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After several years of turmoil in the Asbury Park Housing Authority [APHA], the Long Branch Housing Authority [LBHA] has stepped in reduce the agency’s debt and make daily operations more efficient.

The APHA manages 587 one-to-four-bedroom units in seven public housing complexes: Robinson Towers, Comstock, Lumley Homes, Boston Way, Washington Village, Lincoln Village and Asbury Park Village., Garrett said. They also administer about 200 Section Eight vouchers.

The APHA’s commissioners comprise its governing body. The board consists of Chairperson Angie Brown, Vice Chairperson John Moor, Councilman Kevin Sanders, Tony Perillo, Jennifer Brooks, Frank Syhpax and Diane Johnson.

The agency doesn’t have an executive director at this time. Instead, Long Branch executive director Tyrone Garrett has stepped in to oversee the process of cleaning house at the authority.

The APHA and its commissioners “are hell-bent on righting the ship and moving the agency in the right direction,” Garrett said. “The quality of life for the residents is of the utmost concern.”

The Long Branch Housing Authority [LBHA] and APHA began their partnership in July through an interlocal services agreement. The LBHA created a recovery action plan for the APHA. The Asbury board of commissioners approved it, so workers can now move forward with the plan.

The plan will last 12 months and is broken into 90-day segments — the first of which was completed recently. Each segment concentrates on one aspect of the agency. In the end, LBHA will transition out of APHA.

The first quarter focused on administrative work, Garrett said. LBHA employees analyzed APHA finances, and determined the APHA’s total debt is $1.2 million.

LBHA has devised a system to reduce that debt by 50 percent or more by June 30, 2013, Garrett said. Their plans include filling vacancies in APHA-owned complexes as quickly as possible and not hiring new staff members for a while. They’ll also tighten the authority’s procurement protocols to ensure the lowest bidder possible performs services to the agency.

“The board of commissioners has been very supportive and hands-on,” Garrett said. “They want us to be as aggressive as possible to move this thing forward and regain credibility.”

The APHA’s complexes are staffed by at least 30 people, Garrett said.

The LBHA is also lending its trademark town-hall meeting format to the APHA, as well. On a quarterly basis, Garrett, administrators, staff members and residents go over plans and offer ideas for the future, he said.

The second quarter of revamping the housing authority will focus on residents, resident services, resident responsibilities and lease compliance, Garrett said.

“We’re going to have a lot of interaction over the next 90 days with them,” he said.

In the third quarter, the LBHA and APHA will start the search fro a new executive director. They’ll also “solidify some personnel policies, put other personnel policies in place,” Garrett said.

In the fourth quarter, the LBHA will start the transition process out of APHA. Their contract ends June 30, 2013.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] is overseeing the plan. LBHA is required to give HUD monthly updates as to where they stand on the repairs to the APHA system. In the end, HUD has the final say as to whether the APHA can stand on its own or LBHA needs to stay a bit longer.

“The APHA commissioners are really working towards creating a new agency,” Garrett said.

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