contributed Photo Gene Reed, front row in center, is the new executive director of the Abilene Housing Authority.

The Abilene Housing Authority's split from the city has proved successful and resulted in no hard feelings, officials with each group say.

"The transition has gone smoothly, and we continue to have a good relationship with the Housing Authority board and staff," said Jon James, the city's director of planning and development services.

James said the city has been working with the Housing Authority over the last few months, assisting with the "final separation," which occurred Oct. 1.

"We have a great relationship with the city," said Gene Reed, 38, who recently started work as the Housing Authority's executive director after working four years with the Cincinnati Housing Authority -- the 17th largest housing agency in the country.

Reed said the city continues to provide IT (information technology) and phone support for the agency.

However, from a U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department standpoint, the 18-county authority is a "stand-alone organization right now," Reed said.

Previously, the authority's five-member board had to respond to the mayor and city manager, prompting some board members to push to separate from the city.

Reed said his agency is looking at a number of ways to aid landlords and tenants for the more than 800 properties that are part of the Housing Choice Voucher Program in Abilene and participants who live in the 213 public housing units in the city.

Under the Housing Choice Voucher Program, tenants are allowed to use vouchers that range, based on a number of factors, from roughly $475 for a one-bedroom place to nearly $1,000 for a four-bedroom place. Under the public housing program, qualifying people or families are placed in government-owned units.

"We're looking to more effectively communicate with the landlords," Reed said, including developing an online newsletter.

Additionally, Reed said, "We want to start a landlord steering committee ... (to) let us see the dynamics they are seeing" in apartment complexes, houses, condos and mobile homes.

In mid to late November, Reed said, plans are to have an open house for landlords.