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Title:
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Approval of the Certification and Submission of the Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
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City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council:
1) Approve the certification and submission of the Section 8 Management
Assessment Program (SEMAP) to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) and,
2) Authorize the Mayor and the City Manager to execute the SEMAP Certification.
BACKGROUND:
On September 10, 1998, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) established the Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP).
SEMAP was designed to assist HUD with measuring the performance of Public
Housing Agencies (PHAs) that administer the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher
(HCV) Program. Under SEMAP, PHA’s conduct a “self-evaluation” that is based on
fourteen (14) key indicators. These indicators are as follows:
1. Selection of applicants from the waiting list
2. Reasonable rent
3. Determination of the adjusted income
4. Utility Allowance Schedule
5. Housing Quality Standard (HQS) Control Inspections
6. HQS Enforcement
7. Expanding housing opportunities
Meeting Date: 08/27/07 Item Number: A-3
AGENDA ITEM: Approval of the Certification and Submission of the Section 8
Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) to the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD).
Contact Person/Dept.: Tevis Barnes,
Mona Karroum-Community Development
Department/Housing Division
Phone Number: (310) 253-5782
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: Master Notification List: (08/22/07).
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (07/31/07)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Iker) (08/21/07)
City Controller Approval:
Marlee Chang (08/21/07)
City Manager Approval
Jerry B. Fulwood (8/22/07) City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
8. Payment Standards
9. Annual program participant reexamination
10. Correct tenant rent calculation
11. Pre-Contract HQS Inspection
12. Annual HQS Inspections
13. Lease-up
14. Family Self Sufficiency
PHA’s are required to transmit their SEMAP certification via the Internet within sixty
(60) calendar days of Fiscal Year (FY) end (August 29, 2007).
DISCUSSION:
The Culver City Housing Agency (CCHA) is required to perform its own self-
evaluation under SEMAP on an annual basis. In order to accurately complete this
certification, thirty (30) randomly selected Section 8 HCV Program participant case
files were evaluated.
Outlined below is the scoring of Key Performance Indicators. These eight (8) Key
Performance Indicators were highlighted based on the fact that they outline the
essential core functions of Section 8 HCV Program case management and program
participant file maintenance. To date, the Performance Indicators not highlighted in
this report, all received a score of one hundred percent (100%). The highlighted
indicators for CCHA are as follows:
Indicator 2 – Reasonable Rent –Thirty (30) files from the survey sample had
proper documentation for this category. Files resulted in a one hundred percent
(100%) performance result.
Indicator 3 – Determination of Adjusted Income – The survey resulted in a one
hundred percent (100%) performance rating. This high score in calculating adjusted
income and calculating correct tenant rent is directly related to the creation of an
internal Rent Calculation Worksheet for each file managed by the housing staff.
Additionally, the supervisor reviews each file upon completion. Based on HUD
rules, governing tenant rent calculations are consistently changing. Where
appropriate, staff will receive appropriate training.
Indicator 5 – Housing Quality Standard (HQS) Control Inspections – The
Housing Division remains in full compliance in FY 2006/2007 in terms of performing
and subsequently auditing annual inspections. Fifteen (15) HCV Program
participant files were randomly selected and the Senior Structural Rehabilitation City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
Specialist or Housing Administrator re-inspected the units to ensure HQS
compliance.
Indicator 7 – Expanding Housing Opportunities - Our strategy to encourage
owner participation of units outside of poverty areas and to minimize concentration
of subsidized households is implemented by our 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 to property owners who participate in our
housing programs and also giving twenty-five dollar ($25) gift cards to property
owners who enter into new leases through our Section 8 HCVP. To maintain
excellent customer service, staff responds to owner and participants telephone calls
within twenty-four (24) to forty-eight (48) hours. Inspections for new lease-ups or
rent increases are also scheduled either same day or within twenty-four (24) to forty-
eight (48) hours.
This year we will hold our fourth annual Property Owner Appreciation Dinner on
September 6, 2007 at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel. This year’s Western themed
dinner is held to recognize outstanding property owners who both manage and
maintain their property in an excellent manner. Approximately sixty-five (65) people
are scheduled to attend this event. A Certificate of Appreciation and a small gift will
be presented to each attendee.
Housing staff continues to seek out new strategies to improve owner participation.
These new strategies include:
• Working with Big Imagination, a local public relations agency, to help create
and facilitate our outreach/public relations campaign.
• Hosting a Housing Agency Management Association (HAMA) roundtable in
November 2006 where local Housing Agencies meet and discuss different
ways of encouraging property owners to participate in the Section 8 program.
• Hosting an “Open House” in October 2006 for Culver City property owners so
they may meet Housing Staff and learn more about the Section 8 Program
and other programs offered by the CCHA.
• Creating the HQS Grant which allows qualified owners with failed properties
to participate in a $500.00 reimbursement towards the improvement of their
property. City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
• The Division’s website is updated quarterly with the current Housing
information.
Our strategies to encourage property owners to continue participation in the Section
8 HCV Program resulted in a high score for this Indicator.
Indicator 10 – Correct Tenant Rent Calculations – Compliance is at one hundred
percent (100%). To assure continued compliance in this area, staff will be given
ongoing training and the Housing Specialist will continue to review each file upon its
completion.
Indicator 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 staff also guarantees that initial inspections will be
scheduled within forty-eight (48) hours.
Indicator 13 – Lease-Up - The CCHA is currently below the required lease-up
percentage. HUD requires a lease-up rate of at least ninety-five percent (95%). We
currently have approximately two (2) active voucher holders conducting housing
searches. In addition, we have one (1) household waiting to be briefed and certified
pending clearance of their criminal background check.
In the effort to improve the lease-up condition, CCHA started to purge its waitlist of
over eight thousand (8000) people in September 2006. To date, over twelve
hundred applicants (1200) have updated their application and remain on the waitlist.
Approximately six thousand eight hundred (6800) have failed to respond and will be
made inactive. Before an applicant is made inactive, the CCHA transmits three (3)
fourteen (14) day notices. If the applicant fails to respond to the third notice they are
sent a final notice.
CCHA anticipates calling people off the waitlist and issuing vouchers within the next
ninety (90) days. Approximately one hundred (100) of the applicants are Culver City
residents and the CCHA is hopeful that they will locate units within our jurisdiction
and successfully lease up.
As stated above, the CCHA recently entered into a contract and is currently working
with Big Imagination, a local public relations firm, to assist in putting a new face on
affordable housing by creating consumer friendly marketing pieces for community
wide distribution and have marketing materials and brochures that will help to “Tell City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
our Story”. The CCHA is very encouraged that this marketing/public relations
campaign and outreach will assist in increasing property owner participation.
The Housing Division has also contacted our local HUD field representative to
request a meeting sometime in the end of August to discuss other possible
strategies and suggestions that may help increase our lease-up numbers.
Indicator 14- Family Self Sufficiency- The Housing Division recently submitted its
2007 Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Coordinator Grant renewal application. Since
1999 the CCHA has been awarded funding which has allowed the CCHA the ability
to assist Section 8 HCVP participants achieve their goal of self sufficiency. It is
hopeful that an award amount of $64,266 will be granted this year. The FSS
Coordinator position has been vacant the past year due to a termination of contract
with Beyond Shelter. Beyond Shelter had provided a contract employee to CCHA
the previous years but decided to terminate their services to CCHA this year due to
a multi-million dollar contract with the City of Los Angeles. The Housing Division
has collected resumes from qualified applicants and plans on hiring someone for the
position as soon as possible.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
HUD requires submission of SEMAP to ensure continued funding. For Calendar
Year 2008, the Section 8 HCV Program is budgeted for approximately $2.2 million
dollars.
ATTACHMENTS:
1) SEMAP Certification (HUD Form 52648)
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1) Approve the certification and submission of the Section 8 Management
Assessment Program (SEMAP) to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) and,
2) Authorize the Mayor and the City Manager to execute the SEMAP Certification.