Date: June 16, 2005 9:09:00 PM PDT
To: ShelleyM@hapdx.org
Cc: board@hapdx.org, pdxleaders@macsolve.com, localmedia@macsolve.com, samadams@ci.portland.or.us, rleonard@ci.portland.or.us, tpotter@ci.portland.or.us, dsaltzman@ci.portland.or.us, erik@ci.portland.or.us, Molly.Cafferty@ci.gresham.or.us, Shane.Bemis@ci.gresham.or.us, Shirley.Craddick@ci.gresham.or.us, Karylinn.Echols@ci.gresham.or.us, Jacquenette.McIntire@ci.gresham.or.us, Dave.Shields@ci.gresham.or.us, Paul.Warr-King@ci.gresham.or.us, serena.m.cruz@co.multnomah.or.us, mult.chair@co.multnomah.or.us, lisa.h.naito@co.multnomah.or.us, lonnie.j.roberts@co.multnomah.or.us, district1@co.multnomah.or.us, sculp@ci.portland.or.us

Subject: Apples Oranges and a Tsunami

Hi Shelley:
Thanks for your very prompt reply. It seems that we are not communicating. Or at least I am not getting my message across to you. I have requested in the clearest possible language what I want from HAP, 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%). Instead of telling me straight out a long time ago, HAP has kept it secret until now that it cannot possibly provide this information because the underlying assumptions upon which that data can be constructed do not exist. 

What I gather from your response below is the following:
1. HAP does not have individual records in its computer database of names, street addresses and median income designations (0-30,31-50,51-80% required to qualify for HAP assistance) of ALL, that's every one of HAP's clients.

2. If I, or anyone (elected officials included ?), makes a public records request HAP will only provide a portion of that information which already exists on the client records and nothing additional.

If I have understood this correctly then my or anyone's request for 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%) is clearly NOT possible with HAP's current client record keeping procedures and public records policy. It is NOT possible to observe changing patterns and follow trends from monthly updates because it's NOT possible to deliver this data even once. To get this many years down the road without being made aware of this situation is quite unbelievable. I'm am truly stunned.

Surely it must be clear by now that after years of HAPs refusal to provide public housing data by neighborhood it will have NO credibility at some far off time in the future presenting a report ostensibly showing neighborhood statistics. The public has the right and the technical ability to take the raw data, feed it into their own computers and determine for themselves the truth of HAP client placements. HAP reports are not good enough. ONLY the authentic and complete data is acceptable. And that HAP must and HAP will eventually provide to the public.

So, this conversation has to be restarted from an entirely new beginning point. 

Since many of the principle players in this game are going to get a copy of this email let me ask everyone to consider the following:

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 approximately 35,000 HAP 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. 

When I previously suggested that perhaps the reason HAP wouldn't provide public housing data by neighborhood was because their records were in shambles and they couldn't, I was half joking. This is serious. This is a disaster. This is a scandal.

Elected officials in Portland, Gresham and Multnomah county, neighborhood leaders in Gresham and Portland, Journalists in Multnomah county and especially Multnomah County Public Housing Czar, Tom Potter, please take some time to consider the implications of this dramatic and disturbing revelation and what it means to you, your constituency and the 700,000 citizens of Multnomah county.

The status quo is unacceptable. Every individual HAP client MUST have a record in HAP's client database. Every Client record MUST have a median income designator field. This must be set right or we cannot move forward.


Richard


On Jun 16, 2005, at 4:43 PM, Shelley Marchesi wrote:
Hi Richard:
 
If you choose to submit a public records request, please know that with one exception, HAP does not keep a record, by client, of the neighborhood our clients are housed in or the percentage of area median income the client household earns.
 
The exception is for our 15 tax credit affordable housing properties.  We are required by the state of Oregon to recertify income levels for tenants each year after the first anniversary of their move-in date, and the form we submit includes a column noting the percentage of area median income that the household income represents.  Please note that we do not record this information at move-in, so if a client has lived at one of these properties for less than a year, we do not have this record.
 
Also, a point of clarification:  we administer 2,307 units of public housing and 7,837 Section 8 vouchers, and we have  3,889 units of affordable (workforce) and special needs housing.  The number of HAP client households corresponds to the total of these numbers, with some fluctuations depending on occupancy levels at any given point in time.
 
For our public housing and Section 8 programs, we keep client files by household, with individual records for each member of the household.  For affordable housing, we also keep client files by household but do not have records for each member of the household.
 
After you submit a public records request for the files in our affordable housing portfolio that contain one of the information fields in which you are interested for certain tenants, I can give you an estimate of the cost for the time involved in gathering the records with this information and redacting the proprietary client information.  We would do this with the understanding that we would not proceed with the request unless you consented to pay those charges.  Per our public records policy, we would then ask that you come to HAP to review the records, or if you wish to pay for copies and postage, we could mail them to you.
 
I have attached a copy of our public records policy for your information.  
 
Shelley

Subject: Public Housing Data by Neighborhood - Public Records Request
Date: June 16, 2005 11:22:08 AM PDT
To: ShelleyM@hapdx.org
Cc: board@hapdx.org, pdxleaders@macsolve.com, localmedia@macsolve.com, samadams@ci.portland.or.us, rleonard@ci.portland.or.us, tpotter@ci.portland.or.us, dsaltzman@ci.portland.or.us, erik@ci.portland.or.us, Molly.Cafferty@ci.gresham.or.us, Shane.Bemis@ci.gresham.or.us, Shirley.Craddick@ci.gresham.or.us, Karylinn.Echols@ci.gresham.or.us, Jacquenette.McIntire@ci.gresham.or.us, Dave.Shields@ci.gresham.or.us, Paul.Warr-King@ci.gresham.or.us, serena.m.cruz@co.multnomah.or.us, mult.chair@co.multnomah.or.us, lisa.h.naito@co.multnomah.or.us, lonnie.j.roberts@co.multnomah.or.us, district1@co.multnomah.or.us, sculp@ci.portland.or.us

Hi Shelley:
I am going to give serious consideration to making a public records request. However, as a prudent consumer - caveat emptor - I and others will need to have more detailed information in order to make an educated decision. To be absolutely clear, the information I may be requesting and which I refer to below is 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%).

1. Exactly how many current client records are in the HAP database?

2. Do you have 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 available immediately for purchase? If so, how fast can it be delivered? What will it cost?

3. Using a manual entry method described in a previous email to you, 
http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/ConversionProcess.html , When could this process begin? When could a report be delivered? How much would it cost.

4. Using a scripted loop method described in a previous email to you, 
http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/ConversionProcess.html, When could this process begin? When could a report be delivered? How much would it cost.

5. Using a geocode method described in a previous email to you, 
http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/SecondOpinion.html , When could this process begin? When could a report be delivered? How much would it cost.

6. Since HAP's client list, address locations and median income status are in constant flux it will be necessary to get a copy of this information every month to keep up to date and track various trends. How much would a monthly subscription cost?

7. If a single neighborhood is selected would the cost be apportioned per HAP client within that specific neighborhood?

8. Using the least expensive method, what is the cost to a neighborhood association requesting a report which only includes their neighborhood? How soon could this data be delivered?

9. Using the quickest method, what is the cost to a neighborhood association requesting a report which only includes their neighborhood? How soon could this data be delivered?

10. Since HAP's client list, address locations and median income status are in constant flux it will be necessary to get a copy of this information every month to keep up to date and track various trends. How much would a monthly subscription cost a neighborhood association?

11. Using the least expensive method, what is the cost to ONI for requesting a report which includes all neighborhoods? How soon could this data be delivered?

12. Using the quickest method, what is the cost to ONI for requesting a report which includes all neighborhoods? How soon could this data be delivered?

13. Since HAP's client list, address locations and median income status are in constant flux it will be necessary to get a copy of this information every month to keep up to date and track various trends. How much would a monthly subscription cost ONI?

14. Using the least expensive method, what is the cost to the Gresham Neighborhood Association for requesting a report which includes all neighborhoods? How soon could this data be delivered?

15. Using the quickest method, what is the cost to the Gresham Neighborhood Association  for requesting a report which includes all neighborhoods? How soon could this data be delivered?

16. Since HAP's client list, address locations and median income status are in constant flux it will be necessary to get a copy of this information every month to keep up to date and track various trends. How much would a monthly subscription cost the Gresham Neighborhood Association ?

17. Using the least expensive method, what is the cost to Multnomah county journalists requesting a report? How soon could this data be delivered?

18. Using the quickest method, what is the cost to Multnomah county journalists requesting a report? How soon could this data be delivered?

19. Since HAP's client list, address locations and median income status are in constant flux it will be necessary to get a copy of this information every month to keep up to date and track various trends. How much would a monthly subscription cost Multnomah county journalists?

20. Using the least expensive method, what is the cost to the mayors and other members of the Portland and Gresham city councils as well as any member of the Multnomah County Commission requesting a report? How soon could this data be delivered?

21. Using the quickest method, what is the cost to the mayors and other members of the Portland and Gresham city councils as well as any member of the Multnomah County Commission requesting a report? How soon could this data be delivered?

22. Since HAP's client list, address locations and median income status are in constant flux it will be necessary to get a copy of this information every month to keep up to date and track various trends. How much would a monthly subscription cost any of these public officials?

It is obvious from my questions that I may be looking for partners to share the cost. I would appreciate an answer to all of these questions on or before my next deadline, June 30th. A HAP Watchers commentary reviewing mayor Potter's handling of public housing policy in Multnomah county during his first six months in office will be the focus of the issue to be published shortly after July 1st. The information I have requested above would be highly relevant.

Thank you.


Richard


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


On Jun 14, 2005, at 12:27 PM, Shelley Marchesi wrote:
Hi Richard:
...We would be happy to treat your additional request as a public records request.  Under our public records policy, there would be costs associated with this request, that the requester must bear, to comply with the formatting and level of detail requested...  
 
Shelley
 
   
Shelley Marchesi
Director, Policy and Public Affairs
Housing Authority of Portland
135 SW Ash St.
Portland, OR 97204
503-802-8427
shelleym@hapdx.org

<HAP Public Records Policy.pdf>