To: Honorable Chair and Commissioners
From: Vincent Smith, Community Development Director
Prepared By: Sabrina Flores, Rental Assistance Program Supervisor
TITLE:
Title
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Five-Year and Annual Plan
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendationle
Adopt a resolution approving the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Five-Year Plan for Fiscal Years 2020 -2025 and Annual Plan for Fiscal Year 2020-2021.
Body
DISCUSSION:
On October 21, 1999, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a final rule that requires each public housing authority (PHA) to develop and adopt a Five Year and Annual Plan for the operation of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. The Plan is a comprehensive guide to PHA policies, programs, operations, and strategies for meeting local housing needs and goals.
There are two parts to the PHA Plan: The Five-Year Plan, which each PHA submits to HUD once every fifth fiscal year, and the Annual Plan, which is submitted to HUD every year. This Five Year covers the Fiscal Years 2020-2025 and the Annual Plan covers Fiscal Year 2020-2021.
The Five Year and Annual Plan reports on the Housing Authority’s mission and goals. The following summarizes the Housing Authority’s goals and its progress to date towards meeting these goals:
Expand the range and quality of housing choices available to participants. The Housing Authority will continue to actively encourage landlords to participate in the voucher program through ongoing, active outreach. The Housing Authority has explored opportunities to implement project-based vouchers to ensure participants have access to quality rental housing despite the tight rental market. The Housing Authority provided 34 project-based vouchers (PBVs) at the newly constructed Valley View Senior Homes project in American Canyon (including 17 PBVs for homeless veterans) and eight PBVs at the newly constructed Stoddard West project in Napa. The Housing Authority also entered into a contract for 20 PBVs at the proposed Manzanita Family Apartments project and approved entering into a contract for 38 PBVs at the proposed Heritage House project. The Housing Authority continues to allow the use of shared housing to expand the housing choices for participants. The Housing Authority also launched a Landlord Mitigation and Assistance program. This program provides housing location services, landlord incentives, and a risk mitigation program for tenant-caused damages to help homeless and at-risk of homeless voucher holders secure housing.
Manage the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program in an efficient and effective manner. HUD uses the Section Eight Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) to annually assess how well a housing authority performs in several different categories. The Housing Authority received a high performer designation for SEMAP for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019 and will continue to be designated a high performer.
Ensure equal opportunity in housing for all by ensuring equal opportunity and affirmatively furthering fair housing. The Housing Authority provides funds to Fair Housing Napa Valley in the amount of $25,000 annually to provide fair housing assistance to tenants and work with mobile home organizations to ensure rents are maintained at a reasonable level. The Housing Authority also undertakes affirmative measures to ensure accessible housing for persons with disabilities. This includes, allowing additional time in searching for units, maintaining an active list of potential landlords who can provide accessible housing, and providing additional bedrooms in cases of reasonable accommodation needs.
Promote self-sufficiency and asset development of families and individuals. The Housing Authority’s Family Self Sufficiency program currently has 44 families/individuals enrolled in the program. The Housing Authority submitted a funding application and was awarded $78,659 to help support the Family Self Sufficiency Program Coordinator position for the calendar year 2020.
Following the conclusion of the Public Hearing, the draft Plan will be modified to incorporate any revisions due to the public hearing process and then be submitted to HUD for approval.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
There are no financial impacts for approving the Five-Year and Annual Plan for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program.
CEQA:
The Community Development Director has determined that the Recommended Action described in this Agenda Report is not subject to CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060 (c).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Resolution Adopting Five-Year and Annual Plan
Ex A - Five-Year and Annual Plan
NOTIFICATION:
Notice announcing the availability of the draft Five Year and Annual Plan for a 45-day public review was published in the Napa Valley Register on February 21, 2020. Copies of the notice were posted at the Napa County Libraries located in Napa, American Canyon, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga. A copy of the draft Plan was available for review at the Housing Authority office and all Napa County Library branches. A copy of the Plan was placed on the City of Napa’s website on the Housing Division page Notification was also sent to Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center and the Resident Advisory Board.