Housing Choice Voucher

Opposing HUD’s Dangerous Non-Citizen Rule

Yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives voted 277-194 to approve a $383 billion spending package of five appropriations bills, including funding for the departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies.

The House-passed bill includes $50.1 billion for HUD, an increase of $5.9 billion above the FY19 enacted level, and $13.4 billion above President Trump’s request.

Click below for details of the bill’s funding levels for several programs of interest to CLPHA members and CLPHA’s comparative funding chart.

From Spare Change News:

Boston’s public housing agency is making 1,000 rental housing vouchers available to homeless folks looking for long-term housing.

The Section 8 vouchers are the result of federal Housing Choice Program funding and will provide housing search assistance, stabilization services and funds for those moving into a home for the next six months, according to a press release from the city.

From ABC 10NEWS San Diego:

San Diego County will receive millions of dollars to move more families into Section 8 low-income housing, the City of San Diego said Monday.

The San Diego Housing Commission is expected to receive approximately $20 million in federal funding that will go towards increasing rental assistance in the county. According to the agency, SDHC provides federal rental assistance to more than 15,000 households in the region.

From Sampan:

Mayor Martin J. Walsh together with the Boston Housing Authority and local shelter providers yesterday gathered in Roxbury to announce the release of 1,000 new rental housing vouchers for chronically homeless residents and families in Boston. The vouchers are funded through the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and will increase the BHA’s portfolio of vouchers to 13,500.

From HACLA's website:

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) has once again received a perfect score of 100% from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for its management and administration of the Housing Choice Voucher program, also known as “Section 8.”

WASHINGTON (April 22, 2019) - On April 17, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released a proposed rule for Congressional review to disallow undocumented immigrants from living in federally subsidized housing. The notice is not yet publicly available but will eventually be posted in the Federal Register for a public comment period.

In response to reports of HUD’s proposed rule, Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, issued the following statement:

From the San Diego Union-Tribune:

Calvin McGary rolled his red wagon filled with many of his belongings into his new apartment Thursday afternoon and began to settle into his new life.

“I love it,” he said looking at the kitchen and admiring the new cabinets, which reminded him of the days when he worked construction.

Vacancy rates, more so than median rents, are an important predictor of a voucher holder’s ability to lease up in high-quality neighborhoods, concludes researcher Gregg Colburn in a new journal article for Housing Studies.