The Housing Authority of the City of Tulsa (THA) recently received the rare distinction of being asked to serve as a panelist at the 2017 Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Enterprise Voucher Management System (EVMS) Summit.

The Summit, which took place on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at the HUD Headquarters in Washington, D.C., showcased select members of the agency’s EVMS Pilot Program. THA was one of only two housing authorities in the U.S. to be asked to present at the event; their participation being in direct relationship to their involvement with the agency’s EVMS pilot program.

EVMS is a computer-automated payment system that was created through a partnership between the U.S. Housing Authority, HUD, and Deloitte Consulting firm. The system was developed to effectively streamline the way that Public Housing Authority (PHA) Voucher Programs process housing assistance payments.  For Terri Cole, Vice President of Rental Assistance for THA, being selected by HUD to speak at this year’s summit was a wonderful opportunity for THA to step into the role of change agent for PHAs across this country.

“Attending HUD’s EVMS Summit was an outstanding opportunity for THA to become a leader in this innovative technology, that when fully implemented, will streamline the way that PHA Voucher Programs across the country receive funding,” said Cole.

Sharing the stage with the Hagerstown Housing Authority, the panelist spoke about their experiences over this past year as participants in the EVMS pilot program and fielded questions from attendees. Currently HUD’s EVMS program has nine agencies and plans to continue selecting PHA’s across the U.S. to expand their program in the years ahead.

HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. More information about EVMS and HUD’s other programs, visit their website at www.hud.gov.