Title
HEARING - Health and Human Services Agency recommending the Board, acting as the Governing Board of the El Dorado County Public Housing Authority:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 076-2020 to acknowledge updates related to the Project Voucher Program, thereby further amending the 2019 Administrative Plan; and
2) Authorize the Director of Health and Human Services to sign certifications or documents, if any, related to the further amended 2019 Administrative Plan. (Est. Time: 5 Min.)
FUNDING: 93% Federal, 4.2% Public Housing Authority Fund Balance, 2.5% General Fund, 0.3% other revenue sources.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The El Dorado County PHA provides eligible participants with rental assistance vouchers to offset housing costs through the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program. This federally funded program provides eligible low-income individuals and families with safe housing. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires all PHAs to develop and maintain two plans for the operation and administration of the HCV Program: 1) the PHA Agency Plan addresses all aspects of the overall operation of the HCV Program; and 2) the PHA Administrative Plan establishes policies that conform to HUD regulations.
Public Housing Authority Agency Plan:
Historically, the County PHA develops and submits a five-year Public Housing Authority Agency Plan to HUD. Thereafter, the annual updated Agency Plan is submitted to the Board for approval. This annual update is required and provides residents, of the jurisdiction over which the PHA presides, with knowledge of the PHA’s long-term and short-term goals and objectives. The Agency Plan identifies policies, rules, and standards that govern program participation and management. Title VII of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, passed by the United States Congress on July 28, 2008, establishes certain exemptions to the annual submittal requirements under sections 2701 and 2702 of the Small Public Housing Authorities Paperwork Reduction Act. A PHA that is determined to be exempt from the required Annual Agency Plan update submission to HUD must have fewer than 550 vouchers or units, must not be designated in a HUD audit as a troubled PHA, and must not have a failing score under the Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP). SEMAP scores 90-100 as High Performer Rating; 60-89 as Standard Rating; and a score less than 60 is considered a Troubled Housing Authority.
The El Dorado County PHA meets the requirements for exemption as it currently has 374 vouchers/units, has not been designated by HUD as a troubled PHA, and has scored 100 on the 2019 SEMAP Assessment, thereby meeting the criteria of a High Performer.
Public Housing Authority Administrative Plan:
On September 12, 1995, the Board adopted a local Administrative Plan to establish policies for the PHA. The Administrative Plan must be amended on an annual basis to keep it consistent with changes initiated at the federal level and to reflect any local policy changes and the public must be provided an opportunity to review and comment on the updated plan in a public hearing. The Administrative Plan was posted for public comment and the public notifications of this hearing were published in April 2020, in accordance with notice requirement. After review and approval by the Board, the PHA submits a list of revisions made to the Administrative Plan to HUD.
Upon receipt and approval of the PHA Agency Plan and PHA Administrative Plan annual updates, the Board adopts and approves a resolution indicating the approvals, completes certain certifications and documents, and HHSA submits said Resolution and Certifications/documents to HUD. The PHA Agency Plan and PHA Administrative Plan annual updates are not submitted to HUD.
Mainstream Voucher Program:
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 made approximately $385 million available for new mainstream vouchers. On September 4, 2018, HUD awarded more than $98 million to qualified applicants through a previous funding announcement. On July 2, 2019, the HUD released a Notice of Funding Availability for the Mainstream Voucher Program.
The goal of the Mainstream Voucher Program is to provide additional vouchers to those PHAs who will assist non-elderly persons with disabilities transitioning out of an institutional setting as well as those currently experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. Preference points were awarded for PHAs that demonstrate established partnerships with supportive service partner agencies and organizations, including organizations providing services similar to those provided by the Health and Human Services Agency.
On August 13, 2019, the Board authorized the submission of a funding application to HUD for the Mainstream Voucher Program, with the purpose of project-basing the vouchers to serve probationers transitioning out of homelessness. As a result of a successful proposal, the PHA was awarded ten (10) additional vouchers under the Mainstream Voucher Program. As these vouchers are project-based to the probation population, the vouchers follow the rules of the Project Based Voucher (PBV) Program. Under the PBV Program framework, the PHA enters into an assistance contract with the owner of specified rental units, for a specified term (up to twenty years for the initial term) subject to funding availability. Assistance or subsidy is provided while eligible families occupy the rental housing units and the unit meets other program standards. The subsidy cannot be moved to other units in the complex except as allowed under regulation. To fill vacant project-based units, the PHA refers individuals from a waiting list to the owner as required under legislation; the waiting list for these specific PBVs will be derived from probationers/clients transitioning out of institutional settings who will be receiving active case management services from the Probation Department and supplemental community resource connections through Coordinated Entry Services in order to prevent these individuals and their families from becoming chronically homeless. The PHA subsidy standards determine the appropriate unit size for the family size and composition.
The PHA Administrative Plan is being further amended to correct wording regarding parameters of how the target population may qualify for Project Based housing vouchers.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation and disapprove the resolution, the HHSA Public Housing Authority will be unable to continue its efforts to conduct a Request for Proposals to find qualified owner(s) with rental units meeting HUD requirements that can be contracted for use in support of the PBVs resulting from the Mainstream Voucher Program.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
1) 10-22-2019, File ID 19-1289, HHSA Amended 2019 Public Housing Authority Administrative Plan
2) 08-13-2019, File ID 19-1136, HHSA Mainstream Voucher Program Application
3) 06-04-2019, File ID 19-0797, HHSA 2019 Public Housing Authority
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Approved by County Counsel.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no net cost associated with this Agenda item.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Clerk of the Board to obtain the Chair’s signature on one (1) original of the Resolution.
2) Clerk of the Board to return one (1) certified Resolution to Health and Human Services Agency, Contracts Unit, 3057 Briw Road.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
County Strategic Goal: “Healthy Communities - Improved health, well-being and self-sufficiency of El Dorado County communities, residents, and visitors.”
CONTACT
Don Semon, Health and Human Services Agency Director