1. NAVNEET GREWAL LEP ADVOCACY 201: BEYOND THE BASICS NLADA ANNUAL CONFERENCE NOVEMBER 19-22, 2009 Housing Authorities and Language Access Plans

2. What We’re Covering Today What is the PHA Planning Process? How can advocates get involved? Comments Public Hearing Follow Up

3. What are PHA Plans? Annual Plan  Annual Process  Must make civil rights certifications  Must attach Administrative Plan and/or ACOP Administrative Plan  Section 8 ACOP  Public Housing Language Access Plan

4. Sample Policy (Common)

5. How to Get Started Obtain relevant documents PHA office  Hard Copy/Email  PHA Website HUD web site  Approved Plans  http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/pha Determine if there are partners in the community  Residents  Other advocates

6. Timeline 6

7. Key Players Public Housing Residents and Voucher Participants Resident Advisory Board Others in the community interested in the issue PHA Staff PHA Board of Commissioners HUD City/County

8. Case Study

9. Initial Comments (Submitted by NHLP and Bay Area Legal Aid)

10. Initial Comments

11. Public Hearing Who is on the Board of Commissioners? What is on the agenda? Who will attend? Often limited to 2-3 minutes Required to respond to RAB comments Will often respond to all public comments (see materials)

12. Follow Up Set up meetings between all interested parties and housing authority - legal services, community organizations, appropriate housing authority staff Engage in drafting LAP Education Often a long process Often incremental Reassessment

13. Draft Plan

14. Adopted Plan Training List languages Discourage use of friends/children as interpreters

15. Adopted Plan Vital Documents

16. Ongoing Advocacy Continue to monitor plan and efficacy Engage in trainings Use next year’s plan process if necessary Informal complaint to Board of Commissioners Informal complaint to HUD FHEO – Regional Office Informal Hearings/Grievance Procedures Formal Administrative Complaint

17. Summary PHAs required to engage in annual planning process Most PHAs have not created a language access plan Ensure that all players are engaged in developing plan Advocates can influence the process significantly Requires ongoing interactive process and monitoring

18. NAVNEET GREWAL STAFF ATTORNEY NATIONAL HOUSING LAW PROJECT NGREWAL@NHLP.ORG (510)251-9400 EXT. 3102