How is HUD doing in its quest for excellence? According to a new HUD report How's HUD Doing? Agency Performance as Judged by Its Partners, most of its partners generally are satisfied with its performance. These partners serve as intermediaries who deliver HUD's programs to the American people, and so they, more than other entities, are aware of the agency's performance. To obtain an objective assessment of its performance, HUD contracted the Urban Institute to develop and conduct surveys of random samples of eight partner groups:
The surveys were conducted from December 2000 through April 2001. Partners' responses were analyzed in respect to their assessments of HUD's overall performance, the quality of service it provides, the effects of organizational and management changes on the way the agency does its work, and the extent to which its organizational and management reform objectives have been met. Majorities within each partner group expressed satisfaction with HUD's programs and the way they are administered; however, most indicated that they are only somewhat satisfied as opposed to very satisfied. In addition, a large percentage of the partner groups were more satisfied with the agency's programs than with the way the programs are administered. Overall, there was a considerable variation in satisfaction with HUD's performance among the groups. HUD's partners were also asked to evaluate the agency's overall quality of service during the several years before the assessment to determine whether the quality of service generally had improved or worsened. Moreover, surveyors asked them to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the responsiveness and competence of the people at HUD with whom they dealt; the reasonableness of the rules and requirements that applied to them; the quality and timeliness of the information they received; and the quality and consistency of the guidance they received. Majorities within each partner group expressed satisfaction with the overall quality of service they received from HUD. A majority of the partner groups observed an improvement of service. Sizable majorities of all partner groups were satisfied with the responsiveness and competence of HUD staff with whom they dealt, particularly individuals in HUD's field offices. Majorities within each partner group were satisfied with the quality and timeliness of information they received from HUD. As a third point of assessment, partners were asked to express whether they believed the major management reforms that occurred at HUD during the several years prior to the assessment had made the agency better or worse. The overall conclusion among the groups was that things are moving in the right direction. However, in assessing HUD staffing changes, most partners suggested that the agency was not better off as a result of the changes. In the final assessment question, partners were asked whether they believed HUD had fully achieved, mostly achieved, partially achieved, or not achieved its management reform objectives. On a four-point scale, with zero representing not achieved and three representing fully achieved, the average score for all partner groups across the reform objectives was about one—indicating that in the partners' assessment, the objectives had been partially achieved. Order How's HUD Doing? Agency Performance as Judged by Its Partners from HUD USER for $5. Use the order form. The report can also be downloaded from the HUD USER website at www.huduser.gov.
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