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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 9 SECTION 8 PROG 03-06-89.AGENDA _- DATE: PARCH 6, 1989 CONSENT CALENDAR NO. 9 3-6-89 ~ .... Inter- Corn TO: FROM: SUBJECT: WILLIAI~ A. HUSTON, CITY I~NAGER CO~#UNIT¥ DEVELOP#ENT DEPARTRENT SECTION 8 CERTIFICATE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGR~ RECOIIIENDATION __ It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 89-31 requesting that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Congress take necessary actions to avoid a premature reduction in the Section 8 Existing Rental Assistance Program. BACKGROUND Since 1975 the Orange County Housing Authority (OCHA) has administered the federally funded Section 8 Rental Assistance Certificate Program. The City of Tustin is an active participant of this program with 233 families currently receiving housing assistance payments. This program provides rental assistance to very-low-income tenants housed within our City limits. Funding for this Certificate program is provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (-HUD). The funding contract between OCHA and HUD is due to expire on October 7, 1990. In order to be in compliance with HUD regulations, it will be necessary to begin to dismantle the program on October 7, 1989 because the Housing Authority is prohibited from entering into any new Housing Assistance Payment contracts for periods of less than 12 months. For OCHA and the City of Tustin, this Will result in a drastic reduction of housing assistance payments to very needy County residents. Attached to this report is correspondence from the Executive Director of the Orange County Housing Authority requesting City Council support for the continuation of the program. Also attached is a copy of a resolution which was adopted by the Orange County Board of S.upervisors on December 13, 1988. CONCLUSION The attached draft Resolution No. 89-31 sets forth the same policy as adopted by the Orange County Board of Supervisors with respect to the continuation of the Section 8 Certificate Program. The resolution recommends 'to Congress that appropriate action be taken to avoid reduction of rental assistance to low City Councll Report Section 8 Certificate Rental ASsistance Program Hatch 6, [989 Page two income families. Staff suggests that the Council support continuation of the program by adoption of Resolution 89-31. Ma~ An .n~/Chamberl a) n Assoclat~ Planner MAC :CAS:ts Attachments: Draft Resolution No. 89-31 Letters 'from OCHA ~Chrlstlne A. Shlngle~t Director of Community Development Corn rnunity Developrnent DeparTrnen~ O, . .,'IGE COUNTY HOUSING ~ I torlITY 2043 North Broadway · Santa Aaa. California 92706 ® (714) 836-3033 February 8, 1989 The ttonorable Ursula F. Kennedy Mayor of Tustin 300 Centennial Way Tustin, CA 92680 Subject: Section 8 Certificate Rental Assistance Program Dear Mayor Kennedy: The purpose of this letter is to alert you and your City Council colleagues to the possible loss of federally funded rental assistance currently available to residents of your city through your participation as a member jurisdiction of the Orange County Housing Authority (OCHA). Congressional action must be taken very soon to avert the 'loss of this valuable resource to very-low-income Orange County residents. This important issue has been a topic of discussion at several recent monthly meetings of the OCHA Cities Advisory Committee. The committee members asked that an information letter describing tile expiration issue be sent by OCHA to elected officials in each participating city. Description of Section 8 Certificate Rental Assistance Program OCHA operates the Section 8 Housing Certificate rental assistance program which provides a subsidy to eligible very-low-income residents of your city and 23 other cities in Orange County. The program is fully funded by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). OCHA currently provides this assistance to 5,245 households, a portion of which reside in your city. The income of Section 8 households is less than 50% of the county median income. Under the program, tenants pay 30% of their income as rent and the program pays the difference between that amount and a maximum fair market rent. The Honorable Ursula F. Kennedy February 8, 1989 Page Two ExPi.'ra~tion of Funding. The Certificate program is operated under an agreement between HUD and OCHA called an Annual Contributions Contract (ACC) which will expire on October 6, 1990, unless new federal legislation extends or replaces it. Mamy ACC's across the nation will reach expiration beginning in 1990; Senators Alan Cranston and Alphonse D'Amato plan to introduce comprehensive affordable housing legislation early this year which includes provisions for the continuation of the tenant-based rental assistance program in some form. Premature Reduction of Rental Assistance Prior to October, 1990 The· proposed legislation, however, will not address a related issue which calls for more immediate action: HUD regulations preclude Housing Authorities from entering into new leases and contracts with landlords on behalf of tenants for periods of less than twelve months prior to the end of the ACC. This means that for practical purposes Orange County's programI will be reduced beginning October 7, 1989. Since statutory requirements limit the ACC to a period of fifteen years, congressional action must be taken to extend the contracts. If such action is not taken, OCHA stands to lose approximately 1,440 units starting in October of this year. By bringing this issue to your attention, it is hoped that you and your City Council will support OCHA's efforts to preserve this valuable resource. While all of the residents of your city stand to benefit from the continuation of the program, your city's very-low-income residents stand to 1 ose a great deal i f a ti mely sol uti on i s not found. Currently 233 households in your city participate in OCHA's Section 8 rental assistance program. If the ACC is not extended, the number of assisted households in your city could decrease by 25% between October 7, 1989 and October 6, 1990. Local Support for Legislation to Continue to Fund Rental Assistance Over the last eight months, OCHA has taken steps to inform local and federal elected officials, former HUD Secretary Samuel Pierce, national professional organizations and housing advocates about the impending premature loss of this important resource. Although some HUD officials are aware of the early loss problem, there is no clearly defined plan by HUD or Congress to address the situation. Enclosed is a copy of a resolution adopted by the Orange County Board of Supervisors (OCHA Commissioners) on December 13, 1988, which formally states the Board position with respect to the need to support legislation which The Honorablae UrSula F. Kennedy February 8, 1989 Page Three Local Support for Legi sl ati on to Conti hue to Fund Rental Assistance (continued,,.) will continue this vital program for the very-low-income residents of OCHA's jurisdictions. Your City Council may. wish to take formal action acknowledging your city's support for the continuation of the Section 8 rental assistance program. I hope that this letter has been useful to you in understanding the s.tatus of the Section 8 Certificate rental assistance program serving residents of your city. If you would like to know more about any aspect of the program or the problems facing us, please call me at (714) 836-3002. I will be glad to discuss the matter at greater length. Sincerely, Sandra J. McClymonds Executi ye Director SJM:rs Enclosure cc w/enclosure: OCHA Advisory Committee Member Mary Ann Chamberlain 1 4 5- 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 -. 0 ,. 16 § 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 ~ 25 RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS .... SITTINGi ,AS THE'. BOARD' OF COMMXSSIOH~S OF. THE ORANGE COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY OF ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA December 13, 1988 . On the motion of Superv±sor Vasque=, duly seconded and caz:r~ed, the following Resolution was adopted: .. WHEREAS, subsidized .housing programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provide very-low-income families decent, safe and sanitary housing at an affordable price; and WHEREAS, the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program for Existing Housing is the major component of the subsidized housing program-' in Orange County, California; and ~. WHEREA. S, the need for rental, assistance.in Orange County Hous.~ng Authority 3urisdictions is evidenced by a waiting 'list of over 6,000 very- low-income elderly persons and families; and WHEREAS, the Orange County Housing Authority has 'entered into an Annual Contributions Contract with the U. 'S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to administer 5,220 certificates under the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program; and WHEREAS,'the Annual Contributions Contract has an expiratio, n date !of October 6, 1990, but, because federal regulations prohibit Public Housing Authorities from entering into new leases' and contracts for periods of less than twelve months, will be substantially reduced by 1,440 units during the final year of the contract beginning October 7, 1989; and · WHEREAS, the Orange County Legislative Planning Co.mmittee has ado~te~ a policy to support federal legis.lation which will continue to fund re~ta~ assistance programs for very-low-income households in Orange County; ~d | , WHEREAS, the Orange County Housing Authority Housing Commission h~s recommended that this Board of Commissioners adopt this resolution in support of the continuation of the Section-8 Housing Assistance Payments Program without a reduction; NOW' THE.REFO. RE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Orange County Housing Au.tho~it~ Board of Commissioners to recommend to the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and to the U. S. Congress that appropriate action be taken .'to avoid the premature reduction of rental assistance provided pursuant to 'the Annual Contributions Contract prior to 'its contracted expiration date. .Resolution No. H 88-5 Expiration of Federally (HUD) Funded Rental Assistance Program, Section 8 Certificate Program BPD:vn o 10 11 ,!2 13 ~ 16 uo 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 ~ 25 o 26 i~ 28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Executive Director is directed to -coordinate with the County A~ministrative Office, Legislative Section, and to transmit this Resolution to the appropriate federal authorities4 · II II 11 II II II II II II II- II I'1 II II il II II II // II II II II II I1' II 1 2 4 10 11 i2 13 x6 18 19 21 22 23 24 g' 25 ° 26 t~ 28 fl /I Chal rman o upervls ors SIGNED AND CERTIFIED THAT A COPY OF THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD ' LINDk D. OB'ERTS Clerk of the Board of Supervisors Sitting as the Board of Commissioners of the Orange Co.unty Housing Authority AYES: NOES: ABSENT: 'COMMISSIONERS GADDi H; VASQUEZ, "ROGER R.~' STANTON, -- DON R. ROTH, THOMAS F. RILEY AND HARRIETT M. WIEDER COMMISSIONERS. NONE ... COMMISSIONERS NONE STATE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF ORANGE I, LINDA D. ROBERTS, Clerk of t~e B6ard of-Supervisors of Orange County, sitting' as the Board of Commissioners of the Orange County Housing Authority, Orange County ,"California , hereby certify that the above and foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly adopted by the said Board at a regular meeting thereof held on the' ~k3~day of. De~ember ' , 19.~8., and passed by a unanimous.' vote of Said Board. ' . IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this day of ' ' 'December' · , 19' 88 . i LINDA D. ROBERTS Clerk of the 'Board of Supervisors Sitting as the Board of Commissioners of the Orange County Housing Authority 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1'6 17 18 19 21 ~2 23 27 28 RESOLUTION NO. 89-31 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF - TUSTIN RECOMMENDING THAT APPROPRIATE ACTION BE TAKEN TO AVOID THE PREMATURE REDUCTION OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN THE SECTION 8 EXISTING RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. The City Council of the City of Tustin does hereby resolve as follows: I. The City Council finds and determines as follows: WHEREAS, subsidized housing programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provide Very-low-income families decent, safe and sanitary housing at an affordable price; and WHEREAS, the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program for Existing Housing is the major component of the subsidized housing programs in Orange County, California; and WHEREAS, the need for rental assistance in Orange County Housing Authority jurisdictions is evidenced by a waiting list of over 6,000 very-low-income elderly persons and families; and WHEREAS, the Orange County Housing Authority has entered into an Annual Contributions Contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to administer 5,220 certificates under the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program; and WHEREAS, the Annual Contributions Contract has an expiration date of October 6, 1990, but, because federal regulations prohibit Public Housing Authorities from entering into new leases and contracts for peri ods of less than twelve months, will be substantially reduced by 1,440 units during the final year of the contract beginning October 7, 1989; and WHEREAS, the Orange County Legislative Planning Committee has adopted a policy to support federal legislation which will continue to fund lrental assistance programs for very-low-income households in Orange County; and WHEREAS, the Orange County Housing Authority Commission has recommended that the City Council of the City of Tustin as one of the participating jurisdictions of the Orange County Housing Authority adopt this resolution in .support of the continuation of the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program without a reduct, ion. 1 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 9~1 23 25 26 27 28 Resolution No. 89-31 Page two II. ,The Clty Counctl-hereby recommends to the U.S. Department of Houstng and Urban Development and to the U.S. Congress that appropriate action be taken to avoid the premature reduction of.-rental assistance provtded pursuant to the Annual Contributions Contract prtor to its contracted expiration date. PASSED AND ADOPTED at an adjourned regular meeting of the Tustin City Council, held on the day of , 1989. Ursula E. Kennedy, Mayor Aah w hn, City Clerk