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Explanation of marketing guidebook purpose and challenges in balancing equity with efficiency
2:24:33
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162 sec
Acting Commissioner Ahmed Tigani explains the dual purpose of the marketing guidebook: ensuring people can access units and ensuring the process is equitable, fair, and transparent. He acknowledges the need for improvements and outlines steps being taken to address the issues.
- The marketing guidelines aim to create consistency, predictability, and a level playing field for both housing seekers and providers
- HPD is working on updates to the marketing guidelines, including streamlining processes at the federal level
- The agency is implementing interim solutions and considering long-term technology improvements
- Tigani emphasizes the need to balance getting 'heads on beds' with maintaining a fair and transparent application process
Ahmed Tigani
2:24:33
So just to take a step back, the marketing guidebook does two things.
2:24:37
It is focused on making sure people can get into units both on the initial lottery and the re rental.
2:24:43
And this is a conversation that we've been having with the council for years ever since there was a local law passed by the council that sets the the framework for how we make sure that we do this in a way that works.
2:24:55
But additionally, the the guidelines are here also to make sure that it's done in an equitable, fair, and transparent manner.
2:25:02
I was not here that many months ago when we were discussing the broker fee hearing and we were talking about what the market does generally and how renters interact with the market and feel confident or not confident that they're being considered for apartments.
2:25:18
So, the marketing guidelines are there and they are designed to create that kind of consistency, predictability, and a level playing field between both the people who are looking for housing and in this case, people who are working with our programs and delivering and we're grateful for delivering affordable housing.
2:25:36
I had mentioned that earlier we have, you know this has been an iterative process where we are trying to balance the two things, but it's very, you know it's definitely come very clearly to us that there's more that we need to do.
2:25:49
There are technology solutions that we had hoped to be more effective more quickly.
2:25:54
We have made waivers and exceptions in the past.
2:25:57
We look at things on a case by case basis but it's very evident that more wholesale improvements need to be made.
2:26:05
So we are now working through a new set of marketing guidelines updates, guideline updates which actually incorporates streamlining that we fought for and won at the federal level So that people who are eligible for housing do not have to prove as hard that they are eligible for that housing.
2:26:24
Additionally, on the re rental side, there's more technology improvements that we need to put in place.
2:26:29
And so we are looking at very soon putting in some additional interim solutions beyond what we've already done to create waivers and exceptions that we believe will speed up that process.
2:26:43
And then at the same time, we're gonna look long term with our technology and see what a more permanent solution is.
2:26:50
Because at the end of the day, we want to get more heads on beds, but we also need to make sure that we do it in a way where people feel confident that when they apply, that their applications are being looked at, that they're being considered.
2:27:04
That being said, we know from our non profit partners and our housing providers out there that they have smart systems, that they are doing good work in their communities and we want to implement some of those solutions as well.