Virginia Housing Development Authority Presenters: Sharon Fairburn-HCVP Director Diana Crosswhite-HCVP Policy Specialist November 2009 Housing Choice Voucher Program

1 vhda.com | VHDA VHDA’s Mission To help fellow Virginians obtain safe, sound and decent housing otherwise unaffordable to them This is one of the Federal government's program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled with rental expenses

2 vhda.com | VHDA VHDA’s History VHDA was created as a housing finance agency to lend money for homeownership programs and to provide financing for multifamily properties In 1975 VHDA was appointed by the VA General Assembly to apply for the voucher program in areas in VA that did not have a housing authority or agency to apply for the voucher funding

3 vhda.com | VHDA VHDA’s History Already in VA there were housing authorities administering the public housing program VHDA made presentations to every county or city in VA that did not have a housing agency to seek voucher funding for their community

4 vhda.com | VHDA Program Funding is Limited By the mid-1990s Congress began to slow down in providing “new” funding for the voucher program VHDA has a waiting list of counties in VA that now want to provide the program but funding is not available Congress is funding “special purpose” vouchers but not providing new funding to start new areas or new agency programs

5 vhda.com | VHDA How the Program Works Families rent existing housing stock; the private rental market is used, as new units are not built for the program The program is not public housing and entire apartment complexes are not “vouchered”; families are dispersed in the community The voucher holder must find a rental unit and willing landlord, the unit is inspected, and the rent requested must be reasonable for the market area

6 vhda.com | VHDA How the Program Works Leased Structure Types Single Family Detached 40% Multifamily49% Row house/townhouse20% Low-rise27% High rise with elevator 2% Manufactured Home11%

7 vhda.com | VHDA How the Program Works A housing assistance payment (HAP) is paid by VHDA directly to the landlord. The family pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the federal program. Average HAP paid on behalf of the family is $586 program wide.

8 vhda.com | VHDA How the Program Works VHDA is authorized to administer Vouchers in all areas of the state, but VHDA is not statewide and is not in every jurisdiction in Virginia. VHDA ’ s program is primarily in suburban rural areas; generally not in metro areas although there is some overlap

9 vhda.com | VHDA How the Program Works VHDA partnered with special interest groups back in the early 1980s that were not successful working with the local housing authorities for specific housing needs of their clients 37.7% of the VHDA ’ s 9446 vouchers are to persons with disabilities

10 vhda.com | VHDA Agencies with Allocations to Serve Persons with Disabilities Junction Center Independent Living Center Chesterfield CSB Richmond Residential Services Central VA Resource Cooperation Central VA Housing Coalition Virginia Supportive Housing

11 vhda.com | VHDA Agencies with Allocations to Serve Persons with Disabilities Hanover CSB Henrico Area Mental Health and Retardation Services Rappahannock-Rapidan CSB Harrisonburg-Rockingham CSB (effective 1/1/2010 transferring to Harrisonburg RHA)

12 vhda.com | VHDA Map of Housing Agencies Blue: VHDA Agencies 25% Yellow: Other PHAs/Housing Agencies 75% Red: No Local PHA/Housing Agency

13 vhda.com | VHDA VHDA Areas of Operation Green: VHDA Yellow: Other PHA but no VHDA Voucher Families Living There Red: No Families/No Voucher Agency

14 vhda.com | VHDA Program Income Ranges Distribution of Income 37%: $5-10,000 21%: $10-15,000

15 vhda.com | VHDA Family Income Sources Primary Income Source 49% SSI/SS/Pension 29% Wages

16 vhda.com | VHDA Current Market and Economy Impact Increased number of calls from families who need rental assistance The average rental assistance payment is $586 per month; families are losing jobs and hours worked being reduced causing the average rental assistance to increase VHDA voucher waiting 6,000 applicants Increased number of calls from rental property owners who can’t rent their property and now will consider the voucher program

17 vhda.com | VHDA Responsibilities of Voucher Holders The family must: Supply the HA with information regarding the family as requested Allow the HA to inspect the unit Notify the HA of absences from the unit and before moving

18 vhda.com | VHDA Responsibilities of Voucher Holders The family must: Inform the HA of any changes in family composition Provide the HA with any eviction notice from the owner Pay utility bills and maintain appliances

19 vhda.com | VHDA Responsibilities of Voucher Holders The family must not: Have any interest in the unit Commit lease violations or excessively damage the unit Commit fraud Engage in criminal activity or abuse drugs/alcohol Sublease the unit

20 vhda.com | VHDA HUD Notice Funding: 4000 Vouchers Handouts regarding the 4000 vouchers to non- elderly disabled families Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 118 / Monday, June 22, 2009 / Notices “ACT NOW” Discussion for MFP grantees and HUD vouchers- Grantee Training Call on September 30, 2009 “Overview and Comments on HUD’s NOFA: Housing Vouchers for Non-Elderly Individuals with Disabilities” Reminder Memo

21 vhda.com | VHDA HUD Notice of Funding (NOFA) 4000 Vouchers Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 118 / Monday, June 22, 2009 / Notices Non Elderly with Disablities (NED) The funding has not been announced and HUD has stated it would be by the end of December Public comments were permitted (July 13 th ) and now we are waiting for HUD to publish the methodology on how to apply for the funding

22 vhda.com | VHDA HUD Notice of Funding (NOFA) 4000 Vouchers VHDA will be applying on behalf of our 35 agencies VHDA’s expectation to receive vouchers is good but not a large number—maybe 25 vouchers under this funding notice All of VHDA vouchers under this notice will be made available to the Money Follows the Person Program We will apply for the maximum permitted under the notice There are 2400 PHAs in the nation so the 4000 vouchers will not be available to all PHAs—there will be a ranking system with points assigned to the “winners”

23 vhda.com | VHDA HUD Notice of Funding (NOFA) 4000 Vouchers Recommend you read the Overview and Comments on HUD’s NOFA: Housing Vouchers for Non-Elderly Individuals with Disabilities ” The “Overview” presentation provides information on how you as an partnering agency can help your PHA with the necessary information the PHA will need in order to apply for the funding (recommend reading Next Steps Pages 21-25) Do expect based on public comments that the information will be revised so my presentation today does not review the NOFA in detail (recommend reading HUD Requests Comments Pages 9-18)

24 vhda.com | VHDA Questions? HCVP Director Phone Fax HCVP Policy Specialist Phone Fax