No Place Like Home: Job Order Contracting (JOC) for Housing Renovations

Job Order Contracting (JOC) is an efficient and flexible construction procurement method that enables organizations to complete many projects with one competitively awarded contract. Responsible for more than 46,000 projects and $4 billion in construction volume every year, Gordian’s Job Order Contracting solutions are the go-to delivery method for various types of work. For years, housing authorities and other public sector entities have turned to JOC to complete housing renovations that improve the quality of life for individual residents and beautify entire communities.

Why Use Job Order Contracting for Housing Renovations?

Job Order Contracting is ideal for housing renovations because of its unique, single-solicitation approach to project delivery. JOC enables owners to use one contract for many projects without the time and effort of sending each one out to bid. That’s an efficient use of resources for housing projects. Further, satisfying public procurement regulations one time enables contractors to start work fast, allowing them to renovate, repair and maintain assets quickly.

City of Tampa Mobilizes Rapid Response to Housing Emergency

When hard rains collapsed a portion of a roof and caused an electrical short, a woman and her daughter found themselves forced from their home. Recognizing the urgency of the crisis, city officials responded immediately, organizing a meeting with local JOC contractor Austin Construction Group and Gordian to assess the situation. The city took swift measures to complete the emergency work via Tampa’s Housing Rehabilitation & Renovation Program, a special initiative designed to improve housing conditions by providing financial assistance for renovations and home repairs to eligible homeowners.

As soon as the meeting ended, Austin Construction got to work, providing a tarp to temporarily prevent any further water damage to the home. The company also expedited the project permit, having it approved in a single day. The final scope of work included installing a new HVAC system; removing and installing drywall in the kitchen, bedrooms and family room; reinsulating attic space to achieve the proper R-Value; adding new baseboards; painting;  trimming trees; installing a new water heater, new kitchen cabinets and smoke detectors; and making repairs to an exterior stucco wall. In all, the emergency project cost approximately $100,000. 

The efficiency with which the work was completed and the collaboration between the City of Tampa, Austin Construction and Gordian were exemplary of JOC best practices, earning the project a 2024 Award of Merit in Job Order Contracting.

Harrisburg Housing Authority (HHA) Makes Sweeping Improvements

Pandemic restrictions brought Harrisburg Housing Authority’s (HHA) community improvement projects to a standstill, creating a massive backlog directly impacting the lives of over 5,000 residents. When mandated lockdowns and other restrictions lifted, HHA needed a way to act quickly to make renovations and repairs, so they accessed a Gordian Job Order Contract via the Keystone Purchasing Network (KPN), a cooperative purchasing association serving Pennsylvania. These contracts are ironed out and shovel-ready, meaning awarded contractor LoBar Associates could get on site immediately.

The project spanned 1,100+ apartments and 80 houses across three communities, and included tree removal, fence and railing repairs, concrete walkway replacements and the renovation of eight playgrounds. LoBar also repaired and replaced porches, restored siding and soffit, and fixed up close to 100 entrances, all with one Cooperative JOC contract. In all, the housing renovations cost HHA $1.2 million. The project was such a success and made such a phenomenal impact on the community, it won Gordian’s 2022 Harry H. Mellon Award of Excellence in Job Order Contracting.

Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) Improves Affordable Residences

The second-largest public housing authority in California, LACDA is responsible for over 2,900 units that 6,000+ residents call home. Many residents are elderly or disabled, so unit safety is at a premium. LACDA uses grant money to fund maintenance and repairs, however those funds may be reduced if it is deemed that they aren’t being used efficiently. In 2010, LACDA was struggling to spend and keep grant funding, only completing 10 to 15 repair and renovation projects each year. The county needed a new tool to complete projects and meet their residents’ needs. In 2011, officials adopted Gordian’s Job Order Contracting to reverse course and deliver more improvements.

JOC allowed LACDA to address property needs in as little as 30 days, far faster than it was previously able. Since its implementation, the JOC program has enabled LACDA to increase throughput from 15 projects per year to 60, a 400% increase. Not only has grant funding grown, but LACDA has met all Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, implemented energy conservation measures to lower living costs for their residents, rehabilitated previously vacant units to accommodate more people and even completed emergency repairs in less than 24 hours.

Because of this, LACDA has been able to maintain a 99% occupancy rate and has been recognized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with High Performer status since 2011. Job Order Contracting is also allowing LACDA to give back to the local workforce by hiring more than 30% of their contractors from low- or very low-income areas in the county.

Job Order Contracting is just one solution Gordian offers to help state and local government entities manage their assets across the building lifecycle. See them all.

New York Town Replaces Decks Cabin Decks

Just outside of Rochester, New York, bordering Lake Ontario and the Genesee River, sits the Town of Irondequoit. Home to the Seabreeze Amusement Park and number of historical sites, the idyllic town is a treasure in the eyes of locals and tourists.

For outdoorsy types, Irondequoit offers Camp Eastman, wooded grounds with large cabins and lodges available for rent. The cabins were pristine except for the condition of the decks. Renters complained of chipped paint, nails sticking out far enough to catch a bare ankle or toe, and bowing floor planks.

In an effort to address concerns quickly, town leaders used Gordian’s Cooperative JOC to complete repairs between the end of Camp Eastman’s summer camp activities and Irondequoit’s annual Oktoberfest celebration, a tradition going back over 30 years.

The cabin renovations project consisted of removing and replacing four existing exterior decks, one of which was attached to the park’s restrooms. The Pike Company also refinished the hardwood flooring in one of the cabins, installed new vinyl flooring in another and completed miscellaneous interior and exterior repairs. In all, the project cost the Town of Irondequoit a shade under $59,000.

See all of Gordian’s solutions for public housing authorities and parks and recreation departments.