INTRO TO HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAMS - SANTA ROSA HOUSING AUTHORITY SONOMA COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY - County of Sonoma
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INTRO TO HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAMS SANTA ROSA HOUSING AUTHORITY SONOMA COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
TYPES OF VOUCHERS EACH HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS A UNIQUE MIX OF VOUCHER PROGRAMS
Standard Housing Choice Voucher
SRHA – 1,489 Vouchers SCHA – 2,879 Vouchers
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES /
• Applicants must be admitted through a waitlist WHERE CAN A PERSON LEASE-UP?
• Both Housing Authorities have a limited preference serving persons • SRHA jurisdiction is all of the area within the incorporated City of
experiencing homelessness Santa Rosa
• Applicants can come from anywhere in the United States • SCHA jurisdiction is all areas in Sonoma County excepting the
incorporated City of Santa Rosa
• Housing Authorities are not allowed to give preference or limit
applicants based on geographical area within or outside the • Except for Reasonable Accommodations, voucher holders are
jurisdiction required to live within the jurisdiction of the issuing Housing
Authority for 12 months prior to transferring to another
• Households may apply to multiple Waiting Lists regardless of where
jurisdiction
they live when they apply
• People may choose where they live – aside from the issues related
• Applicants undergo a background check looking back 3 years for
to jurisdiction, there is no requirement that a person live in one
violence or drug related criminal convictions
city/town or another and steering is prohibited under federal law
• Lifetime sex offenders are prohibited from participatingProject-Based Vouchers (PBVs) SRHA – 399 PBVs SCHA – 415 PBVs • A subset of the Housing Choice Voucher that ties voucher assistance to a unit in a development • Housing Authorities are allowed to project-base up to 20% of their vouchers • An additional 10% may be project-based if the units meet specific HUD requirements to provide permanent supportive housing to persons experiencing homelessness or other special populations • PBVs are awarded to developments on a competitive basis via a Request for Proposals process • SCHA currently has 415 PBVs either committed or in use (14.4% of its program vouchers) • SRHA currently has 399 PBVs either committed or in use (21% of its program vouchers)
Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH)
SRHA – 414 Vouchers SCHA – 15 Vouchers
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES
• Applicants must be referred by the local • The Housing Authorities have an
office of Veterans Affairs interjurisdictional agreement allowing
VASH vouchers to be utilized within
• There is no criminal background check
either jurisdiction without portability
associated with this program
• Lifetime sex offenders are prohibited
from participationEmergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs)
SRHA – 131 Vouchers SCHA – 153 Vouchers
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES
• Must be referred through the Coordinated • Applicants may immediately port their
Entry System voucher to any Housing Authority in the
United States
• Applicants undergo background check
looking back 12 months for violent • SRHA and SCHA have an
criminal activity interjurisdictional agreement allowing
participants to lease in either jurisdiction
• Lifetime sex offenders are prohibited from
without portability
participationMainstream Vouchers
SCHA - 231
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES
• Applicant household must contain a non-elderly (18-62), disabled member • SCHA and SRHA have an interjurisdictional agreement allowing
Mainstream vouchers to be utilized within either jurisdiction without
• Applicants must be homeless, at risk of homelessness or at risk of portability
institutionalization
• Except for Reasonable Accommodations, voucher holders are required to
• Housing Authorities are not allowed to give preference or limit applicants live within the jurisdiction of the Housing Authority for 12 months prior
based on geographical area within or outside the jurisdiction to transferring to another jurisdiction
• Housing Authority must draw eligible households off of its main HCV
waitlist before taking referrals
• Vouchers may be referral based from local supportive services providers
or the Coordinated System
• Applicants undergo a background check looking back 3 years for violence
or drug related criminal convictions
• Lifetime sex offenders are prohibited from participatingSPECIAL SUBSETS OF THE SCHA HOUSING CHOICE
VOUCHER PROGRAM
MOVE-ON PROGRAM
FAMILY UNIFICATION PROGRAM • This is a local program and is not mandated by HUD
• 10% of annual turn-over vouchers have been earmarked for this program
• SCHA has 117 of these vouchers (approximately 36)
• Vouchers were awarded to the HA as part of a competitive application • PSH providers may refer clients who are ready to “move-on” to
process permanent housing with reduced supportive services
• Vouchers are referral based from Sonoma County Family Youth and
Children Services
REENTRY PILOT PROGRAM
• Designated for Families whose have had their children removed from the
household and stable housing is the last requirement for the children to • This is a local program and is not mandated by HUD
be returned to the household • This is a pilot program ending December 31, 2022 unless extended
• Designated for Youth aging out of foster care – 3 year maximum • Individuals who would otherwise be ineligible for the program may be
assistance for this population referred by an approved partnering agency who has entered into an
• The Housing Authorities have an interjurisdictional agreement allowing agreement with the Sonoma County Probation Department
FUP vouchers to be utilized within either jurisdiction without portability • 15 vouchers a year have been earmarked for this programVOUCHER COUNT SUMMARY
Housing PBVs (within VASH EHVs Mainstream
Housing Choice)
Choice
SRHA 1,489 399 414 131 0
SCHA 2,879 415 15 153 231VOUCHER PURPOSE SUMMARY
Referral Waitlist? Homeless Portable? Geographic Non-Elderly, Role for
Requirements?
Process Preference? Disabled? CES?
Must live in HA
Housing
Wait List Yes Limited Yes jurisdiction for 12 N/A No
Choice months
PBVs RFP Yes Allowed No N/A N/A No
US Dept of Yes, VA
Referral
VASH Veterans No coordinating Catchment N/A No
based only
Affairs with VA Area
Provider Can be Immediate
EHVs Yes Yes portability
N/A Yes
Committee referral based
Provider Must live in HA
Can be
Mainstream Waitlist Yes Yes jurisdiction for 12 Yes Yes
referral based months
or CESWAITLIST PROGRAMS VS REFERRAL PROGRAMS
STRICTLY WAITLIST BASED CAN BE REFERRAL BASED
• Emergency Housing Voucher
• Housing Choice Voucher
• Mainstream Voucher
• Project Based Voucher
• Homeless Preference Vouchers
STRICTLY REFERRAL BASED
• VASH
• Family Unification Program (SCHA)
• Move-On Program (SCHA)
• Reentry Pilot Program (SCHA)WAITLIST LOTTERIES
SRHA SCHA
• Waitlist organized by lottery and month of • In 2019 cancelled its existing waitlist and went to a lottery based
system for both the HCV and PBV program
application
• Currently serving households that applied in • An open application period was held – 500 applicants were selected
via random lottery for placement on the HCV waitlist. Other PBV
2012 waitlists were also developed at this time
• Generally open once every two years for new
• All 500 HCV applicants have received an opportunity for service
applicants and updated in the alternate and the waitlist has been closed
years—applicants must affirmatively confirm
• A new HCV waitlist application period was held in October 2021 –
their continued interest 750 applicants will be randomly selected for placement on the
• SRHA waitlist currently at 7,950 households waitlist
• SRHA has PBV Wait List specific to PBV sites; • Our hope is to be able to create a new HCV waitlist every two
Rosenberg and Bethlehem Tower Wait Lists years allowing everyone on the waitlist an opportunity to be served
are currently open to the public • PBV waitlists are more dynamic and open and close periodically
depending on the needA VOUCHER IS ISSUED – WHAT NEXT?
• Applicants are given a set amount of time for their initial housing search
• SCHA & SRHA – 120 days granted for initial housing search. Extensions up to 6 months are
provided upon request without a reasonable accommodation
• Once housing is located, applicant must turn in a Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) to
the Housing Authority
• The RFTA includes all of the pertinent information needed by the Housing Authority i.e.
rent, utility information, unit address• The amount that the Housing Authority will pay in
HOW MUCH WILL assistance is dependent upon the payment standard,
THE HOUSING tenant income, and the utilities paid by the landlord
AUTHORITY PAY? • Based upon information in the RFTA the Housing
It depends… Authority will calculate a tenant’s portion of rent
• The Housing Authority CANNOT approve a unit if
the tenant is expected to pay more than 40% of their
adjusted gross income in rentPAYMENT STANDARDS
SET AT 110% OF FEDERAL FAIR MARKET RENT
Fair Market Rents Payment Standards 120% (RA Only)
STUDIO $1,373 $1,510 $1,647
1 BDRM $1,549 $1,703 $1,858
2 BDRM $2,038 $2,241 $2,445
3 BDRM $2,851 $3,136 $3,421
4 BDRM $3,163 $3,479 $3,795
5 BDRM $3,637 $4,000 $4,364
6 BDRM $4,111 $4,522 $4,933CALCULATING RENT
THIS IS A DYNAMIC PROCESS THAT CHANGES BASED UPON TENANT CIRCUMSTANCES
HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION CALCULATION
• Client finds a 1 bedroom unit - rent is $1700 per month • Gross Annual Income: $7200
• Client receives $600 per month in SSI and has no other income. • Annual Adjusted Income: $7200 - $400 = $6800
• The Housing Authority has a $400 allowance for persons with disabilities • Monthly Adjusted Income: $567 ($6,800/12)
that will be factored in
• HA Payment Standard = 1,703
• Landlord pays water, sewer, trash, and natural gas
• Maximum Subsidy = $1,533 ($1,703 payment standard – Utility Allowance
• Tenant pays electricity (Utility Allowance of $170) of $170)
• Gross Rent = Rent + Utility Allowance = $1,870 • Tenant Portion: (Gross Rent - $1,533 Maximum Subsidy) = $274
• Tenant would be paying 48.32% of income in rent ($274 Tenant
Portion/Adjusted Monthly Income $567)– the Housing Authority would
NOT be able to approve this unitCALCULATING RENT
HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION CALCULATION
• Client finds a 1 bedroom unit - rent is $1620 per month • Gross Annual Income: $7200
• Client receives $600 per month in SSI and has no other income. • Annual Adjusted Income: $7200 - $400 = $6800
• The Housing Authority has a $400 allowance for persons with disabilities • Monthly Adjusted Income: $567 ($6,800/12)
that will be factored in
• HA Payment Standard = 1,703
• Landlord pays water, sewer, trash, and natural gas
• Maximum Subsidy = $1,533 ($1,703 payment standard – $170 (30% of
• Tenant pays electricity (Utility Allowance of $135) monthly income))
• Gross Rent = Rent + Utility Allowance = $1,870 • Tenant Portion: ($1,755 Gross Rent - $1,533 Maximum Subsidy) = $222
• Tenant would be paying 39.15% of income in rent and utilities ($222
Tenant Portion/Adjusted Monthly Income $567)– the Housing Authority
would be able to approve this unitMIXED FAMILY RULE
(WHEN HOUSEHOLD HAS UNDOCUMENTED HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS)
HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION CALCULATION
• Household consist of 1 child and 2 adults. 1 household member is an Ineligible • Gross Annual Income: $51,600
Non-Citizen. Household qualifies for 67% of full housing subsidy
• Annual Adjusted Income: $51,600 - $480 = $51,120
• Client finds a 2 bedroom unit - rent is $2,100 per month
• Monthly Adjusted Income: $4,260 ($51.600/12)
• Client has a total household income of $4,300 per month
• 30% of Monthly Adjusted Income: $1,278; 40% = $1,704
• The Housing Authority has a $480 allowance per child that is factored in.
• HA Payment Standard = $2,241
• Landlord pays trash.
• Maximum Subsidy = $645 ($2,241 payment standard – $1278 30% of Monthly
• Tenant pays natural gas, electricity, water and sewer (Utility Allowance of $208) Adjusted Income X 67% )
• Gross Rent = Rent + Utility Allowance = $2,308 • Tenant Portion: ($2,308 Gross Rent - $645 Maximum Subsidy) = $1,663
$1,663 - $208 (Utility Allowance) = $1,455 Tenant Rent Portion
• Tenant would be paying 39.04% of income in rent and utilities.ACCEPTABLE HOUSING TYPES • Single Room Occupancy Housing • Shared housing • Manufactured Homes • Congregate Housing • Group Homes
HABITABILITY STANDARDS (WHAT MAKES A HOME ELIGIBLE?) • Sanitary facilities • Food Preparation & Refuse Disposal • Space & Security • Absence of Lead Based Paint • Sanitary Conditions • All windows that are intended to open, must be operational and locakble • Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors • Operational Deadbolt for each door leading to the exterior • Holes in walls, floors and doors must be repaired
HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS (HQS) INSPECTIONS • At initial lease up • Biannually • Special Circumstances • Quality Control
DURING TENANCY – HQS EMERGENCIES
(24 HOUR REPAIR REQUIRED)
• Lack of Security for the unit • Utilities not in service
• Waterlogged ceiling in imminent danger of • No running hot water
falling
• Broken glass or other conditions where
• Major plumbing leaks or flooding someone could be injured
• Fuel leak • Obstacle which prevents tenant’s safe
• Electrical problem which could result in entrance or exit
shock or fire • Lack of functioning toilet
• No heat between October and May • Inoperable smoke detectorsLEASING REQUIREMENTS
• Month-to-Month lease is allowable
• HA asks tenants to stay in place for at least 12 months
• Moves before 12 months may be allowed as a reasonable accommodation
• Master Lease is allowable.
• Copy of the Master Lease must be provided to the HAHOW LONG IS A VOUCHER GOOD FOR? MOST VOUCHER PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED AS AN ONGOING SUBSIDY THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN END DATE • Project Based Vouchers – after residing in a PBV unit for 1 year the tenant can request to be moved to the Housing Choice Voucher program • A tenant can be removed from any rental assistance program for violating the program rules • Tenants can “income out” of the program • Tenants may voluntarily leave the program • When single-member family passes away, assistance must be terminated at the end of that month
WHY SHOULD A LANDLORD CONSIDER WORKING WITH A HOUSING AUTHORITY CLIENT? • Housing Authority guarantees payment of its portion each month • When tenants income goes down, in most circumstances, the Housing Authority pays more • Housing Authority inspects the unit every two years or upon request for special circumstances • The Housing Authority is invested in making the tenancy work Note: The Housing Authority does not replace property management.
HOUSING AUTHORITY COLLABORATION To help eliminate unnecessary confusion between the Housing Authorities, we work closely together when setting policies and procedures • Match Payment Standards across jurisdictions • MOU allowing lease up in either jurisdiction for special purpose vouchers • Ongoing Communications
QUESTIONS? MARTHA CHEEVER REBECCA LANE Housing Authority Manager Housing Authority Manager Sonoma County Housing Authority Santa Rosa Housing Authority martha.cheever@sonoma-county.org rlane@srcity.org
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