HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05212013 - HA SD.2RECOMMENDATIONS
CONSIDER approving Resolution No. 5165 certifying the results for the Section 8 Management Assessment Plan
(SEMAP), subject to HUD confirmatory review, for the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa (HACCC)
for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013.
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 2013 is attached. The SEMAP rating consists of fourteen separate
performance indicators. Scores for Indicators 1-8 on the attached SEMAP Certification form are based upon
HACCC’s internal review and an external review conducted by a consultant. Scores for Indicators 9-14 on the
attached SEMAP Certification form are based on HUD’s automatic scoring of these Indicators. Based on staff's
certification, HACCC’s HCV program is entitled to receive 105 out of 145 possible
Action of Board On: 05/21/2013 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF COMMISSIONERS
AYE:Candace Andersen, District II
Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III
Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV
Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor
ABSENT:John Gioia, District I
Supervisor
Geneva Green, Tenant Seat
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 21, 2013
Joseph Villarreal, Executive Director
By: June McHuen, Deputy
cc:
SD.2
To:Contra Costa County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners
From:Joseph Villarreal, Housing Authority
Date:May 21, 2013
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:SEMAP Certification For FYE 3-31-13
BACKGROUND (CONT'D)
points, which will result in a SEMAP score of 72%. 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 confirmed score of 24%.
HACCC achieved a favorable score in 11 of the 14 SEMAP Indicators. Specifically, HACCC scored points in the
following Indicators:
• Selection from the Waiting List
• Determination of Rent Reasonableness
• Maintaining Current Utility Allowance Schedules
• Expanding Housing Opportunities
• Maintaining Current Payment Standards
• Conducting Annual Income Reexaminations
• Correctly Calculating Tenant Rent
• Conducting Pre-Contract Housing Quality Standards (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 did not score any points in 3 of the 14 Indicators. Specifically, HACCC did not score points in the
following Indicators:
• Determination of Adjusted Income
• Conducting HQS Quality Control Inspections
• HQS Enforcement
Determination of Adjusted Income measures how well HACCC performs income verifications and if the verified
information is used to properly calculate family income. Scoring for this Indicator has improved as staff training
has continued, new policies and procedures have been implemented and the file project has cleaned up about half
of HACCC's voucher files. Scoring will continue to improve in the current fiscal year as the rest of the files are
updated. Additionally, HACCC continues to utilize external quality control to help identify remaining weaknesses
in staff's performance on this Indicator.
HQS Quality Control (QC) Inspections measures whether or not HACCC conducts HQS QC inspections in accord
with the HUD audit guide. The year-end review determined that not enough QC inspections were conducted
within 90 days of the initial HQS inspection as required by HACCC policy and that more QC inspections should
have been conducted in East County in order to provide a statistically adequate sample of inspectors, cities and
regions. Staff will conduct more frequent QC inspections during the current fiscal year to avoid the first problem
and will over-sample where necessary to achieve an adequate number of inspections from each inspector, city and
region.
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, scoring for this Indicator has improved as staff training has continued,
new policies and procedures have been implemented and the file project has cleaned up about half of HACCC's
voucher files. Likewise, scoring will continue to improve in the current fiscal year as the remaining files are
updated.
One issue stood out in auditing this year's files. HACCC's policy requires that inoperable smoke detectors must be
repaired within 24 hours. However, the file review indicated that staff do not declare an emergency fail in cases
where there is a faulty smoke detector as long as there is more than one working smoke detector per floor. Staff
still required that the inoperable smoke detector be repaired, it is just not required to be repaired within 24 hours.
While this meets HUD's regulatory standards, staff practice must also match HACCC's policies. Staff are
currently reviewing local codes, HUD regulations and SEMAP guidance to determine whether to change
HACCC's policy or staff practice in this area.
FISCAL IMPACT
HUD provides over $80 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
Should the Board of Commissioners elect not to approve Resolution No. 5165, HACCC would be in jeopardy of
losing $80 million in funding that provides rental assistance for low income families in Contra Costa County.
ATTACHMENTS
HA Resolution 5165 SEMAP FYE 3-31-13
SEMAP Certification FYE 3-31-13