Working With Your Public
Housing Authority:
A Case Study of
Los Angeles
Ruth Schwartz
Shelter Partnership, Inc.
www.shelterpartnership.org
NAEH Annual Conference
July 11, 2007
1
Presentation
• Administrative Plan
• HACLA Section 8 Homeless Program
(TBA)
• Permanent Supportive Housing Program
(PBA)
2
Administrative Plan
• Pay attention to the details!
• 2005 - HACLA Admin Plan proposed changes to
Section 8 criminal background screening
policies
• HACLA’s proposed changes would have
instituted strong prohibitions on households with
criminal background histories:
 Admission to be denied if household member
convicted of drug related or violent criminal activity in
the past 10 years
3
Administrative Plan
• Shelter Partnership and local housing
providers:
 Met with HACLA representatives
 Wrote letters
 Testified at public hearings
4
Administrative Plan
• Succeeded in mitigating proposed changes
 Proposed prohibition on drug related or violent
criminal activity history reduced to 3 years
 Exceptions made for drug possession
convictions
 Prohibitions related to violent criminal activity
limited to apply only to felony convictions
 Reasonable accommodation language added
5
Housing Authority of the City of
Los Angeles (HACLA)
• Established 1938
• Implemented Section 8 program in 1975
• Currently administers second largest
Section 8 program in the nation
6
Initiatives Administered by HACLA for
Housing the Homeless
• Section 8 Homeless Program (Tenant-Based
Assistance)
• Project-Based Assistance (PBA)
• Shelter Plus Care
• Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS
(HOPWA)
• Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH)
• Skid Row Families Demonstration Project
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Section 8 Homeless Program
• Developed out of a unique window of
opportunity
• Collaboration between Shelter Partnership
and HACLA
• June 1990 - HUD NOFA in Federal Register
announced funding preference to PHAs
working with the homeless
8
First Year of Section 8 Homeless
Program - Program Design
• HUD awarded HACLA 1,550 Section 8 vouchers
• Vouchers distributed through 11 contracted nonprofit organizations, including agencies serving
families (Beyond Shelter) and persons with
disabilities (i.e. mental illness, HIV/AIDS)
• Los Angeles Community Development
Department provided $250,000 to fund staffing
at each agency
9
Current Section 8
Homeless Program
• Reinstated in 2006 following two-year hiatus
• 15 agencies
• 14 non-profits + 1 County Department
• 1,800+ vouchers
10
Roles & Responsibilities
• Formalized thru annual MOU signed by both parties
• HACLA
• General administration and coordination of program
• Train the contracted agencies
• Process the applications
• Issue vouchers
• Process RFTAs and contracts with landlords
• Perform inspections
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Roles & Responsibilities
• Agencies
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Screen clients for eligibility
Assist clients in completing application
Update clients throughout process
Assist clients in housing search
Counsel clients on housekeeping, money
management and tenant obligations
Provide one year of follow-up case management
Facilitate landlord/tenant problem solving
Assist clients with annual inspections
Monthly reporting to HACLA
12
An Evaluation of HACLA’s
Section 8 Homeless Program
• Summer 2006: HACLA commissioned Shelter
Partnership to conduct assessment of program
• Improvements to program instituted by HACLA
 Increased staffing quicker processing of
applications
 Distributed a guide on how to complete application
packet
 Modified a problematic form to facilitate its proper
completion
 Standardized trainings
13
PBA Through the Permanent
Supportive Housing Program
• Developed by City of Los Angeles in 2006
• Cooperation Agreement between
four City agencies:
 Los Angeles Housing Department
 HACLA
 Department of Water & Power
 Community Redevelopment Agency
14
PSHP - Program Design
• Two rounds
• To facilitate development of permanent
supportive housing for homeless and other lowincome populations
• > 50% of units reserved for homeless
• 100% of units must be affordable to households at or
below 60% AMI
• Provides capital and operating subsidy funding
in one application
15
PSHP - Program Design
• Initial intent of PSHP to also include
services funding through the County
• Timing and inter-jurisdictional issues
presented obstacles
 L.A. County contains 88 cities (of which City
of L.A. by far the largest)
 County is responsible for health, welfare and
income support.
16
PSHP - Program Design
• Applicants must leverage other funding sources
for additional capital funds and for supportive
service funds:
• 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits
• State Supportive Housing Program
(Prop. 1C of 2006 - $195 million Bond Act)
17
PSHP - Round 1
• Five projects funded - 240 units
 Target populations: families, EFY, special
needs, chronically homeless
• $22 million in capital financing
• $26 million in HACLA Section 8 PBA over
the ten-year length of the contract
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