TO: Chair and Housing Authority Commissioners
THROUGH: Keith Stahley, Executive Director
FROM: Nicole Utz, Administrator
SUBJECT:
title
Revised Section 8 Administrative Plan
Ward(s): All Wards
Commissioners(s): Commissioners
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Welcome and Livable Neighborhood
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SUMMARY:
summary
Revisions to the Section 8 Administrative Plan. The proposed revisions would be effective May 13, 2024.
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ISSUE:
Shall the Commission adopt Resolution No. 2308 approving the Revised Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan, effective May 13, 2024?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Adopt Resolution No. 2308 approving the Revised Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan allowing Salem Housing Authority to apply updated Payment Standards to contract rent increases between biennial recertifications.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
This update to the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan updates the implementation of Salem Housing Authority’s Moving to Work supplement to the PHA Plan to permit the Housing Authority to apply updated Payment Standards when a property owner requests an increase in Contract Rent between biennial recertifications.
Voucher Payment Standards are typically updated annually within 120 days of HUD publishing updated Fair Market Rents. The Payment Standard is used to calculate the amount of Housing Assistance Payment, or “HAP” that is provided on behalf of participating families. In the past, Salem Housing Authority conducted annual income reexaminations for all Voucher households and would apply the updated Payment Standard to the tenant rent and HAP calculation at the time of the reexamination.
SHA has since changed to biennial recertifications as part of its Moving to Work implementation; however, most property owners request annual increases in Contract Rent, and the current Administrative Plan permits the application of updated Payment Standards at the time of biennial recertification only. Without the application of the updated Payment Standards, the participant portion of rent may increase to a level that is unaffordable for the family, putting participants at risk of eviction.
This revision will permit SHA to apply updated Payment Standards at: 1) the time of a biennial recertification, and 2) at the time of an increase in contract rent that occurs between biennial recertifications (without requiring a new income calculation). This policy will be effective retroactively to May 1, 2024, which is the date that SHA began to conduct biennial recertifications for the Section 8 Voucher program.
This revision includes no other changes or updates.
BACKGROUND:
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan establishes by policy the criteria under which families are eligible to receive a Housing Choice Voucher. The plan outlines SHA’s written policies where there is discretion in the regulations to operate the Housing Choice Voucher Program. The plan includes policies relating to waitlist management, issuance and denial of Vouchers, special purpose Vouchers, occupancy, recruitment of property owners, subsidy and payment standards, grievance and hearing processes, recertifications, housing inspections, application of the Fair Market Rents, and others. The Administrative Plan is required by federal regulation to be adopted by the Board and used to guide the operations of the Housing Choice Voucher program.
Nicole Utz
Administrator
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 2308
2. Draft - Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan, effective May 13, 2024
3. Affected pages from the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Administrative plan, highlighting the updated sections.