To: Honorable Chair and Commissioners
From: Steve Potter, Executive Director
Prepared By: Molly Rattigan, Deputy Executive Director
TITLE:
Title
Section 8 Landlord Mitigation and Incentive Program
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendationle
Adopt a resolution authorizing the Executive Director to execute a Services Agreement with Abode Services in an amount not to exceed $184,500 for operation of the Section 8 Landlord Mitigation and Incentive Program.
Body
DISCUSSION:
Background
The Housing Authority operates the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance program (the "Section 8 Program") throughout Napa County. Households who are issued Section 8 vouchers must secure units on the open rental market. This often requires voucher holders to compete against other renters who have higher incomes, better credit histories, and the ability to pay higher rents than allowed under the Section 8 program regulations. This makes it very challenging for voucher holders to secure units. In response to seeing fewer voucher holders successfully find units, in late 2017, the Housing Authority established the Section 8 Landlord Mitigation and Incentive Program (the "Program") and, in early 2018, selected Abode Services as the program operator and launched the Program.
Under the Program, Section 8 Program participants who are either homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless (with vouchers expiring within 60 days) are referred to Abode Services by the Housing Authority. Abode provides housing location assistance to these voucher holders. Landlords accepting tenants through the Program have access to a 24-hour hotline to call in case of after-hour emergencies. Additionally, Abode makes regular check-ins with the tenants and landlords to try to mitigate any issues that might occur in order to help the tenants remain successfully housed. Landlords new to the Section 8 Program are eligible to receive a "new owner bonus payment" of $1,000 while existing landlords...
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