Venice Housing Authority is once again out of compliance with HUD rules -- but this time it has a plan and a new enforcer to help it get back on track.

Technically, it never was in compliance. VHA has been considered a "troubled agency" for the past two years, even after former VHA Executive Director Peter Lopez entered the picture and brought it back into compliance. Under HUD rules, however, once an agency is classified as a troubled agency, it remains in that status for 24 months.

Recent revelations about its noncompliance could extend its troubled agency status, unless it can turn things around in short order.

Just how far out of compliance wasn't known until a recent audit was conducted.

Favoritism regarding uncollected rents and fees, lack of third-party income verifications and trashed apartments are just some of the violations documented at Grove Terrace Apartments in Venice by the The Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers.

HACFM cataloged the violations in a report after it was called in to help run the troubled housing authority.

Assistance came after acting executive director Deborah Bevins resigned in early October to take another job. Lopez resigned in February after published accounts revealed he suggested using evictions to reduce the number of low-income units for the planned redevelopment of Grove Terrace.

"What the report shows is a system that has been in place, but not enforced," said HACFM Executive Director Marcus Goodson.

Violations

In addition to missing HUD reports, HACFM found VHA wasn't conducting or reporting annual recertifications, or third-party income verifications required by HUD.

"That's a huge violation of HUD policy," Goodson told VHA's board of commissioners at last month's meeting.

Among other things, recertification requires VHA clients to provide proof of Florida residency and furnish a list of assets and income.

HACFM also found previous management did not collect monies owed from its residents.

"There are outstanding late fees, pet deposits and maintenance charges that date back several months, and in some cases years," wrote Sherri Campanale, HACFM housing operations director, author of the report.

HACFM found previous management "allowed some residents to pay as they can ... accepting partial payments for rents but ignoring other charges due on the account."

Campanale also found residents weren't being evicted in a timely manner for nonpayment of rent. In one case she found a client hadn't paid rent for a year.

Late fees are being charged, but VHA isn't collecting the fees from residents, she wrote.

Campanale documented cases where waitlist rules were broken: granting transfers and breaking up families to help clients obtain apartments.

And there's been no repayment for property damage.

"Clients are being transferred to other units after they have severely damaged their old unit, and are not being held accountable to pay for the damages," she wrote.

Instead, damages and lost rents are regularly written off.

Enforcement by the book

Goodson promised to right the ship at Grove Terrace Apartments. He suggested immediate inspections, and recertifications.

He also urged VHA to begin eviction proceedings for those grossly late on rents and fees, or who are living there illegally.

"We've got people in there who shouldn't be. We'll get them out," Goodson said.

"You enforce client leases from beginning to end, with no waivers," he added.

"We will take a firm but fair approach with VHA as we go through each unit to make sure the information that should be in each file is in there, and that rents are adjusted accordingly by income. We will verify and reverify income. We are going to start from scratch."

To accomplish the task, HACFM staff have been visiting VHA on a weekly basis.

They're planning a series of recertifications beginning this month. And they've stopped accepting partial rent payments. Staff are researching all rents and fees in an effort to bring each client up to date.

"We are going to help them pick up the pieces and put it back into place," Goodson said.

HACFM recently signed off on entering into a memorandum of agreement to assist VHA. The agreement charges no fees and minimal expenses in return for its services