To: The Board of Commissioners
Department or Agency Name(s): Community Development Commission
Staff Name and Phone Number: Martha Cheever, Housing Authority Manager, (707) 565-7521
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
Housing Authority Annual Plan, Five Year Plan and Administrative Plan
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Approve Resolution of the Sonoma County Housing Authority approving the Sonoma County Public Housing Authority Annual Plan and the Sonoma County Five Year Plan;
B) Authorize the Executive Director, or her designee, to execute associated documents and submit to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and
C) Approve modifications to the Sonoma County Housing Authority Administrative Plan
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Executive Summary:
The Sonoma County Housing Authority (SCHA) administers the Housing Choice Voucher Program under contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This program enables very low-income households to rent from private landlords at fair market rental rates and also provides rental assistance in the form of project-based vouchers, tying assistance to specific units. The Voucher program is the single biggest program operated by the Community Development Commission. Vouchers provide the best avenue to housing stability for low income households.
Required elements of program administration include a Five Year Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plan, an Annual PHA Plan, and an Administrative Plan. Each of these documents must be approved by the Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners. The PHA Five Year Plan lays out the Housing Authority’s goals and strategies for serving the needs of low-income and very low-income families for the upcoming five year period (July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2025), the PHA Annual Plan provides a status update on the Housing Authority’s progress in meeting the goals outlined in the previous Five Year Plan, and the Administrative Plan establishes detailed guidelines for program implementation and operation at a local level.
At this time, the Housing Authority is requesting approval of amendments to its Administrative Plan and approval of a resolution authorizing the PHA Five Year Plan and the PHA Annual Plan and directing submission to HUD. Because HUD does not recognize “Interim” appointments, all documents associated with this Board item and accompanying resolution use the title “Executive Director” when referring to the Interim Executive Director.
Discussion:
Section 511 of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 requires that all housing authorities prepare a Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plan, which includes both a 5-Year Plan and an Annual Plan for each fiscal year. The PHA Five Year Plan lays out the Housing Authority’s goals and strategies for serving the needs of low-income and very low-income families for the upcoming five year period (July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2025) and the PHA Annual Plan provides an annual status update on the Housing Authority’s progress in meeting the goals outlined in the previous Five Year Plan. Combined, these PHA Plans provide HUD, program participants, and other interested parties information related the Housing Authority’s accomplishments, progress, and strategies for serving the needs of low-income and very low-income families.
The draft PHA Five Year Plan includes the following goals:
• Expansion of rental assistance opportunities for low-income, vulnerable populations
• Continued partnership with local non-profit agencies to provide housing navigation to low-income and/or hard to serve populations
• Expanded collaboration with the Sonoma County Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self-Sufficiency (ACCESS) program, an initiative developed to holistically support clients with complex needs.
• Expanding the supply of affordable housing
• Promotion of self-sufficiency for program participants
• Ensuring equal opportunity and affirmatively further fair housing
The 2020-2021 Annual Plan provides an update on the progress the Housing Authority made in accomplishing the goals established in 2015. Key accomplishments achieved by the Housing Authority from 2015-2020 include the following:
• Award of 145 new rental assistance vouchers - 15 new Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers, 120 new Mainstream Vouchers, and rental assistance to serve 10 chronically homeless persons through Continuum of Care grant funds.
• Deployment of 93 project based vouchers throughout the County
• 22 graduates of the Family Self Sufficiency program, 15 of whom are no longer in need of rental assistance
• Continued recognition by HUD as a High Performing Housing Authority
The Housing Authority’s Administrative Plan (Local Policies) is a required attachment to the Annual Plan. These Local Policies differ from the Annual Plan in that they are the guidelines for program implementation and operation at a local level. The Housing Authority is proposing changes to the Administrative Plan to include required regulatory changes and to provide increased flexibility in the use of Project Based Vouchers and to provide maximum HUD allowed flexibility in conducting annual income reexaminations for households with fixed income. A summary of the proposed changes is included as an attachment to this report.
A public hearing on the 2020-2025 PHA Five Year Plan, the 2020-2021 PHA Annual Plan, and the proposed changes to the Housing Authority Administrative Plan was held on March 18, 2020 at the Community Development Committee. The item was recommended to the Commission for approval by the Committee on that date. The proposed changes to the Chapter 3 of the Administrative Plan were not considered during the public hearing, but added in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic. These changes do not require a public hearing as they are not considered substantive in nature.
As required by HUD, the proposed PHA Five Year Plan and Annual Plan are consistent with the HUD-required Five-Year Consolidated Plans of the County of Sonoma and the City of Petaluma, the two HUD entitlement jurisdictions in which the Housing Authority operates the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
Prior Board Actions:
4/2/2019: Approval of PHA Annual Plan
6/4/2019: Approval of changes to the Housing Authority Administrative Plan
3/17/2015: Approval of the Housing Authority’s 5-Year Plan
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 19-20 Adopted |
FY20-21 Projected |
FY 21-22 Projected |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
N/A
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
1. Resolution approving the Sonoma County Public Housing Authority Annual Plan and Five Year Plans
2. Summary of proposed changes to the Sonoma County Housing Authority Administrative Plan
3. Sonoma County Housing Authority Five Year Plan for 2020-2025
4. Sonoma County Housing Authority Annual Plan for 2020-2021
5. Proposed Revisions to Chapter 12 of Housing Authority Administrative Plan
6. Proposed Revisions to Chapter 21 of Housing Authority Administrative Plan
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Sonoma County Housing Authority Administrative Plan