HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05152012 - HA D.2RECOMMENDATIONS
CONSIDER approving Resolution No. 5155 certifying the results of the Section 8 Management Assessment Plan
(SEMAP), subject to U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) confirmatory review, for the
Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa (HACCC) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012.
BACKGROUND
HUD utilizes SEMAP to evaluate a public housing authority’s (PHA) management of the HCV program. SEMAP
scores are based on a combination of electronic data reported to HUD at regular intervals by PHAs and self-reported
scores based on internal audits conducted by PHA staff. PHAs use HUD’s SEMAP Certification form to submit their
scores. HACCC’s completed form for FYE 2012 is attached. The SEMAP rating consists of fourteen separate
performance indicators. Scores for Indicators 1-8 are based upon HACCC’s internal review and an external review
conducted by a consultant. Scores for Indicators 9-14 are based on HUD’s automatic scoring of these Indicators.
Based on this certification, HACCC’s HCV program is entitled to receive 95 out of 145 possible points, which will
result in a SEMAP score of
Action of Board On: 05/15/2012 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF
COMMISSIONERS
Contact: 925-957-8028
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of
Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: May 15, 2012
Joseph Villarreal, Executive Director
By: , Deputy
cc:
D.2
To:Contra Costa County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners
From:Joseph Villarreal, Executive Director
Date:May 15, 2012
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:SEMAP Certification for FYE 3-31-2012
BACKGROUND (CONT'D)
65.5%. Before the rating becomes official, HUD must conduct a confirmatory review. If HUD maintains this
score, HACCC will qualify as a “Standard Performer” under HUD’s SEMAP program and HACCC’s troubled
rating would be removed. This would be a significant improvement over HACCC’s previous score of 24%.
HACCC achieved a favorable score in 11 of the 14 SEMAP Indicators. Specifically, HACCC scored points in the
following Indicators:
• Determination of Rent Reasonableness
• Maintaining Current Utility Allowance Schedules
• Conducting Housing Quality Standards (HQS) Quality Control Inspections
• Expanding Housing Opportunities
• Maintaining Current Payment Standards
• Conducting Annual Income Reexaminations
• Correctly Calculating Tenant Rent
• Conducting Pre-Contract HQS Inspections
• Conducting Annual HQS Inspections
• Lease-Up/Utilization Rate
• Family Self Sufficiency Enrollment & Escrow Account Balances
HACCC also received points for the Deconcentration Bonus. The Deconcentration bonus is awarded to housing
authorities that have metropolitan jurisdictions and can demonstrate that families with children either live-in
currently, or are moving to, low-poverty census tracts. To receive the bonus for in-place families, a housing
authority must demonstrate that half or more of all HCV families with children reside in low poverty (<10%)
census tracts. HACCC has 3,254 families with children on the HCV program. Of these, 2,109 (65%) reside in
low-poverty census tracts.
HACCC did not score any points in 3 of the 14 Indicators:
• Selection from the Waiting List
• Determination of Adjusted Income
• HQS Enforcement
Selection from the Waiting List measures whether a housing authority has written policies in its Administrative
Plan for selecting applicants from the waiting list and whether the housing authority follows these policies when
selecting applicants for admission from the waiting list. While HACCC has a HUD-approved waiting list
selection policy, no families have been called from the list since HUD’s confirmatory review of February 5-9,
2007 that rated this Indicator at 0 points. Because there has been no new wait list selection data to review, HUD
has previously left the rating for this Indicator at 0 points and so did HACCC when scoring this year’s
submission. However, HUD has indicated that HACCC may be able to successfully appeal this rating based on
the fact there is an approved selection policy and an updated computer system in place since HUD’s last
confirmatory review. Further, the fact that no families have been selected from the wait list since HUD’s last
confirmatory review is solely due to reduced funding levels, not any negative actions by HACCC. Staff will
discuss this issue with HUD again when the confirmatory review is scheduled.
Determination of Adjusted Income measures how well HACCC performs income verifications and if the verified
information is used to properly calculate family income. As noted in the SEMAP CAP Board Order many policies
and procedures were changed as part of the CAP process and it takes about a year for all files to reflect these
changes. Scoring for this Indicator is expected to improve as the files are updated at each client’s annual
appointment. Also as noted in the SEMAP CAP Board Order, HACCC has begun working with a consultant to
expedite the transformation of the files and will continue staff training and increased internal and external quality
control in order to facilitate improved SEMAP scores.
The HQS Enforcement Indicator measures whether or not HACCC conducts HQS inspections in accord with
HUD regulations for all units under the HCV program and if the repairs are completed in a timely manner. As
with Determination of Adjusted Income, this is an Indicator where policies and procedures were changed in
response to the CAP and so the changes will take about a year to be reflected in all tenant files. Scoring for this
Indicator will improve as each client’s file is updated throughout the year. Increased internal and external quality
control should also facilitate an improved score for this Indicator.
FISCAL IMPACT
HUD provides over $83 million annually to serve low-income families in Contra Costa County via the Housing
Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance program. Approval of this SEMAP certification is a condition for
continued funding.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION
SEMAP is HUD’s report card for HCV programs administered by housing authorities nationwide. Data on the
essential operations of the HCV program are reported annually to HUD and scored according to HUD regulations.
CLERK'S ADDENDUM
ATTACHMENTS
SEMAP Certification 5-15-12
SEMAP Res 5155 5-15-12