TO: Chair and Housing Authority Commissioners
THROUGH: Steve Powers, Executive Director
FROM: Nicole Utz, Housing Administrator
SUBJECT:
title
Revision to the Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy
Ward(s): All Wards
Commissioners(s): All Commissioners
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Safe Community; Welcoming and Livable Community.
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ISSUE:
Shall the Authority adopt Resolution No. 2259 to revise the Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy for Public Housing?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Adopt Resolution No. 2259 to revise the Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy for Public Housing.
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
Salem Housing Authority (SHA) maintains an Admission and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) governing the eligibility and continued participation of applicants and participants for the Public Housing program. SHA updates the ACOP as needed to incorporate regulatory changes, improve program responsiveness to local needs, and add or remove properties from SHA's Public Housing portfolio.
The proposed revisions make the Public Housing ACOP compliant with all HUD Public Housing regulatory requirements and address revisions for eligibility, denial, termination, and eviction. Violations and waiting periods have been revised or added to be consistent throughout all of SHA’s plans/policies.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
HUD requires the Housing Authority Commission consent to revisions to the Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy. The proposed plans incorporate regulatory and/or policy changes to improve program responsiveness to local needs.
Chapter 3, Part 3-III.B. on page 83, has been revised to add the following:
Former Public Housing Residents Ineligible under Rental Assistance Demonstration.
SHA will offer a waiting list preference for previous residents of Public Housing whose units have been converted to Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) under the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) who do not qualify to continue to occupy their current unit under RAD/PBRA for any of the following reasons: 1) household income exceeds 60% of the Area Median Income, but does not exceed 80% of the Area Median Income; or 2) household size cannot be accommodated by the current unit without creating a situation where the household would be overcrowded or underhoused.
Chapter 4 , Part 4-III.B. Selection Method - Order of Selection on page 86:
First Priority - Former Public Housing Residents ineligible for RAD. Eligible applicants under this priority will be screened first based on time and date of their application.
Second - Priority Transfers
Third - All other applicants contacted by date and time of application.
The last revision to the Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy was effective July 1, 2018. The proposed revisions would be effective retroactively from December 6, 2019 through the end of construction (currently anticipated mid 2021).
BACKGROUND:
SHA is participating in HUD’s RAD program. RAD allows for public housing properties to take on private debt in conjunction with other funding sources to make much-needed repairs. Following a RAD conversion, properties will replace HUD Section 9 funding with PBRA under the Section 8 Program. RAD conversion of units began on December 6, 2019 and is anticipated to be complete by mid 2021.
Nicole
Housing Administrator
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 2259 Adopting Revisions to the Public Housing ACOP
2. Public Housing ACOP, effective May 1, 2020.