Support employees in finding balance between excelling at their job duties and in their personal lives. This can be accomplished by promoting alternative work schedules such as part time work that is NOT limited to retirees and the other select few, and also promoting Alternative work schedules and expanded telework. This should be combined with real care and consideration for employee professional development. Managers should check in with employees to understand the needs of their employees, and the way their work can be best accomplished. Flexible and balanced schedules should not be denied to managers either. The focus should be the best way an employee can accomplish their work, rather than putting in face time.

For the HUD to effectively serve its constituents and the Nation, it must think beyond simply putting roofs over Americans' heads to creating programs that empower Americans to stand on their own two feet. For HUD to fulfill the vision, mission, and goals — particularly sub-goals 3A, 3C, and 4B — proposed in its FY2010-2015 strategic plan, technology must be a key component of the Department's long-term strategy. Providing safe and affordable housing does not alone enable Americans to achieve greater self-sufficiency or build stronger communities. However, when safe and affordable housing is combined with technology access and the resources that allow Americans to acquire the skills they need to compete in today's technology-driven world, greater self-sufficiency and stronger communities often follow.

With HUD-subsidized housing communities located all across the United States, the Department can play a pivotal role in closing the technology gap — a top concern of President Obama. One way HUD can do this is through continued and expanded support of its Neighborhood Networks Initiative. As one of the first federal initiatives to promote technology and self-sufficiency, Neighborhood Networks has been delivering technology access to America's communities since 1995. The Initiative has helped countless residents of HUD Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured and -assisted communities obtain jobs, advance in their current jobs, achieve greater academic success, pursue higher education, transition from renters to homeowners, and improve their overall quality of life. However, there is still a great deal of work to be done. HUD programs and initiatives that offer a technology component, such as Neighborhood Networks, should play a more significant role in HUD's strategic plan.

In addition, President Obama has made his support for technology access crystal clear. The Obama Administration has pledged support for universal broadband, or faster Internet service for all Americans. This is particularly relevant to HUD as 30% of families with incomes of less than $15,000 had the lowest rate of broadband adoption, while 89% of families with incomes of more than $150,000 had the highest rate of broadband adoption. To help the Obama Administration achieve its goal, HUD must incorporate technology into its housing programs.

Technology is not a luxury, but a necessity to which all Americans — regardless of their educational background, income level, or race — must have access and possess the skills to operate it. HUD is in a unique position to make this happen.

Using our image to improve our image and make us more effective makes a lot of sense to me. Disclaimers about endorsement can be entered, if necessary. While we're at it, where is the Employee of the Month, Regional EOTM, and National EOTY contest, huh?

What is measured, or what gets attention, improves.

Surveys show that the one thing employees- i.e. people- want more than anything else is APPRECIATION. It is also the thing they usually get least. Why? What you concentrate on grows. We have concentrated on need for the last 60 years, and what has grown - need. "What is reported improves"... because it's getting attention. Napoleon understood this. He said "men are ruled by toys", and created several new medals, including the Legion of Honor. His troops would risk their lives repeatedly for a little piece of metal and cloth... What do people get for doing an outstanding job, in our industry? *Ignored* Yep, that's right, the best a good employee, client, or program can hope for is very often to be ignored. We need to have yearly awards get-togethers in every state, perhaps at an event like the Coalition for housing- to recognize our heroes.

We need a Best Practices database. How about letting the people who know the most about them do the write-ups? It doesn’t get any easier than a resources Wiki that writes itself. If we had a Best Practices contest, web-based, with good questions so we get enough detail so people can copy, we have a very cheap way to spread good ideas. If we are going to use performance indicators to measure community health, this same website could be a way to collect that data. If Publisher’s Clearinghouse can collect a nationwide mailing list, with a promise of a chance at an award, why can’t we?

If you’re worried about abuse of nomination, it could come through a congressional office; or that could just be an option. It works for Military Academy nominations. Could be a great way to get Congress involved in making a place for everyone at the table.

I propose at least the following awards, on a statewide basis:

Neighborhood Coordinator of the Year + 2 runner ups, for each census tract
Property Manager of the Year
Best community project created on a shoestring.
Best community project created by a partnership
Best provider of services on a shoestring, through networking.
best computer center, in categories:
children's programs, senior programs, job-training, economic development
best economic development/entrepreneurship program
best turnaround of a troubled housing property
best tenant/management relations
best community garden
most productive partnership/coalition in the state
best place to live for elderly
best place to live for family
most prolific provider of good programs to neighborhood residents
best residents' association
best nonprofit services provider
best vendor
best creation of "teaching/learning" community of opportunity in neighborhood
best solution to a difficult problem
best-looking resident amenity
neighborhood with the highest percentage of tenants "giving back" to the community
best intergenerational program
best youth program
best community activity that demonstrated a healthy community
most productive Memorandum of Understanding
best solution to a drug-related activity program
completion by a resident of 2 year or 4 year degree
best homeless programs
best transitional housing program
best manual that supported community building efforts
most unexpected or unusual partner in a coalition [police doing computers for example]
Law Enforcement officer most committed to proactive community building in a community
Most effective CDC and CFDI
Most effective alcohol treatment activity
best substance abuse treatment program
best energy conservation program
most useful resource that supports community building
best program done in coalition with a school
most helpful person in an agency [you want to energize HUD? Let our clients vote for the most helpful HUD person. Now there’s a Web 2.0 tool that would have some effect.]
best Welfare to Work program
best program created by residents

whatever else we want to see more of

Now, the above awards are "Olympic Gold", the two runner-ups [which would be used only where the field of candidates would be large] are the silver and bronze. We also need a "Diamond" category, for really outstanding stuff above the gold, given only when earned, not yearly. What would this do for people's resumes? I have repeatedly seen outstanding neighborhood organizers totally ignored by their own management. Do you see a problem with this picture? I sure do. Cures start small.

During WW II, the 9 PM tolling of the Big Ben clock was used by England to unite the population in common purpose. During WW II, even alcoholics willingly worked long hours in factories, for the war, because the whole country was focused on a clear goal. Newsreels would talk of a soldier destroying a tank, and end "not bad for a baker's apprentice from the Bronx". We need to clearly focus on healing our communities, in the same way. Call it a war on ignorance. Napoleon created many new medals, and his troops risked their lives repeatedly for a $5 piece of ribbon and metal. Presidential medals, and letters, could be used in the same way to focus attention on people doing good things in communities; web-based nomination through congressional offices. What you focus on grows. Why not have 20 goals regarding community healing, from improved education, to more social activities, and start recognizing best practices in those 20 goals? Obama has image, why not use it- cheaply?

We need a Best Practices website, where anyone could nominate best practices, with enough good questions that we get enough detail so anyone could copy the Best practice. The HUD 1994, 1999, and 2000 BP contests did not bother collecting this data! The whole point of a BP contest is to spread out what works. We need at least 30-40 categories of BP, also. What you put your attention on grows. Good HUD clients can expect to be.... ignored. How smart is that? They should be getting a BP award, just like bad clients pick up risk flags. In fact, the risk flag system needs to be modified so that Positive risk flags can be entered, for all HUD participants.