COVID-19: Updates & Resources

Latest COVID-19 News from CLPHA

3.20.20

CLPHA Requests $8.5 Billion in COVID-19 Emergency Funds from Congress

3.20.20

CLPHA Urges HUD to Provide Regulatory Relief to Public Housing Authorities During COVID-19 Response

On Thursday, March 19, CLPHA sent a letter to U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson additional regulatory and statutory relief for public housing authorities as they work to protect residents and staff during the COVID-19 public health crisis. CLPHA’s funding and waiver requests were based on feedback from members during our COVID-19 member calls.

In the letter to HUD, CLPHA requested regulatory and statutory relief from the PIH and Multifamily programs including blanket statutory waiver authority (and blanket regulatory waiver authority to the extent HUD believes it does not already have it) to ensure that PHAs can receive all needed waivers more expeditiously. CLPHA members requested statutory and regulatory waivers covering:

Inspection;
Reporting and data submission requirements;
Requirements involving leaving home or large events;
Electronic signatures;
RAD and other PHA affordable housing transactions;
HUD rulemaking;
PHAS and SEMAP scoring;
Monitoring and reviews; and
The MTW Annual Plan & Process.

In addition to waiving these requirements, our members request that HUD provide additional guidance on several issues, including for:

Sending out and receiving resident paperwork such as leases in a remote setting;
Determining temporary versus permanent income loss; and
Collecting electronic signatures from residents.

Read CLPHA’s Letter to HUD and Requests for Regulatory and Statutory Relief

CLPHA also a letter to Congressional leaders formally requesting $5 billion for the public housing program and $3.5 billion for the Housing choice voucher program in emergency supplemental funds and additional regulatory relief for public housing authorities as they work to protect residents and staff during the COVID-19 public health crisis. CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman said in a statement: “The FY20 operating budget for public housing authorities is wholly inadequate to fund the enormous unforeseen cost of COVID-19 emergency expenses combined with estimated losses in tenant rent payments. CLPHA is requesting $8.5 billion from Congress in emergency supplemental funds and urging HUD to provide public housing authorities with the flexibility to respond to the changing situation as needed.”

Read CLPHA’s Statement on COVID-19 Emergency Funding and Regulatory Needs for PHAs

3.20.20

CLPHA Creates New Online Community and Discussion Forum for COVID-19 Coordination

3.20.20

CLPHA Launches COVID-19 Webpage for Members

3.20.20

PIH to Hold COVID-19 Conference Call for PHAs on Friday, March 20

3.20.20

CLPHA Requests $8.5 Billion in Emergency Funds from Congress, Urges HUD to Provide Regulatory Relief to Public Housing Authorities

On Thursday, March 19, CLPHA sent letters to Congressional leaders and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson formally requesting $5 billion for the public housing program and $3.5 billion for the housing choice voucher program in emergency supplemental funds and additional regulatory relief for public housing authorities as they work to protect residents and staff during the COVID-19 public health crisis. CLPHA’s funding and waiver requests were based on feedback from members during our COVID-19 member calls.

In the funding request, CLPHA recommended the following amounts be included in the next coronavirus supplemental legislation:

$5.0 billion for public housing authorities in the supplemental. Breakdown as follows:

Lost revenue: $2.0 billion
Short term mitigation/operation costs: $1.5 billion
Emergency staffing, communications, retrofits: $1.5 billion

$3.5 billion for housing vouchers in the supplemental. Breakdown as follows:

Voucher renewals: $3.0 billion
Administrative fees: $500 million
Incremental vouchers: assistance to all households with 30% AMI or less

Read CLPHA’s Letter to Congressional Leaders and Funding Request

Inspection;
Reporting and data submission requirements;
Requirements involving leaving home or large events;
Electronic signatures;
RAD and other PHA affordable housing transactions;
HUD rulemaking;
PHAS and SEMAP scoring;
Monitoring and reviews; and
The MTW Annual Plan & Process.

In addition to waiving these requirements, our members request that HUD provide additional guidance on several issues, including for:

Sending out and receiving resident paperwork such as leases in a remote setting;
Determining temporary versus permanent income loss; and
Collecting electronic signatures from residents.

Read CLPHA’s Letter to HUD and Requests for Regulatory and Statutory Relief

After submitting the requests to Congress and HUD, CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman said in a statement: “The FY20 operating budget for public housing authorities is wholly inadequate to fund the enormous unforeseen cost of COVID-19 emergency expenses combined with estimated losses in tenant rent payments. CLPHA is requesting $8.5 billion from Congress in emergency supplemental funds and urging HUD to provide public housing authorities with the flexibility to respond to the changing situation as needed.”

Read CLPHA’s Statement on COVID-19 Emergency Funding and Regulatory Needs for PHAs

3.19.20

Public Housing Authorities Need $8.5 Billion in Emergency COVID-19 Funds Plus Regulatory Relief

Public Housing Authorities Need $8.5 Billion in Emergency COVID-19 Funds Plus Regulatory Relief

CLPHA members are working tirelessly, compassionately, and pragmatically to support low-income households. We urge Congress and HUD to do the same.

WASHINGTON (March 19, 2020) - The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities sent letters to Congressional leaders and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson today formally requesting $5 billion for the public housing program and $3.5 billion for the housing choice voucher program in emergency supplemental funds and additional regulatory relief for public housing authorities as they work to protect residents and staff during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, issued the following statement after submitting the requests to Congress and HUD:

"Low-income households and the elderly who are served by public and affordable housing have the most to lose during the current COVID-19 public health crisis because they are the most vulnerable to unemployment, lost income, and heartbreakingly, the virus itself.

"To ensure the health and safety of residents, and of staff, public housing authorities are taking unprecedented actions to follow public health protocols, while continuing to provide residents with services ranging from food deliveries to regular property repairs.

"The FY20 operating budget for public housing authorities is wholly inadequate to fund the enormous unforeseen cost of COVID-19 emergency expenses combined with estimated losses in tenant rent payments. CLPHA is requesting $8.5 billion from Congress in emergency supplemental funds and urging HUD to provide public housing authorities with the flexibility to respond to the changing situation as needed.

"Without a commitment from the federal government to support public and affordable housing operations during and after the COVID-19 emergency, millions of households could be left unprotected from the virus and face longer-term housing insecurity.

"CLPHA members are working tirelessly, compassionately, and pragmatically to support low-income households. We urge Congress and HUD to do the same."

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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. CLPHA’s 70 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing program; administer more than a quarter of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and operate a wide array of other housing programs. Learn more at clpha.org and on Twitter @CLPHA and follow @housing_is for news on CLPHA’s work to better intersect the housing field and other areas of critical importance such as health and education.

3.17.20

CLPHA Teleworking Until Further Notice

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