YOUNGSTOWN YMHA to enter talks to hire manager of Hope VI project

YOUNGSTOWN -- The board of Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority authorized the agency to negotiate and enter into a contract with ABT Associates of Cambridge, Mass., to serve as manager of the Hope VI program.
Hope VI, a $19 million-plus program, is redeveloping the Westlake Terrace Homes area.
In addition to a program manager, the board is seeking to hire a program administrator, community supportive service coordinator and development supervisor, said Michael Krause, YMHA director of human resources.
The administrator will be responsible for providing quarterly reports to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The supportive service coordinator will serve as a link between YMHA residents and providers of social services such as relocation services, counseling services, and job and employment training services, Krause continued.
The development supervisor will oversee construction, maintenance and repair of YMHA properties not included in the Hope VI program.
The board also set aside 50 grant vouchers for families applying for Section 8 housing who have children with elevated levels of lead in their blood, Krause said. The grants will help landlords rid 50 Section 8 homes of lead hazards.