Top marks for Lake County Housing Authority

Lake County Housing Authority has received recognition for its work from the federal government.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has rated the Lake County agency’s housing choice voucher program as a “high performer” for the 2011 fiscal year.

Lake County was among a select number of the 3,200 housing agencies across the United State to achieve and maintain HUD’s prominent designation.

David A. Northern, executive director of the Lake County Housing Authority, said it is “our agency’s overarching goal to achieve high performance status each year, and it is the vision of our board of commissioners and the continued hard work and dedication of our staff that allows us to do so.

“This HUD recognition is a representation of our unwavering commitment to fulfilling our mission and to the residents we serve.”

Lake County’s public housing and housing choice voucher Section 8 programs consistently have earned impressive ratings from HUD over the past few years. The ranking of high performer is the highest honor bestowed by HUD to housing authorities.

HUD requires that all housing authorities meet strict requirements and full compliance with regulations in the operations of their rental assistance programs. Annually, housing authorities undergo the Section 8 management assessment program review that covers 14 key areas.

Areas reviewed include proper selection of applicants from the housing choice voucher waiting list and the sound determination of reasonable rent for each unit leased.

Lake County Housing Authority recently learned it received a score of 97 percent in HUD’s annual review of the agency’s housing choice voucher Section 8 program for 2011.

Formed more than 60 years ago, the Lake County Housing Authority is an organization that develops and administers housing programs within its jurisdiction. The territory is comprised of all Lake County, with the exceptions of Waukegan and North Chicago.