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HOUSING AUTHORITY AGENDA REPORT
City of Anaheim
HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT
DATE: APRIL 2, 2024
FROM: HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: APPROVE THE ANAHEIM HOUSING AUTHORITY’S
FY 2024-2025 ANNUAL PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY PLAN
ATTACHMENT (Y/N): YES ITEM # 01
GOVERNMENT CODE § 84308 APPLIES: NO
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Governing Board of the Anaheim Housing Authority, by Motion, approve the Annual Public Housing Agency Plan for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 and authorize the Executive Director, or designee, to execute required certifications and related documents.
DISCUSSION:
Section 511 of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (“QHWRA”) created the requirement for Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) to develop and maintain PHA Plans, which consist of a Five-Year Plan and an Annual Plan.
The Five-Year Plan must be submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) once every five years, while the Annual Plan is submitted annually and provides updates on progress toward the Five-Year Plan goals. The last Five-Year PHA Plan was submitted and approved by HUD in 2020 for the fiscal years 2020-2024.
PHA Plans advise HUD, Section 8 participants, stakeholders, and members of the public about the PHA’s strategy for serving the needs of low-income and very low-income families. The Annual Plan provides an update about the PHA’s immediate operations, funding, and services for the previous fiscal year and plans for the next fiscal year. The PHA Plan being presented for your review and consideration is the Annual Plan for Fiscal Year 2024-2025. The Annual Plan must be consistent with the Five-Year Plan and One-Year Consolidated Plan covering the same planning time frame.
HUD provides PHAs with an electronic template to prepare and submit their Annual Plan. In most sections, information is provided by checking off pre-established responses developed by HUD. Where applicable, greater detail on the programs and services offered by Anaheim Housing Authority (AHA) is included in attachments to the electronic template.
Approve the Anaheim Housing Authority’s FY 2024-2025 Annual Public Housing Agency Plan April 2, 2024
As required by HUD, a Resident Advisory Board (RAB), consisting entirely of Section 8 tenants, is formed each year to assist in the preparation and review of the Annual PHA Plan. This year, AHA saw a significant increase in RAB member participation compared to previous years. While RAB membership ranged from 6 to 15 program participants in recent years, this year witnessed the involvement of 42 program participants. Three meetings were conducted to gather input from the RAB. Two meetings occurred in person on March 5 and March 7, 2024, while one meeting was conducted virtually via Zoom on March 6, 2024. A summary of the RAB members' input and an analysis of their comments have been included in Attachment 7 of the Annual PHA Plan. Overall, the RAB expressed support for the proposed Annual Plan, and there were no objections to any content or proposed policy changes.
A draft of the Annual PHA Plan was made available for public comment for the mandated 45-day period commencing on January 25, 2024, and ending March 10, 2024. Public notices summarizing the purpose and content of the Annual Plan and the date of the public hearing were published in issues of the Orange County Register, La Opinion, and Nguoi Viet Daily News and on the AHA website on January 25, 2024. The AHA received one public comment that inquired about how existing program participants can add their children to their household if custody is split among two parents. In response, AHA staff explained the process and provided the pertinent policies. The public comment and the response have been included in Attachment 9 of the Annual PHA Plan.
A public hearing was conducted on March 20, 2024, to receive the public’s input on this draft. A public comment was submitted requesting an increase in AHA’s existing subsidy standards. The comment and staff’s response have been incorporated in Attachment 9 of the Plan. The Housing & Community Development Commission approved this draft on March 20, 2024.
Upon approval by the Governing Board of the Anaheim Housing Authority, the Plan must be submitted to HUD By April 17, 2024.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
There is no budgetary impact on the Housing & Community Development Department’s budget. The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is entirely funded by federal funds provided by HUD. In the event that program funds are reduced or eliminated, necessary cost savings would be achieved by reducing the number of households assisted by the HCV program. Reductions would be achieved through regular program attrition and/or, if needed, termination of assistance as outlined in the AHA Administrative Plan.
Approve the Anaheim Housing Authority’s FY 2024-2025 Annual Public Housing Agency Plan April 2, 2024
Respectfully submitted,
Grace Ruiz-Stepter
Executive Director of Anaheim Housing Authority
Attachment:
1. FY 2024-2025 Annual PHA Plan