Strategic Goals & Objectives
On September 28, 2022, THA’s Board of Commissioners adopted an ambitious strategic plan to guide the agency’s efforts for the next 5 years. In addition to our mission to provide high-quality housing and supportive services to people with low incomes, with a focus on those facing the greatest marginalization.
As we look toward the next several years, we set out a series of objectives, metrics, and strategies to support each of four goals:
Increase the Amount of Available Housing for Low-Income Families
The strategic plan identified 3 goals to achieve by the end of 2028, plus 1 short-term goal to be met by the end of 2023:
In the next year, develop a process or program for THA customers to purchase homes.
THA’s board has approved prioritizing a portion of THA’s Hillsdale Heights site for affordable homeownership.
By end of 2028, add at least 500 new units of affordable housing through development or partnerships.
As of January 2024, THA has 385 new units fully funded and expected to be online before 2028, with 28 project-based voucher units.
Our focus for 2023 was on projects that are financially feasible and projects that can be accomplished with partners, and to include project-based vouchers in existing housing to make it more affordable.
With construction underway at Housing Hilltop, THA drove toward completing the project on time and on budget while identifying partners to build housing at Aviva Crossing and Hillsdale Heights.
By end of 2028, purchase at least 200 housing units that can be prioritized for voucher holders.
THA purchased 35 units by the end of 2023, with a focus on partnerships that prioritize voucher holders.
By end of 2028, rehabilitate and or refinance at least 100 units of existing housing to improve quality of life for tenants and long-term viability of the property.
THA is exploring financing options for rehabilitating Hillside 2300 and Salishans 1–5.
Increase Housing Access & Stability
Our strategic plan set out 2 goals to be met by the end of 2025, 1 goal for the end of 2024, and 2 goals for the end of 2023:
By end of 2023, maintain THA’s MTW requirement to serve substantially the same number of customers.
THA ended the year at 94.2% of the MTW requirement, and housed 543 new households in 2023. Our strategy for the year focused on reducing staff turnover, voucher assistance, and leasing.
By end of 2023, no more than 25% of households on THA programs are paying more than 40% of their income for housing.
THA revised this goal to track the number of households paying more than 30% of their income as rent, which was 31.3% of households at the end of 2023. THA’s efforts during the year focused on transitioning households on the Housing Opportunity Program to Housing Choice Vouchers, redesigning the Family Self-Sufficiency program while continuing 2Gen, and establishing a regular payment standard review schedule.
By end of 2024, increase the percent of households able to secure housing with a voucher from 55% to 60%.
In 2023, 67.2% of total voucher households were successful, with an average time to lease a unit of 63 days. THA hired a Housing Navigation Specialist and offered security deposit assistance while continuing our landlord engagement.
By end of 2025, maintain a 98% occupancy rate or higher in THA’s portfolio.
2023 saw a 98% occupancy rate in THA’s portfolio. THA hired staff to fill vacant positions and set out to reduce unit turn and leasing times, while implementing mitigation products and practices to reduce water damage in the portfolio.
By end of 2025, develop a strategy for measuring customer success (housing recipients, landlords, vendors, etc.) and publish baseline data.
THA has set out to create a comprehensive data system to better manage data, which is in process as of 2024 with our Yardi and Apricot conversions.
Embed Principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) in THA’s Programs, Culture & Priorities
THA’s strategic plan included 4 goals for the end of 2023 and one each for 2024 and 2025.
By end of 2023, increase the number and percentage of THA invoices paid within 30 days from the date of invoice and work.
While still building data collection tools for this metric, THA worked to improve turnaround time between contract/invoice owner and accounts payable to increase accessibility and ease of doing business with THA and reduce the barriers to disadvantaged business enterprises.
By end of 2023, review where and how to set goals related to the use of Universal Design.
THA has audited its website for accessibility and hired a Strategic Advisor of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) to help move the remainder of this work forward.
By end of 2024, increase the percentage of minority and women-owned businesses receiving contracts or direct purchase requisitions with THA or with THA funds.
THA has been working to building data collection tools for this metric and to begin collecting data on the number of disadvantaged business enterprises receiving contracts. THA has centralized contracting to streamline the contracting process with an aim to prioritize MWBE contractors in construction projects.
By end of 2025, review THA policies and practices related to housing, procurement, and employment and revise them to make them more equitable.
For 2023, HR aimed to integrate values of DEIB into employment polices and practices, and THA staff worked with Yardi to add rich data fields for race/ethnicity, non-binary gender, pronouns, and preferred name in the new Yardi system.
Make THA a Great Place to Work
THA set out four goals to be met by 2028:
Increase THA retention from 79% to 85%.
With a strategy of filling vacant positions, increasing wages and staff engagement, improving communication, and transitioning to new and easier-to-use software systems, THA achieved 85% retention in 2023.
Increase the number of THA residents and low-income Tacomans hired into THA jobs and THA-funded work.
Two THA residents were hired in 2023. THA has hosted hiring events at our properties, installed computer labs at 3 properties, and created a system for collecting information about the low-income status of applicants.
Increase the number and percentage of THA staff earning a housing wage.
After conducting an analysis of wages and the housing market, budgeting for wage increases and negotiating with both unions, THA ended 2023 with 100% of full-time staff earning at least a housing wage.
Develop a strategy for measuring staff satisfaction and publish baseline data.
THA set out to work with a third-party vendor to complete an employee “pulse” survey twice in 2023. Results showed an increase in employee satisfaction between the two surveys.
THA’s progress toward these goals was reported to the Board of Commissioners at their January 24, 2024 regular meeting.