715 families in the Meramec Region received monthly rental assistance, which totaled over $2.3 million. Payments are made directly to landlords on behalf of families who qualified for rental assistance programs.
PHA chairman is Crawford County Presiding Commissioner Ed Worley; vice chairman is Dent County Presiding Commissioner Jim Biggs and secretary-treasurer is Gasconade County Presiding Commissioner Ron Jost.
Housing assistance is provided to very low income residents who meet federal income criteria and other eligibility requirements. MRPC takes applications for rental assistance on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at its office at 4 Industrial Drive in St. James. Persons in Washington County can meet with housing staff and complete applications from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m on the first and third Tuesdays at the Washington County Library, 235 E. High St. in Potosi. Persons needing more information should contact the housing office at (573) 265-4200.