LTC 229-2022 The Housing Authority of the City of Miami Beach Voucher UtilizationM IA M I BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 229-2022 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
Honorable Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of the City Commission
Alina T. Hudak, City Manager ~~+o<
June 13, 2022
SUBJECT: The Housing Authority of the City of Miami Beach Voucher Utilization
The Housing Authority of the City of Miami Beach (HACMB) provides Section 8 housing assistance to
approximately 2,890 families through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, HUD
VASH Program, Emergency Housing Voucher Program, Moving Up Program and Mainstream
Voucher Program. The HCV Program issues vouchers to eligible applicant families who are drawn
from a waiting list maintained by the HACMB. The HUD VASH Program assists homeless and
disabled veterans who are referred to their office by the local Veterans Administration. With the
Emergency Housing Program, Moving Up Program and Mainstream Voucher Program the HACMB
provides Section 8 vouchers to eligible families that are referred by the Miami-Dade County
Homeless Trust.
The HACMB was awarded a total of 88 Emergency Housing Vouchers in July 2021, and 31
vouchers, or 35%, have been leased up to date.
Several factors have impacted the HACMB's Section 8 utilization rate, most prominently is the
issuance of a shortfall status by the U. S. Department of HUD, where during the period of February
2020 through September 2021, the HACMB was not permitted to issue any Section 8 Housing
Choice vouchers from its waiting list.
The HACMB is prepared to follow a course of action that will improve its utilization, including:
• Seeking approval from the board at the June 15, 2022 board meeting to increase the
payment standard to l l 0% effective July l, 2022.
• Reviewing the status of our shopping vouchers to expedite possible lease up by July l,
2022.
• Absorbing all port in vouchers effective July 2022.
• Opening its Section 8 HCV waiting list in July 2022. From there, 250 applicant families will
be pulled per month, starting in August 2022.
• Scheduling a meeting with the Veterans Administration to discuss providing more referrals
to utilize the remaining open HUD VASH vouchers.
• Scheduling a meeting with Miami Dade Homeless Trust (COCC) to discuss providing more
referrals for the remaining open EHV vouchers.
• Working to apply for a 120% Payment Standards waiver.
If you have any questions, please contact me or Alba Torre, Director, Office of Housing and
Comm~ Services.
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