Agenda Item AGENDA STAFF REPORT ASR Control 21-001171
MEETING DATE:	03/22/22
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 FY 2022-2023

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: No

Prior Board Action: 03/23/2021 #45, 05/19/2020 #69, 03/26/2019 #39

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 2022-23;
2.	Approve Orange County Housing Authority's Annual Public Housing Agency Plan for FY 2022-23;
3.	Authorize the Executive Director of Orange County Housing Authority or designee to sign related certifications and submit Orange County Housing Authority's Annual Public Housing Agency Plan for FY 2022-23 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 established by Section 5A of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.). The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 24 Subpart B Chapter IX Part 903 specifies the process in which a PHA, as part of its annual planning process and development of an admissions policy, must follow to develop and apply a policy that provides for deconcentration of poverty and income mixing in certain public housing developments.

There are two parts to the PHA Plan: The Five-Year Plan, which is submitted to Housing and Urban Development (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 March 26, 2019, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the Orange County Housing Authority’s (OCHA’s) Annual PHA Plan for FY 2019-2020. On May 19, 2020 the Board approved OCHA’s Five-Year PHA Plan, which covered FY 2020 through FY 2024, and approved the Annual PHA Plan for FY 2020-21. On March 23, 2021, the Board approved the OCHA’s Annual PHA Plan for FY 2021-22.

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

Plan Elements

B1. Financial Resources:

Annual Contributions by Program:
Housing Choice Voucher Program	$169,674,537
Family Self-Sufficiency Program Coordinators	$429,864
Mainstream Voucher Program	$1,773,255
TOTAL	$171,877,656

B.3 Progress Report: Provide a description of the PHA’s progress in meeting its Mission and Goals described in its 5-Year PHA Plan

Goal 1. Open the Housing Choice Voucher Program Waiting List
•	The current plan is to review the opening of the Waiting List in 2023.
Goal 2. Enhance accessibility for disabled and limited English proficient persons
•	A translation function for Korean has been added to the existing language functions of Chinese, Spanish and Vietnamese to improve access to OCHA’s webpage for limited English proficient persons.
•	OCHA has focused on the hiring of bilingual staff who are competent in reading, writing, and speaking the above languages in order to remove a barrier to information for limited English proficient persons. During this FY 2021/2022 OCHA hired 23 bilingual staff members.
•	American Sign Language interpreters and the California Relay Service are used to communicate with those who are hard of hearing.
Goal 3. Expand efforts to affirmatively further fair housing
•	OCHA routinely holds collaborative meetings with partners for our Special Purpose Voucher programs where OCHA educate partner agencies on the Reasonable Accommodation options available that can provide actual choice for persons with disabilities.
•	OCHA offers security deposit assistance for participants in Special Purpose Voucher homeless programs who do not have access to other funding opportunities.
•	OCHA conducts landlord engagement activities in order to provide education and outreach to area landlords on the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
•	Extended search times are provided to allow program participants the time necessary to obtain sufficient information regarding their housing options in order to make an informed housing choice.
•	OCHA is continuing to evaluate its expansion of efforts. Meanwhile, OCHA continues to comply with federal regulations.
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 continue to be digital.
•	All newly created historical records continue to be imaged to prevent creation of physical files.
•	The Assistance Connect portal continues to be available for applicant and landlord use to communicate with staff and transmit documents as needed.
•	DocuSign seats and Adobe Pro licenses continue to be utilized to eliminate need for original signatures in certain instances.
•	Remote Virtual Inspections use was expanded to include Biennial Inspections as well as new move-ins.
•	OCHA continues to utilize virtual briefings and electronic reexaminations.
•	Family Self-Sufficiency briefings have begun to use the virtual briefing format which allows a broader attendance level and a more interactive experience.
•	Support for completion of electronic reexaminations and initial applications using smartphones provided to encourage the use of technology.
•	The public has the option of using the technologies provided but are not required to do so. Appointments for individual services are always available.
Goal 5. Expand the supply of affordable housing by applying for additional housing assistance funding and programs that may become available
•	In response to Notice PIH 2021-21 HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Registration of Interest Notice, OCHA applied for and was awarded 30 VASH vouchers. The additional 30 vouchers will increase the total number of HUD-VASH vouchers to 1,019.
•	The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) was signed into law on March 11, 2021. ARPA included funding for approximately 70,000 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs). HUD announced EHV awards on May 10 and OCHA was awarded 557 EHVs.
•	Project Based Voucher (PBV) update:
	Project Name	Location	Number of Vouchers/units
	Buena Esperanza	Anaheim	20 VASH PBV
	Westminster Crossing	Westminster	20 HCV for chronically homeless
	Ascent	Buena Park	57 HCV for Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)/chronically homeless
	Prado	Fountain Valley	8 VASH PBV
	The Groves	San Juan Capistrano	8 MHSA/seniors
	Casa Paloma	Midway City	48 MHSA/chronically homeless
	Altrudy Senior Apartments	Yorba Linda	8 MHSA seniors
•	In addition to the above projects, there are eleven projects in progress from the previous reporting period which will continue into the next reporting period. In response to Notices of Funding Availability, additional projects are under review. OCHA will continue to explore the use of project-based vouchers as opportunities become available and upon notification of HUD to meet the local need for affordable housing.
•	Consistent with the PHA Plan and the Administrative Plan, OCHA’s project-based activities 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.
•	OCHA intends to project base up to 100 HCV and 10 HUD VASH in collaboration with Orange County Housing and Community Development.
Goal 6. Promote Family Self Sufficiency
•	OCHA applied for renewal of its FSS Coordinators funding and was awarded $429,864.
•	OCHA graduated six households from the FSS Program and disbursed approximately $55,740 to said households.
•	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.
•	In 2021 OCHA invited 1,680 households to attend the FSS briefing using the new virtual FSS Briefing platform.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

N/A

STAFFING IMPACT:

N/A

ATTACHMENT(S):

Attachment A - Annual PHA Plan for FY 2022-2023
Attachment B - 42 U.S. Code § 1437c–1
Attachment C - CFR Title 24 Subpart B Chapter IX Part 903
Attachment D - Affidavit of Publication