AGENDA ITEM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ITEM TITLE
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Approve the Town's Public Housing Program Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) and Revised Public Housing Lease
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RESPONSIBLE STAFF, TITLE, DEPARTMENT
Sarah Osmer Vi?as, Director, Affordable Housing and Community Connections Department
Felts Lewis, Public Housing Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommend Council approves the proposed update to the Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) and Lease, aligned with current HUD regulations and industry best practices.
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ACTION/DECISION POINTS
Council approve the updated ACOP and lease agreement for public housing.
LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT
The Town Council serves as the board of the Town's public housing authority (PHA), which oversees the Town's public housing program.
A public housing authority (PHA) board is responsible for overseeing the overall operations and governance of a local housing authority, including setting policies, approving budgets, and ensuring compliance with regulations, including approval of the PHA policies and lease agreement.
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
* The current ACOP has elements that no longer align with HUD regulations or industry best practices.
* The last minor update to the Town's public housing ACOP was completed in 2023, with the last substantial updates being completed several years before.
* Key updates to the proposed ACOP and lease include:
o Streamlining the eligibility preferences from eight to four categories as follows: Orange County resident, employed, experiencing homelessness, and veterans.
o Eliminating the exclusionary period for most criminal activity, consistent with current HUD guidelines.
o Admissions policy changes include the applicant(s) being given two offers to accept a unit; more response times (from 10 to 14 calendar days) for hearings, income change reporting, and annual reexamination.
o Adding additional clarity for the allowance of pets, guest visitation, e...
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