RCHA Announces Hiring of new Executive Director

Posted on by rcha_admin

RCHA is pleased to announce the hiring of Graham Godwin as the new Executive Director, beginning January 3, 2022. Graham was previously the Director of Research at Orion Strategies headquartered in Buckhannon, West Virginia, an organization that specializes in strategic communications, research, government relations, grassroots advocacy, and polling.  Prior to Orion Strategies, Graham worked as a Grant Administrator for World Vision and as an NGO Development Consultant with the United States Peace Corps in Kyrgyzstan.

The Board of Directors and staff at RCHA welcome Graham Godwin to the RCHA team!

Public Hearing December 8th on RCHA’s “Moving to Work” Supplement

Posted on by rcha_admin

Public Hearing December 8th on RCHA’s “Moving to Work” Supplement

Randolph County Housing Authority (RCHA) has completed a draft of its Move To Work (MTW) Supplement to RCHA’s Annual Plan for 2022.  It is available for review between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm. Monday through Thursday at the RCHA office located at 2280 Randolph Avenue, Elkins, WV for the next thirty days.  A public hearing will be held December 8, 2021 at the housing office at 1:00 p.m.  RCHA administers housing assistance in Barbour, Lewis, Pendleton, Randolph, Tucker and Upshur Counties.

Our YouthBuild Program on WV Public Broadcasting!

Posted on by rcha_admin

Us & Them: Reconnecting West Virginia’s Disconnected Youth

See below or use this link to view on WV Pubic’s website.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting | By Trey Kay, 
Kyle Vass
Published May 27, 2021 at 7:30 AM EDT
Disconnected Youth - Image
Lalena Price
Disconnected Youth

There are so many young people in the U.S. who are not in school, working, or training for work, that there’s a name for it. They are disconnected youth and West Virginia has one of the highest rates in the nation — 17 percent.

It’s a tough group to track down because there’s a stigma attached to this status; however, a few programs are trying to bridge this gap by connecting with young people and giving them a pathway and the support they need to train for a job and a career.

On this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores why some young West Virginians struggle so much to move forward. We’ll also hear from a few Mountain State leaders who talk about how we might help them.

YouthBuild-Elkins-210508.jpg
Michelle Phares
Dayton Eisenhart and his fellow crewmates show furniture they’ve constructed while at YouthBuild in Elkins, W.Va.

 

RCHA is hiring!

Posted on by rcha_admin

RCHA has 2 positions available.   We have a part-time Program Assistant position open as well as a full time Job Coach for our WORC program.   Please view and apply through Indeed.

HUD COMMEMORATES NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING MONTH 2021

Posted on by rcha_admin

HUD NEWS                              

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Marcia L. Fudge, Secretary

Office of Public Affairs, Washington, DC 20410

HUD No. 21-050                                                                                            FOR RELEASE

HUD Public Affairs                                                                                       Thursday

202-708-0685                                                                                                 April 1, 2021

HUD.gov/Press

 

HUD COMMEMORATES NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING MONTH 2021

 

Click here to watch Secretary Fudge’s video statement on Fair Housing Month.

 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today kicked off Fair Housing Month 2021. This year’s Fair Housing Month theme, Fair Housing: More Than Just Words, reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advancing equity in housing and the importance of increasing public awareness of everyone’s right to fair housing.

“Fair Housing Month is a time to recommit to our nation’s obligation to ensure that everyone has equal access to safe, affordable housing,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “Unfortunately, housing discrimination still exists, from individuals and families being denied a place to call home because of the color of their skin or where they come from, to landlords refusing to allow persons with disabilities to keep assistance animals, to individuals being denied a place to live because of who they love. In this moment of unprecedented crisis, fair housing is more important than ever. 53 years after the Fair Housing Act was signed, our journey to justice in housing continues.”

Each April, HUD, local communities, fair housing advocates, and fair housing organizations across the country commemorate Fair Housing Month by hosting an array of activities that highlight HUD’s fair housing enforcement efforts, enhance Americans’ awareness of their fair housing rights, and emphasize the importance of ending housing discrimination.

Secretary Fudge will commemorate Fair Housing Month with a virtual celebration on April 7th at 2 p.m. Eastern time that will also feature the Justice Department’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Pamela Karlan; HUD’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Jeanine Worden; and HUD Senior Advisor Alanna McCargo.

In addition to highlighting HUD’s enforcement activities, a central focus of this year’s commemoration with the Biden-Harris Administration’s pledge to end housing discrimination, provide redress to those who have experienced housing discrimination, to eliminate racial bias and other forms of discrimination in all stages of home-buying and renting, and to secure equal access to housing opportunity for all.

Last year, HUD and its Fair Housing Assistance Program partner agencies received more than 7,700 complaints alleging discrimination based on one or more of the Fair Housing Act’s seven protected classes: race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status, and disability. During that period, the categories with the highest number of complaints were disability and race, respectively. HUD also received complaints that alleged lending discrimination as well as numerous complaints from women who faced unfair treatment, including sexual harassment.

“Although the Fair Housing Act became law in 1968, we still have major challenges ahead of us,” said Jeanine Worden, HUD’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “This April, on the 53rd anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, HUD is renewing its commitment to level the playing field so every person has the same opportunity to live where they choose and benefit from all of the opportunities this nation offers.”

For a complete listing of HUD Fair Housing Month events and activities, go to: www.hud.gov/FHM2021.

People who believe they have experienced discrimination may file a complaint by contacting HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (Relay). Housing discrimination complaints may also be filed by going to hud.gov/fair housing.

Register with Amazon Smile to Help YouthBuild

Posted on by rcha_admin

Did you know that your Amazon purchases can support a charitable organization? RCHA has set up an Amazon Smile account to benefit our

Youthbuild program. Just click on the link below and go through the steps to choose your charity. Choose “Highland Community Builders” as the charitable organization (they are the non-profit that our YouthBuild Endowment contributions go to.) Once you have your charity all set up, .5% of all of your purchases will go to the YouthBuild Endowment Fund as long as you purchase through your Amazon Smile account. Thanks for helping us help youth in our community!!! https://smile.amazon.com/.

Vehicles currently available for auction

Posted on by rcha_admin

RCHA has 3 vehicles available for auction

Auction ends Friday, March 26th.  Vehicles must be collected and removed from RCHA property by April 9th.

**If you are interested in bidding or have already bid, please note that we are not aware of the running condition of the trucks and they will be sold AS-IS. It is up to the bidder to determine if the condition of the vehicle meets their needs. You can view the vehicles at 312 Kennedy Street in Elkins (YouthBuild parking lot) and keys will be available upon request on site Thursday between 7:00 and 3:00 only. If you have already submitted a bid, we will accept revised bids or a request to withdraw bids up until the auction deadline of March 26th at 4:00 pm. Thank you.

Please click on links for each vehicle for details and submit all bids to [email protected].

1999Dodge Ram Auction       

 

1996 Ford F350 Auction

1997 Subaru Auction      

 

Financial Education Event

Posted on by rcha_admin

Event: Financial Education (FOC PROGRAM)

When: Fri Mar 26th 2:00pm – 3:30pm (EDT)

Where: Contact us to reserve your spot at the Learning Center (304) 940-3966

Full details at: https://tockify.com/worclc/detail/11/1616781600000

 

The Randolph County Housing Authority is happy to announce a partnership with Highland Community Builders to launch a Financial Opportunity Center, or FOC. The mission of the FOC is to help our clients reach their financial goals. We offer financial counseling to improve credit ratings, teach our clients savings techniques, and work to complete budgets to help you better manage your money. We can also offer employment coaching and income supports, where we help you navigate the workforce, meet with potential employers, and access additional resources and social services to help you with immediate funding. We believe that you would be a great candidate for the FOC based on your plans and goals that you have shared with us. If you would be interested in learning more about what this program can do for you, please feel free to respond to this email or call me at 304-940-3966.