In a rare moment of stunning clarity HAP was recently forced to admit the secret and disturbing revelations that it does not keep individual computer records of every client nor does it include in every record that it does have a field of information which identifies the client's level of median income - a basic requirement for HAP status. As a result of this inexcusably inadequate record keeping HAP CANNOT produce accurate and meaningful public housing data by neighborhood. Nor would HAP, shielded by its own public records policy, provide to the public any of its currently incomplete records with neighborhood identification. This is a failure of monumental proportions which needs to be immediately rectified and for which either Tom Potter or Kandis Nunn must be held accountable. To avoid further criticism, embarrassment and loss of credibility, Multnomah County's Public Housing Czar needs to publicly and immediately inform HAP's Chair, Kandis Nunn, that on or before June 30, 2005 she must either hand him a complete copy of HAP's public housing data by neighborhood or her resignation. After 22 weeks there is no excuse, only willful disobedience or willful ignorance. This gesture would have a very clarifying effect on the question of Whose In Charge Here?
[See http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/Tsunami.html]

The Church of Housing And Pretense
Copernicus and Galileo, using the same data available to all, came to an entirely different conclusion regarding the geography of planets than those in positions of power at the time. Today, we have a powerful Nunn, who like her predecessors, restricts the flow of information to the public to prevent discovery of their false fraudulent dogma and failed stewardship of a public trust.
 
Surely it must be clear by now that after years of HAP's refusal to provide public housing data by neighborhood, added to the disaster database revelations, HAP has NO credibility today nor will it at some far off time in the future presenting a report ostensibly showing authentic and complete neighborhood statistics. Those who still believe the earth is flat and at the center of the universe may accept HAP's reports as gospel. But the rest of humanity is more likely to look to the decendants of Copernicus and Galileo for the truth. The public that annually pays $200,000,000 for public housing in Multnomah county has the right and the technical ability to take HAP's raw public housing data by neighborhood, feed it into their own computers and determine for themselves the truth and consequences of HAP's client placements. Until such time as HAP maintains an auditable client database which contains a record for every HAP client that includes both a median income and neighborhood field, HAP reports, especially those claiming to accurately and meaningfully depict public housing data by neighborhood, will be inaccurate and valueless.

Time For A Trial
Formal charges have been filed with the current mayor to remove several HAP commissioners under ORS 456.110. If you were the mayor today or if you become the mayor in the near future how would you act on these charges?
Tom Potter - The charges laid out in your bill of particulars warrant investigation. Appointed public officials especially those that spend public funds are responsible for their conduct of public business. However, there are usually at least two sides to every story so those accused must be allowed an opportunity to refute these allegations. After both sides have had a chance to present their cases it would then be incumbent upon the mayor to act by dismissing the charges as insufficient or meritless, issuing a reprimand or removing the appointee.

[Mayoral Candidates Potter and Francesconi Talk Public Housing Policy 9-7-04 http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/MayoralInterview.html]

Tom Potter is now the mayor. Adding to charges, which in September of 2004 Tom said, "warrant investigation", are failure to keep accurate records (incompetence) and failure to produce public housing data by neighborhood (insubordination). Kandis Nunn, HAP Chair, must be called before the court of public opinion and "judge" Potter to defend a long list of dismissible offenses under ORS 456.110.

On May 23, 2005 I formally and publicly asked mayor Potter to dismiss Kandis Nunn from the HAP board.* I expect mayor Potter to announce before the end of his first six months in office the date for a public examination in council chambers and the process for presentation of charges and defense.
*[See http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/143Weeks.html and http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/FireHAP.html]

A House or Public Housing Policy Built Without a Foundation is Seriously Flawed
1. Without a database record of every HAP client there is no way to know the total number of HAP's clients.

2. Without a median income designation field in every record of every HAP client there is no way to know how many HAP clients are from each of the three median income groups required to be a HAP client.

3. Without a database record of every HAP client that includes a median income field there is no way to produce a tab delimited text file containing approximately 35,000 HAP client records each with only two fields, one with a neighborhood, one with a HAP designation of median income (0-30,31-50,51-80%).

4. Without a tab delimited text file containing ALL of HAP's approximately 35,000 client records, each with only two fields, one with a neighborhood, one with a HAP designation of median income, it is NOT possible to put on the public table a credible discussion and debate of the necessity to quantify Portland/Multnomah county's public housing policy. 

In other words, unless and until HAP significantly improves its record keeping HAP's public credibility will be nil, its reports will be suspect at best and no one in Multnomah county, including every elected official, will have the ability to discuss and debate public housing policy with even the faintest degree of believability much less authority. There can be no justifiable, defensible, sensible public housing policy nor justifiable, defensible, sensible expenditure of public funds on public housing in Multnomah county without accurate and complete data from the Housing Authority of Portland. We are flying blind without it.

HAP's client database is a disaster. It is a scandal. The status quo at HAP is unacceptable and not in the public interest. This must be set right or we cannot move forward. Forturately, there is a person who has both the responsibility and ability to fix this problem in about the time it takes to click on the send email button. His name is Tom Potter, <tpotter@ci.portland.or.us> .


Richard Ellmyer
President, MacSolutions Inc. - A Macintosh computer consulting business providing web hosting for artists and very small businesses.
Writer/Publisher - HAP Watcher commentary* - Published on the Internet* and distributed to 3500 readers interested in public housing policy in Multnomah County.
Portsmouth - formerly the 18%, currently the 6% solution neighborhood, North Portland
* http://www.goodgrowthnw.org