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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05132014 - HA D.2RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPT Resolution No. 5176 certifying the results for 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, 2014. 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 the fiscal year ending in 2014 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 100 out of 140 possible points, which will result in a SEMAP score of 71.4%. The rating becomes official after HUD reviews and approves the submission. If HUD maintains this score, HACCC will once again qualify as a “Standard Performer” under HUD’s SEMAP program. HACCC achieved a favorable score in 11 of the 14 SEMAP Indicators. Specifically, HACCC scored points in the following Indicators: Action of Board On: 05/13/2014 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF COMMISSIONERS AYE:John Gioia, Commissioner Candace Andersen, Commissioner Mary N. Piepho, Commissioner Karen Mitchoff, Commissioner Federal D. Glover, Commissioner 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 13, 2014 Joseph Villarreal, Executive Director By: June McHuen, Deputy cc: D.2 To:Contra Costa County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners From:Joseph Villarreal, Housing Authority Date:May 13, 2014 Contra Costa County Subject:Section 8 Management Assessment Plan (SEMAP) Certification for FYE March 31, 2014 BACKGROUND (CONT'D) > Determination of Rent Reasonableness Maintaining Current Utility Allowance Schedules Conducting Quality Control Inspections Housing Quality Standards Enforcement Expanding Housing Opportunities Maintaining Current Payment Standards Conducting Annual Income Reexaminations Correctly Calculating Tenant Rent Conducting Pre-Contract Housing Quality Standards (HQS) Inspections Annual HQS Inspections Lease-Up/Utilization Rate HACCC also received points for the “Deconcentration Bonus.” This 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 (<10.2%) census tracts. In past years HACCC was also eligible for points for Indicator 14: “Family Self Sufficiency Enrollment & Escrow Account Balances.” However, because HACCC has successfully graduated more FSS participants than required by HUD, HACCC is no longer scored on this Indicator. HACCC did not score any points in 2 of the 14 Indicators. Specifically, HACCC did not score points in the following Indicators: Selection from the Wait List Determination of Adjusted Income “Selection from the Wait List” measures whether a PHA has written policies in its Administrative Plan for selecting applicants from the wait list and if the PHA follows these policies when selecting applicants for admission from that list. HACCC has not scored points in this Indicator in the past several years because new vouchers have not been issued to families on the wait list. HACCC did begin utilizing its wait list to make referrals to Project Based Voucher (PBV) units in December, 2013. HUD has not yet determined if HACCC will be able to claim points based on PBV leasing, so HACCC has not claimed any points for this Indicator. In the coming fiscal year, HACCC will continue to use its wait list for PBV leasing and will also issue tenant-based vouchers as the cost-savings measures of the past few years have resulted in available voucher subsidy funds. Therefore, HACCC expects to receive points for “Selection from the Wait List” in next year’s SEMAP Certification. The “Determination of Adjusted Income” Indicator 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 HACCC's voucher files. Scoring will continue to improve in the current fiscal year as HACCC continues to utilize external quality control to help identify remaining weaknesses in staff's performance on this Indicator. 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 adopt Resolution No. 5176, HACCC would be in jeopardy of losing over $80 million in funding that provides rental assistance for low income families in Contra Costa County. ATTACHMENTS SEMAP Res. 5176 SEMAP Certification