According to Northern Marianas Housing Corp. Program and Housing Division manager Zerlyn. A. Taimanao, of the 30 units available, only 15 are currently occupied.
In an interview with Variety, Taimanao said, “We are still trying to get people to stay there.”
Asked on the probable reasons that discourage people to move to the said Liyo Housing Project in Songsong Village, Taimanao said, “A lot of them say the location is not really close to the hospital.”
For Taimanao, the potential occupants expressed their concern with their lack of means of transportation.
Based on FY’10 audit, the Rota Multi-Family/New Construction Program couldn’t attract occupants due to another competing housing program.
The audit stated that what drives the occupancy rate down for this program for the last three years was the existence of the Housing Choice Voucher or HCV program with many qualified applicants for housing assistance preferring HCV because they could choose unit and location and units are semi to fully furnished.
The same audit revealed that aside from a competing housing program, occupants expressed concerns with the safety at the Liyo’ owing to structural problems that drains NMHC of significant amounts of money for maintenance.
Another disincentive for the program is the security deposit required of occupants by the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. for utilities connection.
The housing agency continues to intensify efforts to keep units occupied and make these units attractive by ensuring the units meet HUD’s Uniform Physical Condition Standards.
Auditing firm
The NMHC had received two responses for its request for proposals for auditing services, according to chief accountant Roger Dris.
In his report to the NMHC board Thursday during the board meeting, Dris said they so far received proposals from J. Scott Magliari and Deloitte and Touche.
“We are still under negotiation,” Dris said.
NMHC board chairwoman Marcie Tomokane said, “We need to move fast. We need to start doing audit for FY 2011.”
Dris said the NMHC administration will inform the board as soon as it has selected an auditor for fiscal years 2011 and 2012.
Election
The members of the board also elected Tom Glenn Quitugua as vice chairman and Edwin P. Aldan as treasurer.
The two were sworn-in Thursday by NMHC legal counsel Vicente Salas as two new members of the NMHC board.
