Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06172008 - D.1 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA TO: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FROM: Joseph Villarreal, Executive Director J-- DATE: June 17, 2008 SUBJECT: CERTIFICATION FOR THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) SECTION EIGHT MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT PLAN (SEMAP) FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING 3/31/2008 SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION I. RECOMMENDED ACTION: APPROVE Resolution No. 5102 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 period from April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008. II. FINANCIAL IMPACT: HUD provides over $77 million annually for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance program serving low-income families in Contra Costa County. Approval of this SEMAP certification is a condition for continued funding. III. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND SEMAP is HUD's report card for Section 8 programs administered by housing authorities nationwide. The Housing Authority collects data on the essential operations of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. This data is reported annually to HUD and scored according to HUD regulations. There are fourteen separate indicators as outlined in Attachment 1. Favorable ratings were achieved in indicators measuring determination of rent reasonableness, determination of adjusted income, maintaining an up-to-date utility schedule, timeliness of property inspections as well as maintaining quality control measures of inspections, working to expand housing opportunities, maintaining current payment standards, calculating tenant rent correctly, enrollment & participation in Family Self Sufficiency as well as proper submission of electronic information. The Authority scored poorly in two of them, Indicators nine and thirteen. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE oseph illarreal,Executive Director RECOMMENDATION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON Q(Q y fQ.Q APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED_ OTHER VOTE OF COMMISSIONERS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A UNANIMOUS (ABSENT y' ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED 'tdSEI�VILLARREAL,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BY ,DEPUTY H:UudyHayes\MSOFFICE\WINWORD\BOARD\BO-SEMAP FYE 3-31-08.doc SEMAP CERTIFICATION FY ENDING 3/31/2007 June 17, 2008 . Page 2 Indicator nine, Annual Reexaminations, received a score of 0. This score is based upon the backlog of past due re-certifications during calendar year 2007. The Authority's Section 8 staff did not complete 13% of all annual re-certifications within the time required under federal regulations. The Authority has addressed this deficiency by reorganizing staff duties, physically moving the central office, updating supervision standards, increasing relevant staff training, implementing new performance standards and implementing quality control processes. This indicator has actually improved dramatically over the past year as many of these changes were instituted. Indicator thirteen, Lease-Up, received a low score because the Authority exhausted its waiting list in December 2006 and was unable to replenish it due to deficiencies in the wait list process that HUD required the Authority to correct before reopening the list. Staff has updated these policies and the revisions were approved by the Board in December 2007 and May 2008. Additionally, HUD has now also approved these revisions and so the Authority is moving forward with reopening the waiting list. Federal regulations require that a housing authority develop and implement a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for any low scoring indicator. (This is distinct from the CAP imposed by HUD, which was in response to a low rating on the Authority's overall score.) The CAP implemented by the Authority for fiscal year 2007/2008 has been effective and allowed improvement in many areas. This has led to a much higher score for many indicators for the 2007-2008 SEMAP score. The Authority scored very high in all Indicators apart from nine and thirteen. Based upon the Authority's scoring, it appears the Section 8 program is entitled to a score of 110 out of the 140 possible points, a rating of 78.4%. This qualifies the Authority as a "standard performer" in HUD's SEMAP program. However, until the Authority clears its outstanding CAP with HUD, and until HUD completes a successful confirmatory review, this rating is not official. IV. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION: Should the Board of Commissioners elect not to approve Resolution No. 5102, the Housing Authority would be in jeopardy of losing $77 million in funding that provides rental assistance for low income families in Contra Costa County. i i I I I I f i I I I I i s8admin j I I THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA RESOLUTION NO. 5102 RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SECTION EIGHT MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM CERTIFICATION FOR THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF RELATED DOCUMENTATION WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa to continue to provide housing assistance payments for qualified low-income tenants; and WHEREAS, the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa desires to ensure that its Housing Choice Voucher program functions within the standards of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) ; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, as follows: 1. The SEMAP certification for the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa for the period ending March 31, 2008, is hereby approved subject to any subsequent HUD confirmatory reviews; and, 2. The Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa is authorized to submit this certification and any related documentation to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This Resolution shall be effective immediately. PASSED AND ADOPTED ON b L-0 6 by the following vote of the Commissioners. AYES: -IOIAUILXCV\IA , Plie°Ho, $ooiL-L-A Cx'DJEP1 A' 'rc-ACE5 f; NOES: ABSENT: I ABSTAIN: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ON THE DATE SHOWN. f ATTESTED 0 8 JOSEP VILLARREAL, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR By H:\JudyHayes\MSOFFICE\WINWORD\BOARD\BO-SEMAP Resolution.doc SEMAP Certification Page 1 of 3 LOG'OFF HUD HOME PIH HOME Q&A SEARCHOINDEX E-MAIL WASS MAIN T, = All ql III I ry , `. Reprrts Subrriisslom x List SI.comas°y Certification Profile Comments Field Office: 9APH SAN FRANCISCO HUB OFFICE Joseph Housing Agency: CA011 Contra Costa County Villarreal (MAS774) PHA Fiscal Year End: 3/31/2008 PIC Home WASSMain _..._ ......._ .___ �., � __ _..__,__, . � __._ _,,,_......._. . PIC Main Logoff OMB Approval No. 2577-0215 SEMAP CERTIFICATION (Page 1) SEMAP Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 12 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining DIS the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.This agency may not conduct or sponsor, and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. This collection of information is required by 24 CFR sec 985.101 which requires a Public Housing Agency (PHA) administering a Section 8 tenant-based assistance program to submit an annual SEMAP Certification within 60 days after the end of its fiscal year. The information from the PHA concerns the performance of the PHA and provides assurance that there is no evidence of seriously deficient performance. HUD uses the information and other data to assess PHA management capabilities and deficiencies, and to assign an overall performance rating to the PHA. Responses are mandatory and the information collected does not lend itself to confidentiality. Check here if the PHA expends less than $300,000 a year in federal awards f7 Indicators 1 -7 will not be rated if the PHA expends less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards and its Section 8 programs are not audited for compliance with regulations by an independent auditor. A PHA that expends less than $300,000 in Federal awards in a year must still complete the certification for these indicators. Performance Indicators 1 Selection from Waiting List(24 CFR 982.54(d)(1) and 982.204(a)) a. The HA has written policies in its administrative plan for selecting applicants from the waiting list. PHA Response Yes b. The PHA's quality control samples of applicants reaching the top of the waiting list and admissions show that at least 98% of the families in the samples were selected from the waiting list for admission in accordance with the PHA's policies and met the selection criteria that determined their places on the waiting list and their order of selection. PHA Response No i 2 Reasonable Rent(24 CFR 982.4, 982.54(d)(15), 982.158(f)(7)and 982.507) l a. The PHA has and implements a reasonable written method to determine and document for each unit leased that the rent to owner is reasonable based on current rents for comparable unassisted units (i) at the time of initial leasing, (ii) before any increase in the rent to owner, and (iii) at the HAP contract anniversary if there is a 5 percent decrease in the published FMR in effect 60 days before the HAP contract anniversary. The PHA's method takes into consideration the location, size, type, quality, and age of the program unit and of similar unassisted units and any amenities, housing services, maintenance or utilities provided by the owners. PHA Response Yes b. The PHA's quality control sample of tenant files for which a determination of reasonable rent was required to show that the PHA followed its written method to determine reasonable rent and https://pic.hud.gov/pic/semap/smpassessmentcertification.asp 6/3/2008 i r I i i f SEMAP Certification Page 2 of 3 documented its determination that the rent to owner is reasonable as required for(check one): PHA Response At least 98% of units sampled 3 Determination of Adjusted Income (24 CFR part 5,subpart F and 24 CFR 982.516) The PHA's quality control sample of tenant files show that at the time of admission and reexamination, the PHA properly obtained third party verification of adjusted income or documented why third party verification was not available; used the verified information in determining adjusted income; properly attributed allowances for expenses; and, where the family is responsible for utilities under the lease, the PHA used the appropriate utility allowances for the unit leased in determining the gross rent for(check one): PHA Response At least 90% of files sampled 4 Utility Allowance Schedule (24 CFR 982.517) The PHA maintains an up-to-date utility schedule. The PHA reviewed utility rate data that it obtained within the last 12 months, and adjusted its utility allowance schedule if there has been a change of 10% or more in a utility rate since the last time the utility allowance schedule was revised. PHA Response Yes 5 HQS Quality Control (24 CFR 982.405(b)) The PHA supervisor(or other qualified person) reinspected a sample of units during the PHA fiscal year, which met the minimum sample size required by HUD (see 24 CFR 985.2), for quality control of HQS inspections. The PHA supervisor's reinspected sample was drawn from recently completed HQS inspections and represents a cross section of neighborhoods and the work of cross section of inspectors. PHA Response Yes 6 HQS Enforcement(24 CFR 982.404) The PHA's quality control sample of case files with failed HQS inspections shows that, for all cases sampled, any cited life-threatening HQS deficiencies were corrected within 24 hours from the inspection and, all other cited HQS deficiencies were corrected within no more than 30 calendar days from the inspection or any PHA-approved extension, or, if HQS deficiencies were not corrected within the required time frame, the PHA stopped housing assistance payments beginning no later than the first of the month following the correction period, or took prompt and vigorous action to enforce the family obligations for(check one): PHA Response At least 98% of cases sampled 7 Expanding Housing Opportunities. (24 CFR 982.54(d)(5), 982.153(b)(3) and (b)(4), 982.301(a)and 983.301(b)(4) and (b)(12)) Applies only to PHAs with jurisdiction in metropolitan FMR areas Check here if not applicable r` a. The PHA has a written policy to encourage participation by owners of units outside areas of poverty or minorityconcentration which clearly delineates areas in its jurisdiction that the PHA considers areas of poverty or minority concentration, and which includes actions the PHA will take to encourage owner participation. PHA Response Yes b. The PHA has documentation that shows that it took actions indicated in its written policy to encourage participation by owners outside areas of poverty and minority concentration. PHA Response Yes https://pic.hud.gov/pic/semap/smpassessmentcertification.asp 6/3/2008 i 'SEMAP Certification Page 3 of 3 c. The PHA has prepared maps that show various areas, both within and neighboring its jurisdiction, with housing opportunities outside areas of poverty and minority concentration; the PHA has assembled information about job opportunities, schools and services in these areas; and the PHA uses the maps and related information when briefing voucher holders. PHA Response Yes d. The PHA's information packet for certificate and voucher holders contains either a list of owners who are willing to lease, or properties available for lease, under the voucher program, or a list of other organizations that will help families find units and the list includes properties or organizations that operate outside areas of poverty or minority concentration. PHA Response Yes e. The PHA's information packet includes an explanation of how portability works and includes a list of neighboring PHAs with the name, address and telephone number of a portability contact person at each. PHA Response Yes f. The PHA has analyzed whether voucher holders have experienced difficulties in finding housing outside areas of poverty or minority concentration and, where such difficulties were found, the PHA has considered whether it is appropriate to seek approval of exception payment standard amounts in any part of its jurisdiction and has sought HUD approval when necessary. PHA Response Yes Page 1 of 2 Go to Comments I i i I I i i https://pic.hud.gov/pic/semap/smpassessmentcertification.asp 6/3/2008 SEMAP Certification Page 1 of 2 LOGOFF KUD HOME PlH HOME Q&A S€ARCHMNDEX E-MAIL WASS MAIN Reports Re � F �s• p Submission List Summary Certification Profile Comments s Field Office: 9APH SAN FRANCISCO HUB OFFICE ......_.Joseph Housing Agency: CA011 Contra Costa County Villarreal (MAS774) PHA Fiscal Year End: 3/31/2008 ....... .. ................._... ....... PIC Horne WASS Main PIC Main . SEMAP CERTIFICATION (Page 2) Logoff Performance Indicators SEMAP 8 Payment Standards(24 CFR 982.503) The PHA has adopted current payment standards for the voucher program by unit size for each FMR DIS area in the PHA jurisdiction and, if applicable, for each PHA-designated part of an FMR area, which do not exceed 110 percent of the current applicable FMR and which are not less than 90 percent of the current FMR (unless a lower percent is approved by HUD). (24 CFR 982.503) PHA Response Yes FMR Area Name Oakland-Fremont, CA FMR 1 of 1 Enter current FMRs and payment standards (PS) 0-13R FMR 866 1-BR FMR 1046 2-BR FMR 1239 3-13R FMR 1680 4-BR FMR 2080 PS 850 PS 1019 PS 1208 PS 1683 PS 2064 If the PHA has jurisdiction in more than one FMR area, and/or if the PHA has established separate payment standards for a PHA-designated part of an FMR area, add similar FMR and payment standard comparisions for each FMR area and designated area. 9 Timely Annual Reexaminations(24 CFR 5.617) The PHA completes a reexamination for each participating family at least every 12 months.(24 CFR 5.617) PHA Response No 10 Correct Tenant Rent Calculations(24 CFR 982, Subpart K) The PHA correctly calculates tenant rent in the rental certificate program and the family rent to owner in the rental voucher program (24 CFR 982,Subpart K) f PHA Response Yes 11 Pre-Contract HQS Inspections(24 CFR 982.305) Each newly leased unit passes HQS inspection before the beginning date of the assisted lease and HAP contract.(24 CFR 982.305) j PHA Response Yes i 12 Annual HQS Inspections(24 CFR 982.405(a)) The PHA inspects each unit under contract at least annually (24 CFR 982.405(a)) PHA Response Yes 13 Lease-Up The PHA executes assistance contracts on behalf of eligible families for the number of units that has been under budget for at least one year. The PHA executes assistance contracts on behalf of eligible families for the number of units that has been under budget for at least one year PHA Response No 14 Family Self-Sufficiency(24 CFR 984.105 and 984.305) 14a.Family Self-Sufficiency Enrollment. The PHA has enrolled families in FSS as required. Applies only to PHAs required to administer an FSS program. https://pic.hud.gov/pic/semap/smpassessmentcertificationcontd.asp 6/3/2008 i SEMAP Certification Page 2 of 2 Check here if not applicable a. Number of mandatory FSS slots (Count units funded under the FY 1992 FSS incentive awards and in FY 1993 and later through 10/20/1998. Exclude units funded in connection with Section 8 and Section 23 project-based contract terminations; public housing demolition, disposition and replacement; HUD multifamily property sales; prepaid or terminated mortgages under section 236 or section 221(d)(3); and Section 8 renewal funding. Subtract the number of families that successfully completed their contracts on or after 10/21/1998.) 309 Or, Number of mandatory FSS slots under HUD-approved exception (If not applicable, leave blank) Not Applicable b. Number of FSS families currently enrolled 115 c. Portability: If you are the initial PHA, enter the number of families currently enrolled in your FSS program, but who have moved under portability and whose Section 8 assistance is administered by another PHA 0 Percent of FSS slots filled (b+c divided by a) (This is a nonenterable field.The system will calculate the percent when the user saves the page) 37 14b. Percent of FSS Participants with Escrow Account Balances.The PHA has made progress in supporting family self-sufficiency as measured by the percent of currently enrolled FSS families with escrow account balances.(24 CFR 984.305) Applies only to PHAs required to administer an FSS program Check here if not applicable PHA Yes Response Portability: If you are the initial PHA, enter the number of families with FSS escrow accounts currently enrolled in your FSS program, but who have moved under portability and whose Section 8 assistance is administered by another PHA 0 15 Deconcentration Bonus The PHA is submitting with this certification data which show that: (1) Half or more of all Section 8 families with children assisted by the PHA in its principal operating area resided in low poverty census tracts at the end of the last PHA FY; (2) The percent of Section 8 mover families with children who moved to low poverty census tracts in the PHA's principal operating area during the last PHA FY is atleast two percentage points higher than the percent of all Section 8 families with children who resided in low poverty census tracts at the end of the last PHA FY; or (3)The percent of Section 8 mover families with children who moved to low poverty census tracts in the PHA's principal operating area over the last two PHA FY is at least two percentage points higher than the percent of all Section 8 families with children who resided in low poverty census tracts at the end of the second to last PHA FY. PHA Response No Go to Comments Back to Pagel https://pic.hud.gov/pic/semap/smpasse8smentcertificationcontd.asp 6/3/2008