DISCUSSION
The following is a status report for the month of February 2023:
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 interview (IQ) from the Waiting List and the following:
(a) Emergency Situations - 0
(b) Referred by a Garden Grove Homeless Shelter - 0
(c) Incoming Portability – 4
(d) Mainstream - 4
(e) Emergency Housing Vouchers - 2
Briefings and New Program Admissions: Two (2) briefings were conducted this month, 11 vouchers were issued, and 11 families were admitted to the program.
Re-certifications: Staff conducted 227 re-examination interviews with participants to determine continued eligibility. One hundred and fifteen (115) were interviewed who had interim changes in income, which necessitated an adjustment in their portion of the rent.
Moves: Staff met with 7 tenants currently on the program that were moving and were briefed on move procedures.
Terminations: There were 15 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 3 prospective FSS participants interviewed for the month of February 2023. There were 3 contracts signed and no contracts were terminated. There are a total of 408 families who have signed contracts for the FSS program. Thirty-four (34) contracts are active. Nine (9) update meetings were held with FSS participants.
One hundred and forty (140) families have completed their FSS goals and 70 of these are self-sufficient and no longer need housing assistance. Eight (8) families have purchased houses. There are 20 escrow accounts. Fifteen (15) escrow accounts are active with monthly deposits.
The Authority has paid out a total of $1,246,868 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 5.
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 18 requests for new lease approvals with 10 units passing and 8 units failing.
Annuals: There were 71 annual inspections conducted this month. Twenty-five (25) units passed and 46 failed to meet Housing Quality Standards (HQS) and code requirements. The owners were requested to make the necessary repairs.
Re-inspections: There were 62 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 4 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.