HomeMy WebLinkAbout960676 HEARING CERTIFICATION
RE: AMENDMENT TO WELD COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN
PREFERENCE POLICY
A public hearing was conducted on April 16, 1996, at 10:00 a.m., with the following present:
Commissioner Barbara J. Kirkmeyer, Chair
Commissioner George E. Baxter, Pro-Tem
Commissioner Dale K. Hall
Commissioner Constance L. Harbert
Commissioner W. H. Webster
Also present:
Acting Clerk to the Board, Shelly Miller
Housing Authority Director, Jim Sheehan
The following business was transacted:
I hereby certify that pursuant to a notice published April 11, 1996, in the North Weld Herald, a
public hearing was conducted to obtain citizen views and to respond to the proposed change in the
Weld County Housing Authority's preference policy. Jim Sheehan, Housing Authority Director,
made this a matter of record and reviewed the background of the Federal and local preferences.
He stated a meeting was held on March 13, 1996, at which the following service agencies provided
suggestions: City of Greeley and Housing Authority, Weld Informational Referral Service, Catholic
Community Services, A Woman's Place, and Weld County Social Services and Housing Authority.
Mr. Sheehan noted the current ranking system has been in place since 1988 and is based on a
point value system; and the Board has taken the position that assistance should be targeted based
on need. He then reviewed the Board's choices as follows: 1) Keep the current preference
system; 2) Eliminate preferences and use a first come, first serve policy; or 3) Modify the previous
Federal preference system. Mr. Sheehan stated staff recommendation is to incorporate the
following preference system: continue the residency preference; continue the employment
preference and provide the same preference to those applicants who are elderly, disabled, and/or
handicapped; continue a preference for applicants enrolled in the New Directions Program; and
provide a preference to those who are displaced due to fire, flood, eminent domain, and/or
condemnation. Mr. Sheehan then responded to questions from the Board concerning preferences
for domestic abuse, homeless, etc. Sharon Mitchell, Executive Director of A Woman's Place,
strongly encouraged the Board to not eliminate preferences for domestic violence and/or homeless
people and responded to questions from the Board. Jean Grattet and Bob Smith, board members
of A Woman's Place, discussed how loss of preferences would impact the budget and discourage
involvement in programs associated with A Woman's Place, and both requested the Board's
support. Sharon Tucker, Counselor at A Woman's Place, stressed the importance of the clients
having a place to go after the 30-day program to avoid returning to the same situations. Tom
Teixeira, Executive Director for Greeley Housing Authority, explained the difference in preference
between the City and County Housing Authorities and discussed the cross-boundary agreement
on which they work together. He recommended the"homeless" preference be redefined and WIRS
be added as a service provider. He also explained reasons for placing one client before another.
Mr. Sheehan; Karen Lord, Weld County Housing Authority representative; and Mr. Teixeira
responded to further questions from the Board concerning the preference and non-preference
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CC: "Si ///I HA0016
RE: HEARING CERTIFICATION - HOUSING AUTHORITY'S PREFERENCE POLICY
PAGE 2
waiting list. Ms. Tucker clarified A Woman's Place has an extensive screening process, and the
"safe house" is for domestic violence clients only. Curt Hauser, Program Director for the Greeley
Transitional House, also urged the Board not to eliminate the preference for homeless and stressed
the great need for it. He suggested including case management in the homeless definition and
confirmed all agencies are in consensus concerning the suggestions provided at the above-
mentioned March 13, 1996, meeting. Mr. Hauser also recommended the Board eliminate the
preference for 50-percent housing costs to help other preferences become priority. He then
responded to additional questions from the Board concerning his agency. Maggie Munoz, case
.worker for A Woman's Place, reiterated the need for preferencing and redefining "homeless". Mr.
Teixeira clarified that by adding the homeless preference better serves the case management
providers and the homeless clients. He agreed the 50-percent rent-burden preference is crowding
the list. Ms. Lord reiterated the need to eliminate the rent-burden preference and noted it is one
of the most abused programs. She also commented on Federal regulations requiring vacancy of
certificates for 90 days and locating landlords who will accept vouchers and certificates, both of
which make it difficult to immediately assist clients. Responding to further questions from the
Board, Mr. Sheehan explained the reason for staff excluding the homeless preference was to
streamline administration and leave preference for those displaced, as well as posture for the
future. Commissioner Hall stated, based on the service providers' suggestions from the March 13,
1996, meeting, he feels "homeless" should be added to the recommendation and be redefined.
Mr. Sheehan clarified the Section 8 Program is not an emergency housing program and noted
clients are usually not considered "homeless"when they leave a shelter; therefore, they no longer
have that preference. He reiterated staff is strictly streamlining the administrative approach.
Commissioner Harbert agreed with Commissioner Hall that the "homeless" preference should be
added. The hearing was then adjourned.
This Certification was approved on the 22nd day of April, 1996.
APPROVED:
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
• a/t WEyD COUNTY, COLD O
carry ,
el ,'� -� ty Clerk to the Board f �1861 '
' 'J`/ ' �' —
t` '1„ Barb J. Kirkmey ,Chair
(y)T \ yeputy Cler to the Board ,Z 64
Geor E. Baxter, Pro-Tem
TAPE #96-11 +``+
Da�Hall
Constance L. Harbert
HA0016
W. H. Webster
960676
HA0016
WELD COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
SECTION 8 PREFERENCE HEARING
April 16, 1996
BACKGROUND
Previously, we were required (for 90 per cent of our units) to issue Certificates and
Vouchers to applicants who met one of the three Federal Preferences. The Federal
Preferences were:
a. Paying more than fifty per cent of income toward
housing costs;
b. Living in substandard housing, which includes
the homeless status; or
c. Families who were involuntarily displaced due to no fault of their own.
In addition to the federal preferences, Weld County Housing Authority has also adopted
local preferences. The current administrative plan also includes the following local
preferences
a. a preference for residents of our jurisdiction;
b. a preference for those applicants who can demonstrate that they have been
employed at least 20 hours per weeks for nine of the last 12 months.
c. a preference for applicants enrolled in the New
Directions Program.
A meeting was conducted on March 13th to inform the service agencies of the
Continuing Resolution Changes and to gain their input concerning the elimination of the
federal preferences. In attendance were Greeley Housing Authority, the City of Greeley,
WIRS, Catholic Community Services , A Woman's Place, Weld County Social Services
and Weld County Housing Authority. The service agencies and the City of Greeley
provided the following suggestions:
• Eliminate the federal preference of paying more than fifty per cent
toward housing costs;
• Maintain the preference for homeless applicants, but
refine the definition of homelessness. The new definition recommended
was: "Homeless, as certified by a service provider, who are enrolled in a
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case management program sponsored by :
- Greeley Transitional House
- Catholic Community Services
- A Woman's Place
- Homes Again
- Almost Homes
• Provide a preference to those who are involuntarily
displaced. Involuntary displacement would include
applicants who are:
- victims of fire, flood or forced to move as a result of eminent
domain.
- tenants who are required to move due to no fault of their own
due to:
o the owner selling the property;
o the owner using the property for,his/her own use;
o the owner rehabbing the property which forces the
tenant to vacate the unit.
• forced to vacate their home due to
domestic violence.
• forced to vacate their unit as a result of
condemnation.
The current ranking system has been in place since 1988. The Weld County Housing Authority
has established an automated process which permits us to rank the preferences based on a point
value system. Most housing authorities issue Section 8 Certificates and Vouchers first come first
serve, even based on the federal preferences. Weld County Housing Authority has essentially
incorporated a ranking system since we began administering the Section 8 program, in 1981.
For example, WCHA has always had a residency preference. We also had a preference for
disable/handicapped persons at one time and also provided preference to persons who
participated in New Directions, and the predecessor JOBS program and even earlier, the Welfare
Diversion program.
Since the federal preferences were incorporated, our program has been systematically targeted
to applicants based on housing need factors, ranging from homelessness to those that were
paying more than fifty per cent of their income toward housing costs. Previous Boards, as well
as this Board, have taken the position that assistance should be targeted based on need.
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BOARD CHOICES
The current budget issues in Washington provide an opportunity to re-assess our policies and
approach to administering the Section 8 program. If the intent of the Continuing Resolution
continues, through a Housing Appropriations bill, to require that turnover units be withheld
from re-issuance for three months, this will certainly impact our administrative dollars available
for the administration of the program.
1. Keep the current preference system.
Discussion
This action would convert the federal preferences to local preferences. The current
local preferences would also be retained. Under the previous system, tenants who were
paying more than fifty per cent of their income toward housing costs, were provided a
preference. Verification of this criteria was cumbersome.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommendation is not incorporate the federal preferences as local preferences, due
to the additional administrative time required to verify whether someone was paying
fifty per cent or more toward housing costs.
2. Eliminate preferences and go to a first come first serve.
Discussion
This action would streamline the Section 8 program waiting list process. More housing
authorities incorporate a first come first serve approach. A first come first serve approach
would provide that all applicants be treated the same without regard to need other than
income. Certainly, the simplest methodology is to administer the program first come,
first serve. In light of the trend to reduce the budget, the Board may want to consider
simplifying the administration of the program to posture ourselves for subsequent budget
cuts.
Recommendation
Staff recommendation is not to go to a first come serve approach due to the fact that we
would want to continue to keep our local preferences which were previously
approved by the Board. Regardless, it is still important that the Housing Authority retain
the residency preference. Without the residency preference, applicants living in Greeley
would have an unfair advantage over applicants from the outlying areas of the County.
The first come first serve approach would eliminate our local preferences as well.
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3. Modify the previous Federal preference system
Discussion
This option could incorporate the recommendations listed above by the service
providers. Due to the likelihood of additional budget cuts in Washington, the Board may
want to consider a more streamlined approach in administering the Section 8
waiting list
Recommendation
Staff recommendation is to incorporate the following preference system:
• Continue the residency preference
• Continue the employment preference and providethe same preference to those
applicants who are elderly, disabled and handicapped.
• Continue a preference for applicants enrolled in the New Directions Program.
• Provide a preference to those that are displaced due to
- Fire, Flood, Eminent Domain
- condemnation
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Weld County Housing Authority
710 11th Avenue Suite 103./P.O. Box A
Greeley, Colorado 80632
(970) 356-4000 ext 4401
Weld County Housing Authority administers a Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program
in Weld County. The Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program provides rental assistance
to qualified families, including elderly, disabled and handicapped single individuals. The
Housing Authority may adopt a system of preferences to respond to local housing needs and
priorities.
Section 402 (d) (2) and (3) of the Continuing Resolution entitled "Making Appropriations for FY
1996 to Make a Downpayment toward a Balanced Budget, and other Purposes" that became law
on January 26, 1996 (Public Law No, 104-99), provides the authority to a Housing Authority to
establish a system of preferences for selection that is not inconsistent with the Comprehensive
Housing Affordibility Strategy (CHAS) of either the State or local general government for the
housing authority jurisdiction. Weld County Housing Authority is considering amending their
administrative plan to provide for a preference based on the following system:
a. a preference for applicants who are residents of our jurisdiction;
b. a preference for applicants who can demonstrate that they have been
employed at least 20 hours per weeks for nine of the last 12 months
c. a preference for applicants who are elderly, disabled or handicapped.
c. a preference for applicants enrolled in the New
Directions Program.
d. a preference for applicants who are displaced due to
-Fire, Flood, Eminent Domain and condemnation
A public hearing will be held at 10:00 a.m. on April 16, 1996, at the Weld County Centennial
Building located at 915 10th Street, Greeley, Colorado to obtain citizen views and to respond to
the proposed change in Weld County Housing Authority's preference policy.
Written summary information is available at the offices of the Weld County Housing Authority,
710 11th Avenue Suite 103 Greeley, Colorado.
If special accommodations are needed, please telephone our office at (970) 356-4000 ext 4401
James M. Sheehan
Weld County Housing Authority
960676
v.
AFFIDAVIT OF PUBLICATION
STATE OF COLORADO
ss.
!''''''etti r COUNTY OF WELD
5i" •1 ` Lxtm K I. Bruce J. Bormann, of said County of Weld, being duly
-i i,„ 't' t, i' sworn,say that I am Publisher of
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1T •. `' e 7 ,g,=-•••••---•*'� 4, ' 's,• a weekly newspaper having a general circulation in said
~ County and State, published in the Town of Eaton, in said
County and State;and that the notice,of which the annexed is
w q 3 ": a true copy, has been published in said weekly newspaper for
'1 ` I'1 "eft,•--- �- successive week(s),that the notice was published
7‘5I.;:,•••••••• ,ky z=(,a 4:-4".15 es4�7r
� ti„,, i ;' in the regular and entire issue of every number of the paper
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1t,',n tY 0^ e, ..•s during the period and time of publication, and in the
t "•!)' '* r+ newspaper proper and not in a supplement, and that the
4= �v ' u: �$+°4. publication of said notice:
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F "{'t' °� °..,,t..1 was in said newspaper bearing the date(s) of:
4" .. 5� ,+'y uc, • Thursday,the 1/ —day of i4 ', . 1996
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t1.,1`,11 4)',‘4. 't,, : `L 1• .1 :,L%' published continuously and uninterruptedly for the period of 52
consecutive weeks, in said County and State, prior to the date
r , • ��l , r , of first publication of said notice,and the same is a newspaper
bTQ • Y^2 '" . within the meaning of an Act to regulate printing of legal
k y vp,t.'. ` .. nt,� v C.' •' notices and advertisements, approved May 18, 1931, and all
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Subscribed and sworn to before me \WO( Plie N.
1 this /131-A day •
31 :17 12 ZZ ES! r u61of April, 1996n• ERIKA C. `
ERIKA C. BAGLEY, NOTARY BLItq om'.•
My commission expires October 21, 1999 qTF O F Cot
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NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST A RELEASE OF FUNDS
Weld County
C/O Weld County Housing Authority
P.O. Box A
Greeley, CO 80632
(970) 356-4000 ext. 4401
TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES, GROUPS AND PERSONS:
On or about April 22, 1996 Weld County will request the Colorado Department of Local Affairs to
release funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Devleopment Act of 1974, as amened,
(PL93-383 for the following project:
PROJECT NAME
Weld County Southgate Replacement Housing Project
NATURE OF PROJECT
The project will consist of the acquistion of a single family property located at
2220 Ash Avenue, Greeley Colorado
•
ESTIMATED COST OF PROJECT
$30,000
An Environmental Review Record documenting review of all project activities in respect to impact on
the environment has been made by Weld County. This Environmental Review Record is on file at the
above address and is available for public examination or copying, upon request.
Weld County will undertake the project described above with Community Development Block Grant
funds provided by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, under Title I of the Housing and
Community Devleopment Act of 1974, as amened, Weld County is certifying to the Colorado
Department of Local Affairs that Weld County and Chair Barbara J. I irkmeyer in her official capacity
to accept jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought, to enforce responsibilities in relation
to environmental review, decision and action, and that those responsibilities have been satisfied. The
legal effect of the certification is that, upon approval, Weld County may use CDBG funds and that the
Department of Local Affairs will have satisfiedits responsibilities under the Environmental Policy Act
of 1969, as delegated to the State of Colorado, through Title I of the Housing and Community
Devleopment Act of 1974, as amened. The Department of Local Affairs will accept objections to its
approval of the release of funds and acceptance of the certification, only if the objection meets one of
the following criteria:
a) that the certification was not, in fact, executed by the chief executive officer or other officer
approved by the Department of Local Affairs; or
960676
b) that the applicant's environmental review record for
the project indicates omission of a required decision, finding or step applicable to the project in the
environmental review process.
Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR 58)
and may be addressed to:
CDBG Program Staff
Department of Local Affairs
1313 Sherman Street
Room 518
Denver, CO 80203
Objections to the release of funds on criteria other than that stated above will not be considered by the
Department of Local Affairs. Any objections received after May 8, 1996 will not be considered by the
Department of Local Affairs.
Barbara J. I irkmeyer, Chair
Board of Weld County Commissioners
P.O. Box 758
Greeley, CO 80632
By: James M. Sheehan
Published in the North Weld Herald, Eaton, CO
April 11, 1996
•
960676
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