The public housing operating fund (PH opfund) provides operating subsidies to housing authorities (has) to assist in funding the operating and maintenance expenses of their dwellings, in accordance…

The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Public and Indian Housing Office awarded the Watertown Housing Authority $512,738 under the Public Housing Operating Fund (CFDA 14.850) on January 1, 2026, for operating and maintenance expenses of public housing in Watertown, New York.

The funding supports day-to-day operational activities including property management, routine and preventative maintenance, anti-crime and security initiatives, energy costs, resident supportive services, insurance, and debt service. The Watertown Housing Authority, doing business as Skyline Apartments, uses the operating subsidy to assist in meeting the costs of maintaining services and providing minimum operating reserves for its public housing inventory serving low-income residents.

The award obligates $512,738 with a period of performance extending through December 31, 2032, and place of performance at Watertown, New York 13601. This is a formula grant allocated based on the authority's public housing inventory characteristics—unit counts, building age, and construction costs—rather than through competitive application. The Public Housing Operating Fund is a $5 billion program providing operating subsidies nationwide to approximately 6,000 housing authorities serving 1,590,321 public housing residents.

Activities

Operating funds are used to fund day-to-day operational expenses associated with public housing as well as the administrative and program implementation expenses that public housing agencies (phas) are required to undertake under the 1937 housing act and program regulations. Such activities include management and operations, routine and preventative maintenance, anti-crime, anti-drug and security activities, operating costs for privately owned public housing units within mixed-finance projects, energy costs, resident supportive services, insurance, debt service and costs associated with administration and program implementation. Turnkey III projects are funded for units under the final lease purchase agreement for closing out the program. To support these activities, there is continued modernization of the information technology platforms. Phas have access to web-based platforms that utilize real-time data to provide insight into their portfolios. Phas can obtain metrics on their funding levels, occupancy rates, and the number of families served through rental assistance.

Expected outcomes

As a result of the activities performed, this program is expected to assist in funding the operating and maintenance expenses. This may include increased occupancy in public housing, decreased energy costs through regular maintenance and energy performance contracting and leverage federal resources. In addition to addressing the department's strategic goals of: • addressing the need for quality affordable rental homes by maintaining or improving upon the 96% occupancy rate of habitable units; • promoting housing as a platform to improve quality of life through supportive services, crime prevention efforts and resident engagement activities; and • helping to build inclusive communities free from discrimination by facilitating the implementation of affirmatively furthering fair housing measures.

Intended beneficiaries

The operating fund provides for the operation and maintenance of low-income housing projects to phas/projects. IT was created to assist housing authorities in providing decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families or individuals, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. A HA determines eligibility based on 1) annual gross income; 2) a person on who is elderly, a person with a disability, or as a family; and 3) U.S. Citizenship or eligible immigration status.

Subrecipient activities

The subrecipient activities are unknown at the time of award.