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Roland Rodriguez: Best Wishes for a Happy Retirement! more.

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Putting it all together in 2006

SAHA has the right people, the proper motivation and the best philosophy. Now it’s time to put it all together.

By Henry A. Alvarez III
SAHA President and CEO

      Last year, we talked about a bright future for SAHA. This year, the future we talked about is here.
      We’ve done much in the past two years to get to this stage: We reorganized our management structure; we added talented professionals to our already strong pool of housing experts; we developed clear and concise plans to achieve our goals, and we’ve crafted four core values to guide our actions to success.
      Now it’s time to put all those pieces together.
      In 2006, we’ll be successful because our talented workforce will use skill and passion to push forward our plans to revitalize our existing housing, create new housing opportunities, and foster programs to help people achieve self-sufficiency.
      We’ll be successful because we will always do the right thing as we interact with our clients, our business partners and the community at large. We’ll be successful because the plans we create come from a true commitment to improving our housing programs and the lives of our residents.
      We will be successful because we have changed the way we do business to better suit our changing and growing community, and we will constantly seek new and innovative approaches to giving San Antonio’s low-income citizens decent, affordable housing.
      Most importantly, 2006 will be a landmark year for SAHA because you are a caring, compassionate corps of housing professionals who will not shrink from a challenge and who will persevere through our difficult challenges to reach the goals we’ve set for ourselves.
      We have all the ingredients we need for success. In 2006, we’ll put those ingredients together to create the future we’ve talked about, and I look forward to working with you as we do it.

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Gasoline Card Winners


      We want to thank all SAHA employees for their participation in completing the Job Description Questionnaires (JDQs) for the classification and compensation study.  A review of the JDQs is now underway. 
      Four departments completed all job surveys by the Dec. 22, 2005 deadline. From those departments, the following were randomly selected to receive a $25.00 gasoline card:

• Leticia A. Martinez, Intergovernmental Relations Manager
• Ronald E. Lanigan, Buyer
• Larry A. Barker, Security Officer
• George Guerra, PC Support Manager

 Congratulations to all!

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New Desktop

SAHA.net, the agency's new intranet service, debuts in January.

     SAHAnet, the agency’s new intranet web site, debuts in January to replace the familiar desktop most SAHA employees have used in recent years.
      SAHA computer and technology experts created the site and the intranet capability to give employees better access to important information and to create a user-friendly forum for communicating throughout SAHA.
      While SAHAnet replaces the desktop currently on agency computers, it retains many of the most popular features, including links to JD Edwards and MLS through the metaframe, the public library and other functions.
      Also, the site will offer a link for Google searches, a weather update function, and easy-to-use links.
      “SAHAnet offers more useful information. It’s fun to use, and the information employees need is easier to find,” said Chuck Modliszewski, SAHA’s Vice President for Technology and Communications.
      Using a weblog or “blog” format, the new desktop gives employees the ability to post notices to all SAHA employees without using mass emails. Individuals and organizations can use the desktop to post notices. The notices expire within 5 days of posting.
      Planned future enhancements include an "Employee's Corner," where employees can easily view leave and sick balances, telephone numbers, pay and other information.

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Accident Reporting

When accidents happen, supervisors should be the first to know.

      When SAHA employees are involved in accidents, supervisors play a critical role in helping the employee get medical attention and in preventing future accidents.
      All employees must contact their supervisor immediately after an accident has occurred.  In the event of injury, you must follow your doctor's orders and provide all medical paperwork to Laura Longoria in the Risk Management department. 
      Supervisors should come by the Risk Management office with your employee to pick up a Concentra authorization form before taking your employee to seek medical attention.  If the employee requires immediate attention, the supervisor should take the employee directly to Concentra.
      The Risk Management department should be contacted with accident information so a verbal authorization can be made to Concentra.  If the employee is injured to the point of incapacitation, an ambulance should be called for emergency response.
      The supervisor must complete an Employee Accident Report with both the employee and supervisor's signature and a Supervisor's Investigation Report, which only requires the supervisor's signature within 24 Hours of the accident.
      This is critical because of time limitations in filing initial Workers' Compensation paperwork.
      To access the reporting documents, please go to:

L:\Public Library\SAHA Shared Folder for Everyone\Risk Management Forms

      The preferred method is to e-mail the reports to Veronica Guevara, and then bring the original copies to the Risk Management department after all pertinent parties have signed and dated them. 

Contact Information: 
Veronica Guevara, Risk Manager
Phone:  477-6110
Cell:  339-2155 Radio #339
Fax:  477-6062

Laura Longoria, Risk Analyst
Phone:  477-6403
Cell:  559-3334 Radio #49
Fax:  477-6062

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Accident Prevention

Making the workplace a safety zone.

    How safe is your workplace? If you work to make it a safety zone, it can be one of the safest places around.
      Falls are one of the top causes of workplace injuries and premises injuries.  We can make our workplace and properties safer by educating our employees and residents to be aware of work and walking surfaces.
      We encourage slip resistant shoes when appropriate.  We ask that you use good judgment.  More often than not, doubt means don't.  If you're not sure you can pick up that window unit by yourself, don't because you probably can't and you certainly shouldn't. If you're uncertain whether or not those boots are slippery on tile, don't wear them.
      Preventing accidents is only as effective as our collective preventative actions. 

Scholarships for Children of Employees

      Graduating high school seniors whose parents are full- or part-time employees of SAHA are eligible to apply for scholarships for the 2006-2007 school year from the Texas Housing Association and Southwest NAHRO. Applications are available in the Community Initiatives office (room 109), on the SAHA web site and in the SAHA lobby. Deadlines are March 17 and 31, respectively.

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SAHA "HERO" Award: Joe Ramos


      The SAHA Hero Award has been created to acknowledge far-above-the-call of duty efforts of SAHA employees. This award, bestowed by the President/CEO and the Board of Commissioners, will recognize great deeds, selfless efforts and the embodiment of SAHA’s core values by employees.
      On December 5, 2005, SAHA Maintenance Technician Joe Ramos displayed great courage and dedication to the welfare of others when he selflessly went to the aid of a mother and child trapped by fire on a balcony at Towering Oaks Apartments. Ramos was performing his normal work duties, helping a cable installer, when he heard a woman calling for help. When he found the woman and her child on the balcony of their second floor apartment, eight units, including the woman’s, were ablaze. With the aid of the cable installer, Joe helped the boy escape the balcony. Then, demonstrating selfless courage, Joe used a ladder to climb to the woman and pulled her from the balcony.
      Joe Ramos’ actions epitomize the spirit, courageousness and compassionate qualities of SAHA employees and have given the agency every reason to be proud.  We’re proud of Joe, and he is a SAHA Hero!

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SAHA Spotlight

Roland Rodriguez: Best Wishes for a Happy Retirement!

      Roland Rodriguez, Trade Electrical Supervisor, retires January 13 after 22 years with SAHA.  Roland started with SAHA as a Journeyman Electrician and then was promoted to an Electrical Supervisor.  Roland says he enjoyed working for SAHA in doing what he loves to do and will miss his friends and co-workers. After he retires, he plans to start his own business and take a trip to Europe.
      SAHA will greatly miss Roland’s expertise and strong work ethic, and wishes him the greatest happiness in his retirement.
      Thank you, Roland, for your dedication and commitment.