Agenda Item   

AGENDA STAFF REPORT

 

                                                                                                                        ASR Control  21-000032

 

MEETING DATE:

03/23/21

legal entity taking action:

Orange County Housing Authority

board of supervisors district(s):

All Districts

SUBMITTING Agency/Department:

OC Community Resources   (Approved)

Department contact person(s):

Dylan Wright (714) 480-2788 

 

 

Julia Bidwell   (714) 480-2991

 

 

Subject:  Approve Annual Public Housing Agency Plan

 

     ceo CONCUR

County Counsel Review

Clerk of the Board

Concur

No Legal Objection

Public Hearing

 

 

3 Votes Board Majority

 

 

 

    Budgeted: N/A

Current Year Cost: N/A

Annual Cost: N/A

 

 

 

    Staffing Impact:

No

# of Positions:

Sole Source: N/A

    Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A

  Funding Source: N/A

County Audit in last 3 years: 2019

 

 

    Prior Board Action: 05/19/2020 #69, 03/26/2019 #39, 03/27/2018 #15

 

RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):

 

 

1.

Sitting as the Board of Commissioners of the Orange County Housing Authority conduct a public hearing and consider public comments for inclusion in the Annual Public Housing Agency Plan for FY 2021-22.

 

2.

Approve Orange County Housing Authority's Annual Public Housing Agency Plan for FY 2021-22.

 

3.

Authorize the Executive Director of Orange County Housing Authority or designee to sign related certifications and submit the Orange County Housing Authority's Annual Public Housing Agency Plan for FY 2021-22 to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for final approval as required by federal regulations.

 

 

 

 

SUMMARY:

 

Conducting a public hearing and approving the Orange County Housing Authority's Annual Public Housing Agency Plan will comply with federal requirements and demonstrate a continued commitment to addressing the housing needs of low-income households.

 

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

 

The Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plan is a comprehensive guide to public housing agency policies, programs, operations and strategies for meeting local housing needs and goals. The PHA Plan process was initially established by Section 5A of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1737 et seq) (ACT). The ACT was later amended and ultimately resulted in the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) publishing Notice 2015-18, which provided for the use of streamlined PHA Plan templates.

 

There are two parts to the PHA Plan: The Five-Year Plan, which is submitted to HUD once every fifth fiscal year, and the Annual Plan, which is submitted to HUD annually. The streamlined template plans provide a standardized format for PHAs to report their missions, long-term goals, key elemental changes, intent to undertake new activities and progress in accomplishing five-year goals.

 

On May 19, 2020, the Orange County Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the Orange County Housing Authority's (OCHA) Five-Year PHA Plan, which covered FY 2020-21 through FY 2023-24, and approved the Annual PHA Plan for FY 2020-21. On March 26, 2019, the Board approved the Annual PHA Plan for FY 2019-20, and on March 27, 2018, the Board approved the Annual PHA Plan for FY 2018-19.

 

Updates to the FY 2021-22 PHA Plan include the following:

 

Section B.1 Revision of PHA Plan Elements

 

Policy

In May 2020, OCHA finalized updates to its Administrative Plan. The primary and most critical updates to the Plan were changes to the policy regarding placement on the waiting list, which have been made to address the significant need for affordable housing in Orange County. Updates included, but were not limited to, OCHA’s ability to perform a random selection (lottery) to determine applicants that will be placed on the waiting list  and OCHA’s ability to open its waiting list only to applicants who qualify for one or more OCHA preferences. Attachment A of the Annual PHA Plan is a Summary of Substantial Revisions made to the Administrative Plan in 2020.

 

Financial Resources

 

Annual Contributions for Housing Choice Voucher Program: 

$ 166,313,874

Family Self-Sufficiency Program Coordinators:

$        288,000

Mainstream Voucher Program:    

$     1,705,608

TOTAL:

$ 168,307,482

 

Section B.2 New Activities

In addition to the project-based activities, which are in progress (seen on pages 8 and 9 of the Annual PHA Plan), and will continue into the next reporting period, in response to Notices of Funding Availability, there are additional projects under review. As opportunities become available and upon notification to HUD, OCHA will continue to explore use of project-based vouchers to meet the local need for affordable housing.

 

OCHA’s project-based activities are consistent with the PHA Plan and the Administrative Plan in that they promote deconcentration, expand housing choice and address the need for long-term, affordable housing. Further, the activities contribute to the achievement of the goals OCHA set forth in Section B.2 of the Five-Year PHA Plan.

 

Section B.6 Progress Report

 

Goal #1 Open the Housing Choice Voucher Program Waiting List

Due to the impacts of COVID-19, OCHA has postponed opening of the waiting list. Potential opening of the waiting list will be evaluated in 2022/2023.

 

Goal #2 Enhance accessibility for disabled and limited English proficient persons 

  • A translation function to Chinese, Spanish and Vietnamese has been applied to OCHA’s webpage for limited English proficient persons.
  • American Sign Language interpreters and the California Relay Service are used to communicate with those who are hard of hearing.
  • Execution of a contract for translation services in-person and via telephone is in progress. 

 

Goal #3 Expand efforts to affirmatively further fair housing

  • Due to the proposed rule published in January 2020 on affirmatively furthering fair housing, OCHA is currently evaluating its expansion of efforts. Meanwhile, OCHA continues to comply with 24 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) §5.150.

 

Goal #4 Identify and utilize technology to enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency in delivery of housing assistance services

  • All new Housing Choice Voucher Program files are digital.
  • All newly created historical records are imaged to prevent creation of physical files.
  • The Assistance Connect portal is available for applicant and landlord use to communicate with staff and transmit documents as needed.
  • DocuSign seats and Adobe Pro licenses were purchased to eliminate need for original signatures in certain instances.
  • Remote Virtual Inspections for new move-ins were implemented in late 2020.
  • Virtual briefings and electronic reexaminations were implemented in late 2020.

o   The public has the option of using the technologies provided, but are not required to do so. Appointments for individual service are always available.

 

Goal #5 Expand the supply of affordable housing by applying for additional housing assistance funding and programs that may become available

 

  • Because OCHA was a previous recipient of Mainstream Program Vouchers, HUD awarded OCHA a 30 percent increase in vouchers, which have been prioritized to house 24 additional households that frequently utilize Orange County hospitals/emergency services.
  • In response to Notice PIH 2020-22 Mainstream Vouchers – Non-Competitive Opportunity for Additional Vouchers authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, OCHA applied for and was awarded 100 vouchers. The 100 Mainstream vouchers have been prioritized for those transitioning from Projects Roomkey/Homekey and Toolbelt into permanent housing.

 

Goal #6 Promote Family Self Sufficiency

  • OCHA applied for renewal of its Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Coordinator funding and was awarded $288,000.
  • OCHA continued participating in the national study of the FSS Program conducted by MDRC, which was extended into 2021.
  • OCHA graduated 13 households from the FSS Program and disbursed more than $181,374 to said households.
  • Participation in OCHA’s FSS Program is 53 percent higher than mandated by HUD.
  • OCHA routinely conducts recruitment to all Housing Choice Voucher holders and performs targeted recruitment for households participating in the Family Unification and Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Programs.
  • Approximately 20 percent of participation in the FSS Program is by households in the Family Unification Program  and  Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program.

 

In compliance with federal regulations, member cities and the public have been notified that OCHA's Annual PHA plan is being updated. The public has been provided the opportunity to review and to make comments prior to final approval by the OCHA Board of Commissioners through the following processes:

 

a.

The public review period and public hearing date was provided to OCHA's member cities at the Cities Advisory Committee meeting held on January 27, 2021.

 

b.

A public notice announcing the public review period and public hearing date was published in the Orange County Register, La Opinion and Vien Dong Daily on February 3, 2021.

 

c.

OCHA's draft Annual PHA Plan for FY 2021-22 was posted on OCHA's website (www.ochousing.org/docs) on February 3, 2021.

 

d.

On February 25, 2021, the Housing and Community Development Commission meeting included an agendized discussion regarding the Plan to allow the Resident Advisory Board to make and receive comments from the public.

 

e.

On March 23, 2021, this Agenda Staff Report will be considered by the Board, acting as the Board of Commissioners for OCHA, to conduct a public hearing and receive comments that will be incorporated into OCHA's Annual PHA Plan for FY 2021-22 prior to submittal to HUD and publication of the final document.

 

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

 

N/A

 

STAFFING IMPACT:

 

N/A

 

ATTACHMENT(S):

 

Attachment A - Draft Annual PHA Plan FY 2021-22
Attachment B - CFR Title 24 Sec. 903
Attachment C - PIH-2015-18
Attachment D - Affidavit of Publication & Public Notice