FORT WAYNE HOUSING AUTHORITY ANNOUNCES PROCEDURAL UPDATES DUE TO COVID-19

FORT WAYNE – With consideration of decisions by state and local officials, school
systems, and public health departments regarding novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and
following guidance from the CDC involving social distancing and large gatherings,
beginning Monday, March 16, the Fort Wayne Housing Authority will modify our processes
for residents seeking administrative and maintenance assistance and individuals with
affordable housing needs. These changes will not affect the day-to-day operations of the
Housing Authority staff and business will continue as usual.
Effective March 16 until further notice:

• In-person briefings, orientations, recertifications, and all currently scheduled
  activities and events are canceled. FWHA will contact individuals impacted by this
  decision by mail with updates and next steps.
• In an effort to protect the health and well-being of clients and staff, FWHA will close
  its offices to the public. FWHA staff will be available via phone or email during
  normal business hours, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:00 am –
  12:00 pm on Friday. All messages will be responded to within 24 hours.
• For properties managed by FWHA, on-site management staff will be available by
  phone or appointment only. Work orders for residents will be completed on an
  emergency basis only and should be reported via phone call to management or
  maintenance staff.

FWHA will also adjust the process for accepting applications for the Housing Choice
Voucher Program (HCVP).

• The waiting list for HCVP will open as planned on March 17th and 18th.
• Interested individuals should complete applications electronically by visiting
  www.fwha.org and clicking on “APPLY NOW” at the top of the page.
• Paper applications can be printed, and hand delivered or mailed to the Fort Wayne
  Housing Authority, 7315 S. Hanna St, Fort Wayne, IN 46816. Applications delivered
  on-site will be collected via drop boxes located at both the front and rear entrances of
  the administrative office.
• Individuals or families without computer access can pick-up applications outside of
  the administrative office during business hours both days. Applications received via
  the drop boxes will be secured by FWHA staff and time/date stamped as they are pulled from the boxes.
• FWHA strongly encourages individuals to utilize the online application system.
• During the waiting list opening, questions regarding the application should be directed to 260-267-9300 x7311 during normal business hours.

In announcing the changes, George Guy, FWHA executive director and CEO stated “We
want the entire community to understand that to interrupt our goal of providing convenient
access to our staff and our application processes is something we do only because we feel we
have no other choice. We encourage the entire community to stay safe, monitor your health,
follow guidelines recommended by the Center for Disease Control, and check for updates at
the Indiana State Department of Health website.” We look forward to re-opening our doors
to the community and in the meantime, please take care of yourself and those around you,”
he added.

FWHA is closely monitoring this evolving health situation and we are working with the
Allen County Health Department (ACHD), along with industry professionals to ensure we
are keeping the health and safety of our employees, residents and the community at the
forefront of our decision making.

For continued updates, visit www.fwha.org or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

FORT WAYNE HOUSING AUTHORITY ANNOUNCES PROCEDURAL UPDATES DUE TO COVID-19