To: Honorable Chair and Commissioners
From: Rick Tooker, Community Development Director
Prepared By: Lark Ferrell, Housing Manager
TITLE:
Title
Section 8 Landlord Mitigation and Incentive Program
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendationle
Adopt a resolution accepting funds from the City, as Successor Housing Agency for the Napa Community Redevelopment Agency, authorizing associated budget adjustments, and authorizing the establishment and funding of a Section 8 Landlord Mitigation and Incentive Program.
Body
DISCUSSION:
The Housing Authority operates a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance program (the "Section 8 Program") throughout Napa County. When households are issued vouchers, they must secure units on the open rental market which often requires them 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 tenants to secure units. Several other housing authorities, in high-cost markets, have recently implemented these types of programs to encourage landlord participation. This includes programs in Marin and San Mateo Counties.
Based on discussions with a stakeholder group comprised of local landlords and property managers, some rental property owners do not participate in the Section 8 Program because they are worried participants may damage their units and not have sufficient funds to pay for these damages. In the past, under the Section 8 Certificate Program, landlords could receive damage payments from the Housing Authority through Section 8 funds. However, under the Housing Choice Voucher Program, this is no longer allowed.
Staff, along with non-profit homeless services provider Abode Services, explored various incentive programs and risk mitigation programs operated in other communities and proposed a program which would encourage landlords to rent units to Section 8 par...
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