Culver City Housing Authority (CCHA) SEMAP Indicator Scoring:
Indicator 1: Selection from the Waitlist- The CCHA has written policies in its Section 8 Administrative P lan for selecting applicants from the waiting list and therefore is in full compliance for this indicator. Quality control showed as least 100% of families were correctly selected.
Indicator 2: Reasonable Rent - As required by HUD, all Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program files must contain information pertaining to comparable rents of each leased unit. Of the files evaluated, each contained rent reasonableness information and resulted in a score of 100%.
Indicator 3 – Determination of Adjusted Income – This evaluation resulted in a one hundred (100%) performance rating. This high score in calculating adjusted income and calculating correct program participant rent is directly related to the creation of an internal Rent Calculation Audit Worksheet for each file managed by the Housing Authority staff. Additionally, the Housing S upervisor, who oversees the daily management of the Section 8 HCV Program, conducts a quality control review of each file upon completion.
Indicator 4- Utility Allowance Schedule- The CCHA maintains an up -to-date utility allowance schedule. The Housing Authority has reviewed the utility rates that were obtained within the last 12 months. The utility allowance schedule must be adjusted if there was a change of 10% or more in a utility rate since the last time the utility allowance was revised. The CCHA has recently updated the utility rates and all files with effective notice of action dated 12/1/2025. These rates were updated based upon Los Angeles County recent data.
Indicator 5 – Housing Quality Standard (HQS) Control Inspections – The CCHA remains in full compliance in Fiscal Year ( FY) 2025-2026 in terms of performing and subsequently auditing annual inspections. A Code Enforcement Officer from the Housing and Human Services Enforcement Services Division re- inspected the units randomly selected for the SEMAP evaluation to ensure HQS compliance. There were 12 randomly selected sample files. The result was a one hundred percent (100%) performance rating.
Indicator 6- HQS Enforcement- The CCHA has not failed any units for FY 2025- 2026 that required action within 24 hours due to health and safety violations and therefore did not have a quality control sample for this indicator. The result was a one hundred percent (100%) performance rating.
Indicator 7 – Expanding Housing Opportunities - The CCHA strategy to encourage owner participation was implemented by the CCHA’s increased efforts to enhance property owner outreach. A strong relationship with property owners is essential to maintaining existing and attracting greater property owner participation which results in expanded housing opportunities. The activities created to maintain and attract property owners to participate in the Section 8 HCV Program include small gestures like giving hand -written “thank you" notes and making direct telephone calls to express Housing Authority gratitude to property owners who participate in the Section 8 HCV Program.
To maintain excellent customer service, staff responds to property owner telephone calls within twenty-four (24) hours. Inspections for new lease-ups or rent increases are also scheduled either the same day or within twenty -four (24) to forty-eight (48) hours.
Rent Control & Tenant Protections became permanent in the City of Culver City in October of 2020.
The Rent Control Ordinance caps rent increases at 5% (the minimum is 2% and the maximum allowable percentage is updated on a monthly basis), allows for landlords to file Capital Improvement Applications for eligible capital improvement expenses and Rent Adjustment applications if the landlord desires to increase rents at an amount greater than the limitations on rent increases, and allows tenants to file a Tenant Petition for Noncompliance for reduced housing services or unjustified rent increases.
The Tenant Protections Ordinance provides eviction protections for tenants who have lawfully and continuously occupied their unit for 12 months or more (eviction protections require that a landlord has cause, either for cause or no fault under the ordinance), relocation assistance for some no-fault evictions, regulations for voluntary tenant buyout agreements and tenant protections for untenantable conditions, including temporary relocation benefits.
Most recently, Culver City is excited to announce the addition of the Foster Youth to Independence(FYI
) Program Staff overseeing the FYI Program have successfully leased up four (4) of the of five (5) Foster Youth individuals that have been preselected for voucher issuance with one (1) that is currently pending . The Housing Authority held a meet and greet event in October 2025 at a local museum where these youths were introduced personally to local property owners in Culver City to make the transition and lease up search more accommodating for them. Additionally, staff has signed up three (3) of the leased up youth to the Family Self Sufficiency Program in the last several months.
Housing Authority and Culver City staff continue to seek out new strategies to improve participation and affordable housing. Our strategies to encourage property owners to continue participation in the Section 8 HCV Program along with rent control, tenant protections and addressing the City’s Unhoused population resulted in a 100% score for this Indicator.
Indicator 8- Payment Standards- This evaluation resulted in a one hundred percent (100%) performance rating as the CCHA has adopted current payment standards for the voucher program by unit size. As an example, the payment standard for a two (2) bedroom is $3,012.00.
Indicator 9-Timely Annual Reexaminations- This evaluation resulted in a one hundred percent (100%) performance rating as the CCHA has completed a reexamination to determine income eligibility and affordable rent payments for each participating family at least every 12 months.
Indicator 10 – Correct Tenant Rent Calculations – Compliance is at one hundred percent ( 100%). To assure continued one hundred percent (100%) compliance in this area, staff will be given ongoing training to stay abreast of any changes in HUD rules and regulations in this area. In addition, one staff person is dedicated to receiving and reviewing the HUD notices that impact daily operations.
Indicators 11 and 12 – Pre contract HQS Inspections and Annual HQS Inspections – One hundred percent (100%) of all units newly leased passed the HQS inspection before the execution of a lease and Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract. Additionally, one hundred percent (100%) of all units undergo an annual inspection. Housing s taff also guarantees that initial inspections will be scheduled within forty-eight (48) hours.
Indicator 13 – Lease-Up – The Housing Authority is engaged in cost saving measures. No new Section 8 HCV were issued from the Section 8 HCV Waiting List. There have been zero (0) new lease-ups from the waitlist for FY 2025-2026.
Indicator 14-Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) - Since 1999 the Housing Authority has been awarded over $1, 127,081 through HUD grant funding under the FSS Coordinator Grant to assist Section 8 HCVP participants achieve their goal of self- sufficiency. On June 23, 2025, the City Council approved a 3-year contract with St. Joseph’s Center to continue to provide case management, needs assessment, job development services and supportive service referrals for the FSS participants.
A total of seventy-four (78) households have participated in FSS. Of this number, thirty-three (35) have graduated. There are currently twenty-one (21) households enrolled in the program. The FSS Coordinator continues to outreach to our Section 8 HVC Program participants via emails, telephone calls, letters and in -person meetings to continue growth of the program.