Community Development Agency
www.santa-ana.org/community-development
Item # 3
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
March 18, 2025
TOPIC: Housing Authority 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan
AGENDA TITLE
Public Hearing - Approve the Housing Authority Fiscal Years 2025-2030 5-Year Plan and Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Annual Plan
Published in the Orange County Register, La Opinion, and Nguoi Viet on January 31, 2025.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Conduct a public hearing in consideration of the approval and submission of the Housing Authority 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
2. Adopt a resolution approving the Housing Authority 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan and authorize the Executive Director of the Housing Authority to submit the 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-XXX entitled A RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSING
AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA APPROVING THE SUBMISSION OF THE FIVE YEAR PLAN FOR FISCAL YEARS 2025-2030 AND SUBMISSION OF THE ANNUAL PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires housing authorities that administer a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program to have a 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan for the management and operation of the program. The general purpose of the 5-Year Plan is to advise HUD, program participants, applicants, and members of the public on our policies, programs, operations, and strategies for meeting local housing needs and goals. Specifically, the 5-Year Plan (Exhibit 1) provides information on: (1) the goals and objectives of the Housing Authority for the next 5-year period (Fiscal Years 2025-2030) that will enable the Housing Authority to serve the needs of very low-income and extremely low-income families; (2) progress the Housing Authority has made in meeting the goals and objectives described in the previous 5-
Housing Authority 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan
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Year Plan (Fiscal Years 2020-2025); (3) a statement on the criteria used for determining the threshold for a significant amendment or modification to the 5-Year Plan; and (4) Resident Advisory Board comments. The Annual Plan (Exhibit 2) is the first year of the 5-Year Plan and provides specific information on the following topics: (1) new activities to be undertaken by the Housing Authority in the next year (Fiscal Year 2025-2026); (2) findings from the most recent Fiscal Year audit; and (3) annual progress the Housing Authority has made in meeting the goals and objectives described in the 5-Year Plan.
As required by HUD, three ad hoc Resident Advisory Board meetings were held on February 5, 2025 with HCV participants who receive housing assistance from the Housing Authority. The three meetings were conducted in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. A total of 3,126 active participants in the HCV Program were mailed a survey and an invitation to participate on the ad hoc Resident Advisory Board.
Additionally, the survey and invitation were emailed to 964 active HCV participants who provided their email address to the Housing Authority.
There were 39 participants who participated and formed the ad hoc Resident Advisory Board, including seven (7) Spanish-speaking, 14 Vietnamese-speaking, and 18 English- speaking participants. There were also 16 survey responses. This was the highest participation rate that the Housing Authority has had in years. However, the continued lower participation of only 39 HCV participants on the Resident Advisory Board and 16 survey responses may be attributed to factors such as lack of interest, scheduling conflicts, a decline in social capital, and a general low turnout for public meetings (e.g. commission meetings, public hearings, etc.). Many residents may not fully understand the impact of the 5-Year Plan and Resident Advisory Board, or they may not feel that their input will lead to significant changes. Additionally, language barriers, transportation issues, or a lack of awareness about the meetings despite our extensive outreach efforts to mail and e-mail every active participant in the program could have contributed to the limited engagement. Lastly, the ad hoc Resident Advisory Board is only made up of HCV participants so other stakeholders and community members are not invited to participate.
The comments from the Resident Advisory Board and survey are attached to the 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan. Staff analyzed all of the recommendations from the Resident Advisory Board and survey responses by: (1) considering the feasibility of each recommendation; (2) discussing as a team how the Santa Ana Housing Authority could implement each recommendation; and (3) making a determination on which recommendation(s) could be implemented or considered for future implementation. All of the recommendations were taken into consideration by staff and incorporated into the 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan.
For the next five years, SAHA has created the following goals to continue serving the community while striving for continuous improvement and excellence:
•Goal # 1: Fully utilize all funding provided by HUD and apply for additional funding to serve the most vulnerable members of our community.
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•Goal # 2: Expand participation in the Family Self-Sufficiency Program for families to use as a platform to obtain self-sufficiency and independence from our assistance.
•Goal # 3: Ensure the accuracy, integrity, and compliance of all voucher program operations by certifying annually as a High Performing Housing Authority and exceeding HUD’s minimum sample size requirement for quality control file reviews and inspections.
•Goal # 4: Increase assisted housing choice by providing quality customer service to existing landlords and conducting outreach to new landlords. •Goal # 5: Provide equal opportunity, affirmatively further fair housing, and provide regular training on fair housing for staff, owners, and participants.
The goals and objectives of the Housing Authority’s 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan align with the City of Santa Ana’s Housing Element by prioritizing the development of affordable housing, preserving existing affordable housing, and ensuring equitable access to housing assistance. Both plans emphasize expanding rental assistance programs, increasing the supply of housing for very low- and extremely low-income residents, and addressing housing instability to prevent displacement. For example, the Housing Authority’s objective to administer 100% of the federal funding for the Housing Choice Voucher program aligns directly with the Housing Element’s policy HE-3.1 to “provide rental assistance for individuals and families with extremely low-, very low-, and low-incomes with funding from the federal government.” Additionally, both plans focus on implementing strategic housing initiatives that support long-term affordability, stability, and growth in the City’s housing market.
On January 31, 2025, a legal notice was published in the Orange County Register, La Opinion, and Nguoi Viet advising the public that a draft of the 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan was available for public review and comment and a public hearing would be held on March 18, 2025 (Exhibit 3). The 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan were also made available on the Housing Authority’s website, in the Housing Authority lobby, and at the reference desk in the Newhope Library. HUD’s federal regulations require a 45-day public comment period and the public comment period ends on March 18, 2025. The public hearing and public comment period provides City Council, city decision makers, and community stakeholders the opportunity to review and comment on the 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan. All public comments received will be included in the 5-Year Plan and Annual Plan submitted to HUD.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Housing Authority 5-Year Plan
2. Housing Authority Annual Plan
3. Proofs of Publication
4. Resolution
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Submitted By: Michael L. Garcia, Executive Director of Community Development Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager