2003-12-17 (Report) CITY OF ENCINITAS
HOUSING AUTHORITY
AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: December 17, 2003
TO: Housing Authority~ ~d,.~ --['~
VIA: Kerry L. Miller, Ci 9fi~e,l~A~/L/_ --
FROM: ~l~atrickMurphy, ~l&~g~BuildingDirector'
~L~ave deCordova, Principal Planner
0~Amanda Mills, Housing and Grants Analyst
SUBJECT: Consider amending the Section 8 Administrative Plan to reflect changes in federal
regulations and to improve administration of the Section 8 program.
BACKGROUND: Housing agencies administering Section 8 Rental Assistance must adopt a
written Administrative Plan that establishes local policies for administration of the program in
accordance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements.
The Administrative Plan and revisions must be adopted by the Housing Authority Board and
submitted to HUD.'
The Encinitas Housing Authority (EHA) first adopted its Administrative Plan on June 22, 1994,
and periodically adopts amendments to reflect changes in federal regulations and policy adopted
by the Housing Authority.
ANALYSIS: Changes being proposed are minor corrections identified since the last revision. The
corrections are identified by strikeout and underline in Attachment A.
FISCAL AND STAFF IMPACTS: There are no fiscal or staff impacts as a result of the
amendments.
RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the recommended amendments to the Section 8 Administrative
Plan.
ATTACHMENT A
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN
P. 8 Definitions
40. Resident. For the purpose of determining eligibility and applying preference, a
resident Household is one who is currently living in the City of Encinitas, or
whose head of household or spouse is employed in the City of Encinitas or who
has accepted employment in the City of Encinitas which will become effective
within 14 days from the date of application. For homeless persons to meet
residency test~ applicant must prove that they normally stay within the Cit~, of
Encinitas. tixamples of acceptable doctunentation include: letter fi'om a social
services agency veril¥'ing that the applicant is homeless in Encinitas, or
verification fi'om the Encinitas Sheriff's' department.
P. 11 SECTION IV. APPLICATIONS AND WAITING LISTS
C. Establishment of a Waiting List
1. A separate waiting list will be established tbr both tenant-based and
proiect-based rental assistance. Applicants can apply for either one or
..b..~.~._l!Ll(y_aiting lists. Each apparently eligible applicant Household shall be
placed on the waiting list and the file (or appropriate type of control
records) maintained in a manner so as to assure compliance with the
policies of selection set forth in Section V. Submission of an application
does not create an entitlement of any individual to Section 8 Housing
Assistance.
P. 14 SECTION V. SELECTION OF FAMILIES FOR ISSUANCE OF
CERTIFICATES OF FAMILY PARTICIPATION.
B. Order of Preference in the Selection of Families to be Issued a
Certificate/Voucher of Family Participation. (see Section IIA. 13). Each of the
preferences carries a point value, and all applications will be ranked by the
highest number of points being given highest priority in the waiting list.
1. Types of Preferences.
(a). Local Preference: resident of or employed in the City of Encinitas.
(50 points) (Section IIA.39)
(b). Priorities: applicant's with any one or combination of the priorities
listed below. (50 points)
· Elderly individual or family,
· Disabled individual or family,
· Families with dependent children/adults where a head of
household works and/or attends school/a training program,
· Homeless individual or family, or
· Involuntarily displaced individual or family due to
Government action.
(c). Date/Time: date/time of application (sorts applicants within the
same point category)
(d} In order to meet ttUD income targeting requirements, the Ella
ma.v select persons off the wailing list who are at or belo~ the
extremely low income level.
P. 20 SECTION VII. DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR ISSUANCE
OF CERTIFICATES OF FAMILY PARTICIPATION
C. Verification and Documentation of Application Data
1. Verifications will be required for information submitted by an applicant to
assure accuracy in determining eligibility, and priority, preference status,
rent to be paid, and size of dwelling required. Verifications must be cur-
rent (no more than 60 days old for new leases, no more than I20 days old
fbr annual reexaminations).). The EHA will provide forms to applicants
to assure receipt of required information.
2. Verification Methods: The following methods of verification are acceptable
fbr the tenam file to be properly documented. In order ofprel~rence they are:
a) Third party: Written (provided directly to the EHA by the source mid not
hand-carried by the family) or oral (direct contact bv EHA with a reliable
source).
b) Review of documents: Documents provided by family (e.g. pay 5!_t_t_bs. _bank
statements, social security award letters, computerized printouts).
c) Family certification or notarized statement: Written statement signed by the
fmnil~,, certitSing that the infbrmafion provided is complete and correct.
,, When the preferred verification form is not received in a timely fashion and
staff use the second or third alternative, staff' ~.511 record in the tenant file the
reason an alternative method was used.
· If obtaining a third party verification will impose a finm~cial burden on the
participant, the EHA may use the second or third alternative.
3. _2=. The EHA ma,/ verify and maintain docmnentation in case files
pertaining to:
{a) F~ily income (including expenses lbr self employment income)
(b) Asset infom~ation
(c) Eligible household deductions
(d) F~ily size m~d status
(e) Verification of Iota preferences
(0- Vehfication of residency in the City of Encinit~ (see Section IIA.39).
(g). Docmentation for status of citizenship / immigration (see Section IIA. 9.
(h) Criminal history