Jenneh Jones

The meeting focused on updates to payment standards, which were reduced to 95% of the Small Area Fair Market Rent (SAFMR) due to pending federal appropriations from the House Appropriations bill, resulting in an estimated 88.5% funding level for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) fund. This reduction necessitates a conservative approach, potentially leading to the termination of families from the program if funding remains low, although the agency prefers to reduce payment standards first. Landlords were advised that new move-ins and tenants signing new leases will be subject to the lower payment standards, while existing tenants on renewed leases are not immediately impacted. Rent increases with an effective date of February 1st or later will not be processed under the previous standards. The agency is also undergoing a reorganization of the Housing Choice Voucher department to improve responsiveness to landlord inquiries and payments. Furthermore, compliance with new Inspire smoke detector regulations, effective since December, was discussed, requiring corrections within 30 days of notice for non-compliant units.

The Housing Authority of the City of Greenville, SC's Annual PHA Plan for Fiscal Year 2020 serves as a comprehensive roadmap for its operations, programs, and services, detailing its mission, goals, and objectives to address the housing needs of low-income families. The plan outlines revisions to existing PHA Plan elements, including housing needs, deconcentration, financial resources, and policies governing eligibility and admissions. It also introduces new activities such as the conversion of public housing to tenant-based assistance and the administration of Project Based Vouchers. Strategic priorities include deconcentration policies focused on income mixing and maximizing affordable housing units, expanding opportunities for special needs populations, and fostering public-private partnerships. The document also provides a progress report on the organization's five-year goals (2015-2019), covering portfolio repositioning, operational effectiveness, entrepreneurial initiatives, marketing, and resident support strategies.

The meeting focused on educating landlords regarding housing assistance policies, particularly concerning abatements. Key discussion points included the process for abatements following failed inspections, the difference between tenant-caused and non-tenant-caused issues, and the functionality of the landlord portal for accessing ledgers, inspection records, and abatement statuses. Participants also discussed the high failure rate for inspections, the HUD standard transition to 'Inspire,' and clarification on notification timeframes for inspections from the inspection agency, Landmark. Furthermore, the session touched upon deferral of rent increases based on inspection failures and MTW incentives related to vacancy loss payments.

The meeting, characterized as the first monthly Landlord Office Hours call, focused on several initiatives designed to improve landlord participation and success rates for voucher holders. Key discussion points included detailing landlord incentives, such as a payment equal to one month's contract rent for new or returning landlords (not participating in 5 years or more), and explaining the vacancy loss payment policy, which covers up to one month's contract rent during the re-renting period to another voucher participant. Furthermore, the process for submitting damage claims was reviewed, noting that claims are capped at the lesser of actual repair costs (less any security deposit applied) or two months' contract rent, and requires thorough documentation. Discussions also covered rent increases for 2025, emphasizing the requirement to provide 60 days' notice to tenants and the agency's focus on efficient processing, while referencing market averages and rent reasonableness standards, generally expecting increases between 2-5%. Finally, updates were provided on improved customer service systems, including the institution of a ticketing system for tracking landlord inquiries.

This document serves as a progress report for the 2019 Annual Plan, detailing the advancements made on a five-year strategic plan spanning 2015-2019. The plan's overarching goal is to effectively serve the needs of low-income and very low-income families. Key strategic pillars include repositioning the public housing portfolio, enhancing operational effectiveness through technological innovation, fostering entrepreneurialism for organizational sustainability and sound business practices, strengthening the organization's brand through comprehensive marketing and communication, assisting residents in accessing education, employment, and homeownership opportunities, and diligently protecting the rights of victims of domestic violence under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).