1. CITY COUNCIL Public Housing Authority Annual Plan FY19
Anne Lansing, Housing Assistance Officer
April 08, 2019

2. PHA Plan Overview Annual plan required by HUD
As high-performing HCV-only agency, Pasadena submits a “streamlined plan”
Outlines financial resources, progress on mission & goals
Annual plan required by HUD
Administrative Plan is policy and procedure manual for rental assistance programs
Two substantive changes proposed
The Administrative Plan is a required attachment

3. Proposed Changes to Admin Plan
Voucher size restored to 1 bedroom from 0 bedroom
This opens up more potential units to rent
Increased subsidy standard for single person household
Households exiting Rapid Rehousing (10 vouchers)
Households exiting PSH programs (5 vouchers)
Over-housed families in City-funded affordable housing (15 vouchers)
Three new limited preferences (voucher set-asides)
During the Great Recession, as a result of funding cuts from HUD, the subsidy standard for a single person household was reduced from a one bedroom to a zero bedroom. This resulted in lower assistance payments being made by the City, but fewer households being able to use the voucher. The funding ratio from HUD has since increased, so we are restoring the subsidy standard to a one bedroom. This will result in more units being affordable to voucher holders, and potentially a higher utilization rate in a tight rental market.
Three limited preferences, or voucher set-asides, were created. These set-asides are for a total of 30 vouchers out of Two of the set-aside categoties are for households exiting homeless housing programs in Pasadena, specifically Rapid Rehousing (10 vouchers) and Permanent Supportive Housing (5 vouchers). These preferences allow households who have experienced homelessness and have stabilized their living situation but remain very low-income to move to less structured but still affordable housing with the help of the voucher. This frees up the homeless housing slot for a household in need, while allowing the vouchered household to retain their stability. The third limited preference is for households living in family affordable housing that was developed with financial assistance from the City, who are now over-housed. Over-housed situations occurs when families move into affordable housing projects with children, who then grow up and move out of the unit, resulting in the parents living in a larger bedroom-size unit than needed. Fifteen (15) vouchers are being set-aside to allow these households the opportunity to move to appropriate-sized units, opening up an affordable unit for another family.

4. Rental Assistance Update
1258 HCV currently leased up
1197/1317 “Section 8”
241 are Project-based
46/60 Non-Elderly Disabled (NED) Vouchers
15/32 VASH Vouchers for homeless vets
City of Pasadena Housing Department administers 1409 Housing Choice Vouchers
85 Shelter plus Care Homeless Vouchers
15 HOPWA vouchers for persons with HIV/AIDS
Approximately 100 Special Needs non-Section 8 Vouchers

5. Rent & Income Snapshot 50% of participants earn between $10K-15K
Average Tenant rent=$459
Average Payment to Landlord=$869
Average Contract Rent=$1328
50% of participants earn between $10K-15K
Average annual income=$15,700
Percentage employed=22%
79% of participants are elderly/disabled
Percentage with pension/disability/Social Security=77%
Average payment to landlord has increased by $68 since last year
Average annual income has increased by $364 since last year

6. Landlord reluctance to participate
Current Challenges
Payment standards are lower than market rent
Paperwork, annual inspections
Stereotypes and urban legends
Between 2010 and today, participating landlords dropped from 532 to 405
Landlord reluctance to participate
22K persons on waiting list
Preference is given to those who live or work in Pasadena
Need outstrips demand
HUD reimbursement rate does not keep pace with a high cost rental market
Inadequate funding
Number of landlords dropped by 16 from last year

7. Project-based Vouchers
Current Initiatives
Participation in Property Owner Events
Outreach to Landlord Associations
Landlord Outreach
Increase from 20% to 30%
Primarily special needs housing
Project-based Vouchers