Original founding board members of TMHA were Mr. Robert
B. White, Jr., Mr. Lewis H Brown, Mr. Glessner Lechner,
Mr. Paul Simpson, and Mr. Luther Cato.
Many forward thinking and dedicated citizens have served
on the TMHA Board of Commissioners over the years. Founding
member Luther Cato had a strong vision for the role of
TMHA in Tuscarawas County, and served on the board until
his death in 1997.
See the Board of Commissioners section
for current board appointees.
TMHA is a contract administrator for U.S. Housing &
Urban Development (HUD). The authority’s biggest
program is the HUD Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.
TMHA also administrates the Family Self Sufficiency program
for Section 8 families who wish to enhance their income
through employment, and want to establish an escrow savings
account. Beginning in 2002, TMHA took over management of Clay
Village Apartments in Uhrichsville, a multi- family 40-unit
apartment complex serving low-income families through
the Rural Development (formerly FmHA) 515 subsidy program.
TMHA Staff |
Board of Commissioners
Staff
Martin Howell
Martin Howell joined the staff of the Tuscarawas Metropolitan Housing Authority in
1992 and now holds the position of Executive Director. He wears a number of hats
at TMHA including bookkeeping duties, and maintaining TMHA's accounting records.
Mr. Howell also provides in-house management and oversight for the TMHA internal
computer network, Section 8 tenant/owner housing database, and numerous software
programs. Before becoming the Executive Director he also served as the TMHA Fiscal
Administrator and prior to that as HQS
Inspector, in charge of TMHA's inspection program to determine if rental units
placed on the Section 8 program meet HUD's Housing Quality Standards (HQS)
standards.
TMHA also operates a side-by-side non-profit known as Tuscarawas Affordable Housing
Services which owns and operates a 40 unit apartment complex in Uhrichsville, Ohio
known as Clay Village Apartments. Mr. Howell serves as the President of Tuscarawas
Affordable Housing Services.
Prior to joining the housing authority, Mr. Howell served eight years in
the military in various positions with the U.S. Army. He is a graduate of Strasburg
High School and attended the University of Akron.
Sarah West
Sara West originally joined the TMHA staff in June 2009 as an Occupancy Specialist. She became the the FSS/Homeownership Coordinator in November of 2016. Her primary
duties are coordinating the FSS (Family Self-Sufficiency) Program which involves
closely working with Section 8 recipients and local service agencies to assist clients
achieve their self-sufficiency goals according to their individual case plan. She
conducts their recertification and processes any interim changes that may occur.
Assisting with resume writing, preparing individuals
for employment interviews, and networking with other community agencies that can assist
individuals with their needs are all part of her duties. She introduces the program at
new tenant briefings and screens potential FSS participants.
In addition, Sarah works with families to achieve their dream of becoming a homeowner thru
the Homeownership Program offered by TMHA. She presents homeownership training sessions to
qualified families.
Sarah graduated from Dover High School and has a Bachelor of Arts in History and
Criminal Justice Studies from Kent State University. In addition to working at TMHA,
she is a tour guide at the J.E. Reeves Home and Museum
Elain Yenni
Elain Yenni joined the staff of the Tuscarawas Metropolitan Housing Authority in
1997 and has the position of Occupancy/Portability Specialist. Her primary
responsibilities with TMHA include pulling names from the waiting list, processing
client applications, screening applicants for eligibility, assisting the Fraud
Investigator with leads regarding potential tenant fraud, presenting program rules,
policies, procedures & policies in new tenant briefings, reviewing Request for
Tenant Approval forms, preparing all leases, calculating interim changes of clients
income and family composition changes, processing requests to transfer Section 8
vouchers into or out of Tuscarawas County.
Additionally, Ms. Yenni coordinates the Shelter + Care Program and New Philadelphia
Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program (separate programs administered by TMHA).
Prior to joining the housing authority Elain worked at Whitemyer Advertising as a
Production Coordinator. She has three daughters, Ashli, a nurse at Union Hospital,
Autumn, an Adjudication Coordinator at Ohio Board of Nursing, and Ashanté, a nurse
at Gabrail Cancer Center. She has a precious grandson Carter, who is her pride and
joy. She currently resides in New Philadelphia.
Terry Brugger
Terry Brugger joined the staff of the Tuscarawas Metropolitan Housing Authority in
June, 2009. He is serving as the TMHA HQS Inspector,
in charge of TMHA's inspection program to determine if rental units
placed on the Section 8 program meet HUD's Housing Quality Standards
(HQS).
Prior to joining the housing authority, Mr. Brugger was
employed as an Operational Supervisor at Zimmer Orthopaedic Surgical
Products.
He is a graduate of Garaway High School, and holds an Associate's
Degree in Chemical Engineering From Columbus Technical Institute,
and a
Bachelor's Degree in Business from Otterbein College.
Tracie Smith
Tracie Smith joined the staff of the Tuscarawas Metropolitan Housing Authority in
June of 2010 and has the position of Occupancy Specialist Assistant. Her primary
responsibilities with TMHA are processing applications for the waiting list, general
office duties, obtaining verification information, reviewing leases and contracts
with tenants and landlords, scheduling appointments and inspections, preparing
formal application and recertification packets and processing payments to TMHA.
For the previous thirteen years prior to joining TMHA, Tracie was employed by Marlow
Omnicare Pharmacy as a billing adjudicator. She and her husband reside in Dover.
They have four children and eight grandchildren.
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Board of Commissioners
Jill Lengler
Jill Lengler, Chairperson of the TMHA Board of Commissioners was first appointed to the
Board by the Mayor of New Philadelphia in the 1980's. Miss Lengler is a Tuscarawas County
Native, Kent State University graduate with degree in Architecture; 21 years with W. E.
Quicksall and Associates, Consulting Engineers, working with local communities for funding
for infrastructure; 6 years Assistant Director at the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association
(OMEGA) a 10 county Appalachian Development District. Currently starting 4th year as Director
of Tuscarawas County Regional Planning Commission and is Floodplain Coordinator for Tuscarawas
County.
Current Affiliations: Dover Shade Tree Commission, Dover Historical Society, Chairman of
Tuscarawas Metropolitan Housing Authority, President of Crossroads Resource Conservation &
Development, a 12 county nonprofit. Jill is married, has 2 children and resides in Dover.
Carol Penix
Carol Penix has been a long serving member of the
Tuscarawas MHA Board of Commissioners. She had initially
been appointed by the Tuscarawas County Commissioners,
but after a brief absence from the Board, was reappointed
in 2000 by the Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court. Ms.
Penix is currently Project Director for Harcatus Housing
where she is responsible for housing and weatherization
services in the three county area of Harrison, Carroll
and Tuscarawas Counties. In her position she is responsible
for home repair, utility programs, home counseling services,
new home construction and the universal service fund.
She is a graduate of the University of Akron with a Bachelors
Degree in Social Work / Sociology. Carol is a member of
Grace Lutheran Church, National Association of Social
Workers and is a Board Member of the Corporation of Ohio
Appalachian Development. She resides in Dover and is an
avid Ohio State and Dover football fan.
Kris Cardani
Kris Cardani was appointed to the TMHA Board of Commissioners in
March 2014 by the Tuscarawas County Commissioners to fill the
vacancy left by the death of long serving TMHA board member Dave Smith.
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