COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Housing

DATE:

January 8, 2008

BOARD MEETING DATE:

January 29, 2008

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors, (Sitting as the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority)

FROM:

Duane Bay, Director, Department of Housing

SUBJECT:

Approval of the Revised Housing Authority Personnel Policies and Procedures

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution approving the revised Personnel Polices and Procedures for the Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Offering a full range of housing choices.

Goal(s): #9. Housing exists for people of all income levels and for all generations of families.

BACKGROUND:

The Housing Authority employs forty-five full-time staff persons; they are not County employees. The Housing Authority’s personnel policies and procedures were adopted in 1978 and have not been kept up-to-date with current laws and practices. As recommended by the County’s 2006/07 Management Review of the new Department of Housing, department management has made it a priority to update all of its policies and procedures. The strategy used to create the revised personnel policies and procedures was to have them mirror County policies and procedures as closely as possible.

DISCUSSION:

A consultant was engaged through the County’s Human Resources Department to assist in the preparation of the revised policies. The proposed policies are composed of sections adapted from the County’s Civil Service Rules and the Personnel Sections of the County’s Ordinance Codes. These rules were adjusted to conform to the Housing Authority’s MOU with AFSCME and have been agreed to by union representatives.

Adoption of the proposed policies and procedures will accomplish three goals:

• Improve Housing Authority employee morale by having policies that closely follow those used for their departmental colleagues who are county employees;

• Improve departmental efficiency by having one set of rules for administering personnel matters for all Department of Housing staff, whether employed by the County or the Housing Authority;

• Bring Housing Authority policies and procedures into compliance with all current laws and practices.

The County Human Resources Department was consulted regarding necessary changes to County policies and procedures.

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Resolution as to form.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no Net County Cost associated with this action.