County Section 8 program 'troubled'

Valley Press on ^ | Wednesday, December 13, 2006.

[BenLurkin]

After scoring poorly on several key indicators, the Section 8 housing program run by Los Angeles County's Housing Authority has received a "troubled" rating from the federal government.

The program receives funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which monitors its performance. On a recent HUD assessment, the county's program scored 73 points out of a possible 145 to earn the rating.

The county's Section 8 program offers housing vouchers to some 21,000 low-income households, including about 3,000 in the Antelope Valley. The vouchers allow recipients to pay a portion of their monthly income - often about 30% - toward the rent, with the Housing Authority paying the rest.

HUD spokeswoman Donna White said of the nation's 2,000 or so Section 8 programs, fewer than 130 are rated as "troubled," with the rest receiving a "standard" or "high" rating.

"The Housing Authorities should (strive) to be at least standard," White said. "A small percent of our housing authorities are in troubled status."

On the assessment, the Housing Authority received 0 of 10 possible points in two categories related to housing quality inspections and in a third category related to "timely annual reexaminations," whereby Section 8 personnel verify that participants remain income-eligible to stay on the program.

The Housing Authority received 0 of 20 points possible in two categories: determination of adjusted income, as participants are allowed to deduct certain expenses such as utilities from their income to determine program eligibility; and "lease up," or the percent of vouchers in use at any one time.

HUD wants to see programs always using at least 95% of their vouchers, while the county's program is operating at roughly 87% lease up, said Carlos Jackson, the county Housing Authority's executive director.

[RexBeach]

"Put the government in charge of something and watch it fall apart."

-Ronald Reagan

[BenLurkin]

Bump that!

[hnj_00]

maybe if they had to work for even a portion of the handouts ...the program would be better off.......when you give it/or get it for free it has not value!!!!!!

although....most of the reciprients feel that it is a birthright!!!!

[goldstategop]

The waiting list for Section 8 housing is closed. There are more applicants than there are housing spaces available for them.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[goldstategop]

As an indicator of government inefficiency, the typical waiting time to get into a public housing unit is 4-7 years.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[BigTom85]

Anybody who would want to live in public housing is nuts. I have been sent into NYC housing projects about a dozen times for work. Lets put it this way... it's the equivlant of hell on earth. Urine and feces are in the hallways and elevators. Most of the times the elevators are broken. There is spray paint all over the halls. Roaches and rodents run wild. Its a disaster.

[goldstategop]

The reason Section 8 housing is a disaster is because tenants don't own the property. They have no responsibility for it. People don't take care of things as well as they they do stuff they own. Its human nature. And here people see it as a chance to stiff the ultimate landlord - the taxpayers and its also a way of getting back for being made to feel like one is a poor ward. These programs should be converted so poor people can build capital and acquire their own property but for the Left that's a big drawback for independent people stop being dependent on them. Better every one live in common misery than people taking a chance to get ahead for themselves.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[durasell]

It's a mixed bag. I've been in some projects that were relatively "nice" and well-maintained. Depends on the neighborhood/environment.

[goldstategop]

People oppose public housing in their neighborhoods because they will bring crime and filth in their wake and lower the property values of the surrounding neighborhood. Bureaucrats keep forcing it upon the public and people keep pushing back against it.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[durasell]

That's true.

[BookmanTheJanitor]

There are more applicants than there are housing spaces available for them.

Section 8 subsidies can be used at any apartment building. It's just that most landlords say "No way" to renting to Section 8 tenants. There are numerous reasons for this refusal....

1. you get a mountain of paperwork for just 1 tenant

2. annual increases (if any) that are WAY below the local rate of inflation or, more importantly, the local rate at which rents are rising in the neighborhood.

3. The local housing authority does annual inspections of the unit where they determine what needs to be fixed.

Many people may not have any problem with any or all of these reasons, but you'll be hard pressed to find a landlord who would want the above conditions as opposed to the conditions of a non-Section 8 tenant. In short, there really isn't a lot of motivation/upside for a landlord to rent to a Section 8 tenant.