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AccountMate Software and ISSI Provide a Window into the Future for Altoona (PA) Housing Authority
Operational inefficiencies and system glitches are solved with AccountMate's client/server-based financial management solution and ISSI's "Visual Homes" system for public housing authorities.
Altoona Housing Authority (AHA) Executive Director Dan Farrell looked into the future and saw a
window of opportunity for the agency. The DOS-based systems that were managing AHA's
accounting and operational tasks had served the agency well over the years, but the old technology
was proving to be inadequate to handle its ever-expanding customer base. Moreover, customer
service demands were outpacing the capabilities of their systems.
A Day Late and a Dollar Short
The need for a Windows-based solution wasn't the only problem facing AHA. Inefficiencies caused
by the decentralized flow of data from all of their remote sites also had to be improved. AHA
depended on data flowing from five remote locations to headquarters via separate dial-up networking
connections. Then, if they were successful in sending the data, staff at headquarters would try to
download this information onto their file server.
Unfortunately, the process of transmitting data from the remote sites to headquarters often was not
successfully completed due to numerous factors. For example, failures occurred whenever one of the
dial-up modems was not working properly, or if phone lines at either end of the transmission were
not available, or even if the manager failed to leave the machine on or the compiling program wasn't
running correctly. The net result was often that this information wasn't compiled and available for
analysis until the next day, and that was "a day late" as far as Farrell was concerned.
Then, there were shortcomings in the application process for prospective low-income tenants. With
the old system, once an applicant was accepted into one of the AHA-approved units, all the data from
that application had to be re-keyed, because the information was not automatically transferred from
one module to another.
Another issue was that different versions of their DOS-based programs were running concurrently,
causing glitches in the system. Databases were very fragile and prone to data corruption. The
unfortunate by-product of this was lost data and time-consuming re-entry of the lost data.
It was time to upgrade to a Windows-based system that would provide an easy-to-navigate graphical
interface for all the users on the system. Access to real-time data was another requirement of a new
system, so all of the potential glitches in transmitting data from the remote locations to headquarters
had to be resolved. Of course, it didn't make much sense to continue relying upon DOS-based
applications when most of the Authority's machines had already been upgraded to take advantage of
Windows-based applications.
Farrell's first move was to contact ISSI (Information Systems & Services), of Silver Spring,
Maryland, and current provider of their programs, to see if they had a Windows-based program
specially designed to manage the complex requirements unique to the public housing industry. ISSI
reported that the new version of their software, built upon the framework of their DOS-based
H.O.M.E.S. (Housing Officials Management Evaluation System), could lead the agency well into the
next millennium. The new system, called Visual HOMES, was designed to provide a comprehensive
integrated library of software modules designed specifically for the public housing industry. In
addition, Farrell was happy to learn that all the Visual HOMES modules adhere to, and are
maintained, to reflect the latest in HUD (Department of Housing & Urban Development) regulations.
The next item was to find out if there was a financial management software package that could
directly interface with Visual HOMES so that they could generate GAAP-compliant reports as well
as manage their on-hand inventory. AHA had already been using Novato, California-based
AccountMate Software's DOS product, and Farrell was happy to learn that the Visual HOMES
system could take full advantage of AccountMate's Windows-based Visual AccountMate (VAM)
system to provide all the functionality they would ever need for the long term. The final piece of the
puzzle was to invest in a WAN (wide-area network) with ISDN connections installed at the remote
sites. With the new system in place, AHA could look forward to seamless transmission of data with
real-time data always available at headquarters and all the remote locations.
AHA Confidently Moves into the New Millennium with Visual HOMES and Visual AccountMate
ISSI's recommendation proved very fruitful for AHA. Here was a package that satisfied most of their
needs right out of the box and Visual AccountMate's basic reports were already GAAP-compliant.
The reporting functionality in Visual AccountMate was a very pleasant surprise to Farrell. "The
reports that we submit to the government must conform to HUD (Department of Housing & Urban
Development) guidelines, especially when it comes to financial reporting. The beauty of VAM is that
reports don't need to be created from scratch to meet these requirements; they're HUD-compliant
right out of the box," said Farrell.
To take full advantage of Visual AccountMate's superior features and functionality, ISSI
programmers have written interfaces linking their Visual HOMES modules with core VAM modules,
especially General Ledger (GL) and Inventory Control (IC). For example, ISSI's Section 8 module,
which tracks financial data on Section 8 tenants, owners and landlords, and provides full accounts
payable functionality to those individuals and organizations, interfaces with VAM's GL module.
ISSI's Low-Rent module, which is a standalone tenants' AR module, posts data to VAM GL and
their Fixed Assets Inventory module also links to VAM GL. Their Work Order module, which
generates all the maintenance work orders for public housing authorities, links to the Low-Rent
module to track applicable tenant charges, and to VAM's Inventory Control module primarily to
track inventory on hand. Visual HOMES utilizes VAM's Accounts Payable module for maintaining
vendor files.
With the Visual HOMES/Visual AccountMate team on-board, now after a prospective tenant
completes an application, that data goes into the system and is automatically transferred to the
appropriate program, when the tenant is actually placed in a residence. This data is then linked to the
appropriate unit where the new tenant will reside. There is no manual re-entry of data from one
module to another. the data is always updated in a real-time environment. Farrell commented,
"When you consider how many applications we are processing on a daily basis, you can imagine
what a time- and cost-savings we are enjoying with the Visual HOMES/VAM system."
Farrell has also enjoyed other benefits from the new system. "I love the fact that all the reports we
need for both the government and our auditor are so easy to generate. The laser-check processing
feature in the VAM system has also really enhanced our payroll processing," claimed Farrell.
A Bright Future for AHA
AHA and executive director Dan Farrell are poised to sail into Y2K and beyond with the Visual
HOMES/VAM system. "Now we have the confidence that we can handle our increasing workload
and provide excellent customer service well into the future. Thanks ISSI, for recommending Visual
HOMES and Visual AccountMate to us. It's probably the best investment we have ever made," he
said.
Altoona Housing Authority Background Information
The Altoona Housing Authority (AHA) manages and oversees over 1600 residential units, consisting of 973 Section
8 Certificates and Vouchers, 536 Public Housing Units, plus over 200 non-Federally funded units throughout
Altoona. AHA has a full-time staff of 30, with oversight and direction provided by a five-member Board of
Directors, appointed to five-year terms by Altoona City Council. AHA receives funds from a variety of sources; the
two principal sources of funds are rent revenues paid by residents and funds provided by the Department of Housing
and Urban Development. The staff manages three major budgets throughout the fiscal year, totaling over $5.4
million on an annual basis.
AHA provides numerous services to the community:
- Administration of the Section 8 Rental Assistance Program, a federally funded program. AHA provides housing assistance for decent, safe and sanitary housing by subsidizing a portion of the monthly rent of participating families. Part of the Authority's responsibility is to inspect each Section 8 apartment every year; this inspection assists the City of Altoona in their code enforcement activities. Responsibility for accepting and screening applicants for public housing and Section 8 rental assistance.
- Active promotion of home ownership opportunities throughout Altoona for low-income, working families.
- Administration of the Comprehensive Grant Program, which provides an annual entitlement to Housing Authorities to maintain and improve the developments they manage.
Altoona Housing Authority (AHA)
2700 Pleasant Valley Boulevard
Altoona, PA 16602
Daniel Farrell, Executive Director
814-949-2026
ISSI (Information Systems & Services)
8405 Colesville Road, Suite 600
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Jerry Kravetzker, Director of Sales
800-295-3301 ext 136
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