Officials from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development visited Chapel Hill last week after the town’s public housing was graded at 52 out of 100 possible points during a semiannual evaluation.

That score left Chapel Hill in the “Troubled Performer” category of HUD rankings and caused concern among town staff and elected officials.

During the visit last week, it was discovered that a “clerical error” was a “major component” of the low ranking, according to a follow-up email from town manager Roger Stancil to the Chapel Hill Town Council.

The error came from “staff entering one piece of key information in an incorrect box on the reporting form used in early reporting with unaudited numbers.” Stancil wrote that staff would submit the updated correct information and believed that would place the town back into better federal standing.

The clerical error resulted in the town scoring a 2 out of a possible 25 points in the financial section of the score. Staff wrote that the low score was an anomaly, pointing to the previous evaluation where the town scored a perfect 25 out of 25. The town will be implementing several steps to prevent this error in the future, the email said, including independent verification of data input and a calculation prior to the final report submittal to forecast the HUD score.

Stancil wrote when answering a question from a council member asking about the town’s historic performance on these evaluations that the town received a Substandard Performer rating in 2005, a Troubled Performer status in 2013 that was also attributed to a data entry error, and when the town received a Substandard Performer rating in 2014.

The town submitted a recovery plan to HUD officials. Stancil wrote that he believed the town would return to the Standard or High Performer level.

The Town Council is also scheduled to receive a consultant’s report on the town’s Public Housing Master Plan at a meeting on May 2.

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill Combating 'Rumors' During HUD Visit
Officials from the United States Department on Housing and Urban Development are scheduled to visit Chapel Hill on Wednesday. This comes after the town graded out at 52 out of 100 possible points during a semiannual evaluation of the town’s public housing by the federal agency in late 2017. The score left Chapel Hill in […]
1.4M of the Nation’s Poorest Renters Risk Losing Their Homes With Trump’s Proposed HUD Time Limit
President Donald Trump's administration is proposing changes to HUD's rental assistance programs, including a two-year limit to be in a unit.
2 Chapel Hill Affordable Housing Projects Given Big Financial Boosts
Two Chapel Hill affordable housing projects recently earned substantial financial help: one through a donation, another through a tax credit. Habitat for Humanity of Orange County announced Monday its Weavers Grove project is receiving a $1 million donation from Oak Foundation — an international organization with its U.S. headquarters in Chapel Hill. The group shares […]
Chapel Hill's Public Housing Plan: Improve Existing Units
Chapel Hill’s public housing program presented its updated master plan during the town council’s meeting on April 10. It’s part of Chapel Hill’s larger strategic plan for improving housing options across all income levels. Chapel Hill’s public housing population makes up about two percent of the town’s residents. But out of the 336 units available, […]
Congressman Price Holds Listening Session in Chapel Hill
Remarks made by US Representative David Price on the state of the nation drew thunderous applause during a community listening session held in the auditorium of East Chapel Hill High School. “It’s a time that, I think it’s fair to say, none of us have ever experienced in our country’s history — a time of […]
Opening Date, Open House Announced for New Chapel Hill Police Headquarters
The Town of Chapel Hill announced Thursday its new headquarters for the police department at 7300 Millhouse Road will open Monday, Sep. 29.
Candidates Drop Out in 2 Chapel Hill Races; Town Council Opens Applications for Brief Vacancy
A pair of candidates in two Chapel Hill elections withdrew recently. Meanwhile, the town council is taking applications for a vacant seat.
Chapel Hill: Leaf Policy, Glen Lennox Development, Parks & Rec Master Plan
Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, September 18, discussing town news and events. She discussed the town's recent change to leaf collection policy, and feedback coming from the community on that topic. She also discussed a proposed grocery store at Glen Lennox, and how that may not come before council under the development agreement with Grubb Properties. She talked about upcoming opportunities to give the town feedback on the parks master plan, and more.
Grocery Store Proposal for Glen Lennox Draws Resident Concerns, Questions Around Development Agreement
Is a new grocery store right for Glen Lennox? Developers want to push forward with a project proposal, while residents question its validity.
Chapel Hill Town Council Reviews Updated Apartment Concept Along MLK Boulevard
The Chapel Hill Town Council recently opened a public hearing to review a potential multifamily development at 701 MLK Jr. Boulevard.
›