1. Legislative Focus booklet of the California Association of Housing ...

2013
California Association of Housing Authorities
Legislative Focus

Bobadilla Family
Dario and Danielle Bobadilla were at a crossroad. Dario was going to school to become a respiratory therapist
but considered dropping out since his unemployment benefits were exhausted. Dario would have to find
some side jobs to make ends meet and provide his family with shelter. His goal to become self-sufficient and
provide better opportunities for his family would have to be placed on hold. The couple has three beautiful children and
Danielle was a busy homemaker taking care of her family and providing for the special care required for Noah, their
three year old who was born with a disability. The Project Based Voucher Program of Yolo County Housing provided the
much needed relief and stability in their time of need. The Bobadilla family moved into The Terracina at Springlake in
October 2012. Dario was able to continue his education and recently finished an internship at a hospital in Sonoma. He
is already looking into continuing his education to become a physician's assistant in Pediatrics. Danielle wants to pursue
her dream of opening a daycare for children with special needs in Woodland, CA.
The number of
California Housing Authorities
rental subsidies
public agencies, provide housing and
BY THE NUMBERS:
113
. Housing Authorities, which are local
to the poorest of California's families.
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Introducing CAHA
The California Association of Housing Authorities - CAHA – represents 113 Housing Authorities throughout the Golden State.
Whether through rental subsidy programs, such as the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program, or our own affordable
rental properties, Housing Authorities are committed to providing quality housing for low income Californians.
CAHA members realize that 2013 brings unprecedented budgetary challenges and it is more important than ever for organizations
to prove their value. So we have taken this opportunity to present our “people, programs and projects”-- stories of typical
Californians who receive help through Housing Authority affordable housing programs. The families at the core of our programs
represent a broad cross-section of our State and include low-income wage earners, seniors, disabled, veterans and the homeless.
CAHA's 2013 Legislative Agenda presents important budget and regulatory priorities for you to consider, ensuring that millions of
Californians continue to benefit from critical housing assistance programs that strengthen our communities. With your support,
we can enhance and streamline our programs and provide the best possible service to low-income Californians.
BY THE NUMBERS:
350,000
HOUSING AUTHORITIES, ENABLING 350,000
THE NUMBER OF SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS ADMINISTERED BY CALIFORNIA'S
FAMILIES
TO RENT HOUSING IN THE PRIVATE MARKET.
hile growing up living in Oakland Housing
Authority’s (OHA) public housing, Demaude
Wdreamed of a career that combined business with
his love of the outdoors. But when he became a father at a
young age, he didn't know how he would make his career
dreams come true. Although he took various landscaping
positions to provide for his family, his lack of steady work kept
him from achieving better employment.
In 2009, OHA received a $10M American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant. The grant helped to fund the
Palo Vista Gardens renovation project where Demaude and
over 100 others were hired as temporary employees.
Determined to make the most of the opportunity, Demaude
worked to demonstrate his strong work ethic and ability to
learn.
After the ARRA project ended, Demaude's experience paid off.
His application stood out when he applied for a landscaping
position with OHA, and he accepted a permanent job with full
benefits.
Demaude now takes pride in knowing he can provide for his
sons and be a role model to them. As a former public housing
resident and current OHA employee, he wants to give back to
the community that has meant so much to his family. Demaude
looks forward to helping others as a future leader with OHA.
Demaude Dawkins
3

Hung Family
“We could sustain
ourselves without
the help from
government
programs. This
way, others can
benefit from this
program as well.”
Silvia Hung only had a high school diploma and some accounting experience when her
marriage ended. With children ranging in age from 3 to 16, Silvia struggled with
supporting a family of 6 as a single mother, working multiple jobs and attending classes to
earn her Associate's degree in accounting.
Silvia heard about the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher enrollment process through the news.
She applied and was accepted after years of waiting. Eventually Silvia received a Bachelor's
degree in Economics and was able to find a job that better supported her family. She then
joined San Mateo County Housing Authority’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS) and
created financial goals to pay off her debt and save for a down payment on a home.
Silvia wanted to own a home so that, “we could sustain ourselves without the help from
government programs. This way, others can benefit from this program as well.”
When Silvia felt confident that she had saved enough for a down payment and could qualify for
a loan, she signed up for the Housing Authority’s Homeownership Program (HCV/HO). She met
with a mortgage specialist and provided documentation of the necessary down payment
requirements and the certificate of attendance for a HUD certified Homeownership class.
Now, a proud homeowner, Silvia reflects on her journey, “The most important thing I want for
my children is obtaining higher education ….I believe that higher education allows them to have
a better future and they can avoid going through the struggles that I went through.”
The HCV/HO Program was designed to move people from government-funded rental
assistance to financial independence and self-sufficiency. The program allows first-time
homeowners to use a voucher subsidy to meet monthly homeownership expenses for up to
fifteen years, with exceptions to the maximum term for disabled and elderly families. More
than 19,000 families nationwide have become homeowners through this program.
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Top 10 LEGISLATIVE Requests
PRESERVE • STRENGTHEN • SIMPLIFY
California's Housing Authorities believe the legislative requests listed below will best preserve, stabilize and simplify
federally-assisted housing programs to better serve our nation and the millions of low income families and individuals who
rely on these programs to achieve stability and self-sufficiency.
Preserve:
1. Fully fund the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) administrative fee and allow Housing Authorities to use the
Administrative Fee reserve (Unrestricted Net Assets) for other housing purposes permitted by State and local law
as was allowed prior to FFY2004. Full funding of HCV Housing Assistance Payments.
2. Fully fund the Public Housing operating subsidy and capital fund. Authorize Housing Authorities to use public
housing operating reserves for capital improvements as directed by Congress.
3. Preserve the existing Moving to Work demonstration sites beyond their contractual agreement dates and expand
the Moving to Work demonstration program to additional agencies.
Strengthen:
4. Permit full fungibility between public housing operating subsidy and capital funds.
5. Fund $1 billion into the National Housing Trust Fund to produce affordable housing and create jobs.
6. Authorize Housing Authorities to participate in the IRS Intercept program to obtain repayment for fraud and net
programs overpayments from participants' federal tax refunds in order to pay those debts.
Simplify:
7. Authorize Housing Authorities to perform eligibility re-certifications every three years for households on fixed
incomes, rather than every year, to create program uniformity across the HUD portfolio.
8. Authorize Housing Authorities to inspect Housing Choice Voucher units for Housing Quality Standards (HQS) every
other year instead of every year.
9. Change the permitted rent structure so that a household's rent is based on gross income, rather than on adjusted
income.
10. Direct HUD to continue using the nationally-accepted HQS as the inspection standard for the Housing Choice
Voucher program rather than the more complicated Uniform Physical Conditions Standard.
Artisan Court-Santa Barbara, California
5

Recommended FUNDING
California's Housing Authorities
Recommended FFY 2013 Appropriations Levels
Program & Description ($ Millions)
2012 Enacted 2013 HUD
Proposed
Budget
2013
Recommended
Funding Level
Housing and Urban Development
Tenant-Based Rental Assistance $18,970 $19,023
Section 8 HAP Renewals [$17,242] [$17,238] $17,980
Ongoing Administrative Fees [$1,300] [$1,525] $1,883
Tenant Protection/Administrative Fees [$50] [$50] $50
Tenant Protection Vouchers [$75] [$75] Fully Fund
Incremental HUD - VASH Vouchers [$75] [$75] $75
Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Coordinators [$60] $60 $75
Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance $9,340 $8,700 Fully Fund
Public Housing
Public Housing Operating Fund $3,962 $4,524 $5,027
Public Housing Capital Fund $1,875 $2,070 $3,750
Resident Opportunity and Supportive Services (ROSS) [$50] $0 $50
Emergency Capital Needs [$20] [$20] $20
Jobs Plus Pilot [$50]
Severely Distressed Public Housing (HOPEVI/CNI) $120 $150 $150
Community Development Fund $3,308 $3,143
Community Development Block Grant [$2,948] [$2,948] $3,336
Sustainable Housing and Communities Initiative $0 [$100] $100
Section 8 Loan Guarantees $6 $0 $12
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) $332 $330 $380
HOME Investment Partnerships Program $1,000 $1,000 $1,607
Homeless Assistance Grants $1,901 $2,231 $2,231
Housing Trust Fund $1,000 $1,000
BY THE NUMBERS:
39,162 The number of PUBLIC HOUSING units owned by California
Housing Authorities and occupied by very low income families, the elderly and disabled.
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PROFILES
BY THE NUMBERS:
8,140 THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS VETERANS
AUTHORITIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION.
HOUSED BY CALIFORNIA'S HOUSING
Gary Pagel survived lymphoma. He made it through two strokes and
a divorce. Then the Navy veteran found himself sleeping at the
beach in San Diego. He had lost his car, job and home.
Four years later, Pagel has a permanent address, thanks to the Veterans
Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program at San Diego County's
Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), created by
the federal government in 2008 as part of a larger goal of ending veteran
homelessness by 2015.
Under the program, caseworkers with the local VA's office assure veterans
receive services such as counseling and medical treatment, and if eligible
for VASH, refer them to the local administrator of the program. Participants
must comply with certain requirements, including passing a background
check and meeting income requirements. If accepted, participants can
receive a HUD-funded housing voucher.
Gary Pagel
With many Iraq and Afghanistan veterans returning to civilian life and the
economy recovering from a lengthy downturn, the need for programs like
this is unmistakable. As HCD's Assistant Director Kelly Duffek notes, “It's
hard to regain stability when you don't have a roof over your head”.
he story of Monica Rodriguez best illustrates the mission
of the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles
T(HACoLA) to Build Better Lives and Better
Neighborhoods. Ms. Rodriguez enrolled in HACoLA's Family
Self-Sufficiency Program in June of 2007 in order to better
herself and further her education.
Being part of a supportive network made her feel stronger as a
person, and she set about pursuing her Bachelor of Science
degree at California State University, Los Angeles. Determined
to succeed and having set goals for herself in the FSS program,
Ms. Rodriguez obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in
Accounting in December 2010. Since then, her career advances
have increased her annual income and, after five years in the
FSS Program, she has accumulated $5,896.62 in an escrow
account.
She wants to continue to move forward, and hopes to one day
become a future home owner and be completely independent
and self-sufficient. Ms. Rodriguez stated that the FSS program
“has helped me achieve my goals and provide a better future
for my family and me.”
Monica Rodriguez
7

Mary Ellen Shay, CAHA Manager
th
1006 Fourth Street, 6 Floor
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (916) 444-0288 • Fax: (916) 444-3408
www.cahahousing.org