The Housing Choice Voucher Program assists low-income families, senior citizens, and handicapped persons in the payment of their monthly rent.  Under this program, a qualified participant pays a portion of his/her adjusted household income for rent.  The remainder of the rent is paid by the City's Housing Authority utilizing funds received from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  The units rented under the program are inspected on a biennial basis to ensure that they are decent, safe, sanitary, and have no code violations.  Approximately 2,529 senior citizens, disabled persons, and families are funded by the Section 8 Rental Assistance Program. 

In May 2021, the Housing Authority was awarded with 117 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) and funding from HUD, as authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.  The EHVs are provided to help assist individuals and families who are (1) homeless, (2) at risk of homelessness, (3) fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking, or (4) recently homeless.  The initial award amount is $1,744,368 with the effective date July 1, 2021. To ensure that the EHVs assist families who are most in need, the Housing Authority will work with community partners to determine the best use and targeting for the vouchers along with other resources available in the community.

In November 2020, the Housing Authority was awarded with 75 new Mainstream vouchers and funding from HUD, as authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.  The Mainstream vouchers are provided to help respond to coronavirus related housing needs in the community.

The following is a status report for the month of October 2021:

Program Eligibility:  All participants of the Housing Choice Voucher Program must be income eligible.  Applicants are ranked on the Waiting List by local preferences.  When an applicant is next on the Waiting List, they have an Initial Qualifying (IQ) interview where their eligibility is verified.  If they are eligible, they receive a program briefing and their voucher.  The Authority replaces those families who terminate from the program as a part of normal turnover.  Once on the program, they are re-certified for eligibility at least annually and their portion of the rent adjusted according to their income.

INITIAL QUALIFICATION (IQ) INTERVIEWS:   Staff conducted 14 Initial Qualification interviews (IQ) from the Waiting List and the following:      

     (a)         Emergency Situations - 1

     (b)         Referred by a Garden Grove Homeless Shelter - 0

     (c)         Incoming Portability – 3

     (d)         Mainstream - 7

     (e)         Emergency Housing Vouchers - 21

Briefings and New Program Admissions:  Seven (7) briefings were conducted this month, 43 vouchers were issued, and 7 families were admitted to the program.            

Re-certifications:  Staff conducted 179 re-examination interviews with participants to determine continued eligibility. One hundred and fifty-one (151) were interviewed who had interim changes in income, which necessitated an adjustment in their portion of the rent.

Moves:  Staff met with 14 tenants currently on the program that were moving and were briefed on move procedures.

Terminations:  There were 6 families who terminated from the program during the month.

FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM (FSS):  Assists families to become employed and no longer dependent on public assistance.  The Family Self-Sufficiency Program enters into contracts with Voucher participants to provide support services such as education, training, and career development.

Status of FSS participants this month: There were 5 prospective FSS participants interviewed for the month of October.  There were 2 contracts signed and 3 contracts were terminated.  There are a total of 398 families who have signed contracts for the FSS program. Forty (40) contracts are active. Seven (7) update meetings were held with FSS participants. 

One hundred and thirty-three (133) families have completed their FSS goals and 67 of these are self-sufficient and no longer need housing assistance.  Eight (8) families have purchased houses. There are 32 escrow accounts.  Fifteen (15) escrow accounts are active with monthly deposits.

The Authority has paid out a total of $1,112,090 in escrow funds to tenants who have completed their contract obligations. Each graduate that successfully completes his or her family obligations on the contract after October 21, 1998, reduces the minimum program size.  The original program size of 140 is now reduced to 12.

UNIT INSPECTIONS:  All units that are leased under the Housing Choice Voucher program must pass an initial Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection before the Housing Assistance Payments contract is signed, and must pass a biennial HQS inspection to continue to receive rental assistance payments.  HQS inspections determine that the unit is decent, safe and sanitary, and has passed City building codes.

New Leases:  There were 15 requests for new lease approvals with 6 units passing and 9 units failing.

Annuals:  There were 120 annual inspections conducted this month. Fifty (50) units passed and 70 failed to meet Housing Quality Standards (HQS) and code requirements.  The owners were requested to make the necessary repairs.

Re-inspections:  There were 101 re-inspections conducted on units that failed their first inspection.

Move-out:  There were no move-out inspections conducted.

Specials:  There were no special inspections conducted.

Quality Control:  There were no quality control inspections conducted this month. These inspections are required by HUD to ensure that field staff is in compliance with inspection requirements and are conducted by supervisory staff. 

It is recommended that the Housing Authority Commissioners:

• Receive and file the 2021 October Housing Authority Status Report.

By:  Danny Huynh, Housing Manager