City of Long Beach - File #: 17-0247

• File #: 17-0247
• Version: 1
• Name: CD 9 - "Lease Up LB" Housing Choice Voucher Program Landlord Incentive Package
• Type: Agenda Item
• Status: Approved
• File created: 3/27/2017
• In control: City Council
• On agenda: 4/4/2017
• Final action: 4/4/2017
• Title: Recommendation to respectfully request City Manager, Department of Health and Human Services and Development Services Department to develop an incentive package to encourage landlord acceptance of subsidized tenants through the Housing Choice Voucher Program, and return to the City Council in 30 days. The incentive package should incorporate the following options: • Align and streamline the current city-mandated inspections with the HUD-mandated Housing Choice Voucher inspections; • Waive various permits and inspection costs for apartment owners who accept Housing Choice Vouchers; • Create a Damage Mitigation Fund which provides financial assistance to landlords to mitigate damage caused by tenants during their occupancy under the Housing Choice Voucher Program; • Provide landlords vacancy payments to hold units while the landlord is going through the Housing Choice Voucher Program approval process.
• Sponsors: VICE MAYOR REX RICHARDSON, NINTH DISTRICT, COUNCILMEMBER JEANNINE PEARCE, SECOND DISTRICT, COUNCILWOMAN STACY MUNGO, FIFTH DISTRICT, COUNCILMEMBER ROBERTO URANGA, SEVENTH DISTRICT
• Related files: 17-0545

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
4/4/2017	1	City Council	approve recommendation	Pass

TITLE
Recommendation to respectfully request City Manager, Department of Health and Human Services and Development Services Department to develop an incentive package to encourage landlord acceptance of subsidized tenants through the Housing Choice Voucher Program, and return to the City Council in 30 days. The incentive package should incorporate the following options:

• Align and streamline the current city-mandated inspections with
the HUD-mandated Housing Choice Voucher inspections;

• Waive various permits and inspection costs for apartment
owners who accept Housing Choice Vouchers;

• Create a Damage Mitigation Fund which provides financial
assistance to landlords to mitigate damage caused by tenants
during their occupancy under the Housing Choice Voucher
Program;

• Provide landlords vacancy payments to hold units while the
landlord is going through the Housing Choice Voucher
Program approval process.

DISCUSSION
Fully funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) administers the City's Rental Housing Assistance Programs. These programs are designed to provide financial and technical assistance services to low-income, elderly, and disabled residents of Long Beach, so they can live with dignity in decent, safe, and sanitary housing conditions.

?Currently HACLB, in partnership with more than 2,600 property owners, assists over 6,800 households that lease units in the City of Long Beach, through various programs including the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP). The HCVP (commonly known as Section 8) is a tenant-based rental assistance program that offers very low-income tenants a housing assistance subsidy so the household can afford to rent a privately owned residence. HCVP currently receives $68 million in HUD funding, lending the Housing Authority the opportunity to provide 7,398 families and/or individuals with permanent, stable housing.

The Problem

For m...