Housing Assistance Programs

1. Economic Self Sufficiency: Provide incentives to families with children where the head of household is working; is seeking work; or is preparing for work by participating in job training, educational programs, or programs that assist people to obtain employment and become economically self sufficient.
2. Housing Choice: Increase housing choices for eligible low income families.
3. Efficient Operations: Reduce cost and achieve greater cost effectiveness in federal expenditures.

1. Very Low Income: 75% of families assisted must be very low income, 50% of the AMI
2. Reasonable Rent Policy: Reasonable rent policy to encourage employment and self sufficiency.
3. Substantially the Same: Assist substantially the same total number of eligible low income families as would have been served absent participating in the demonstration.
4. Comparable Mix: Maintain a comparable mix of families (by family size) as would have been provided had the amounts not been used under the demonstration.
5. Housing Quality Standards (HQS): Housing must meet Housing Quality Standards.

Cohort #4: Landlord Incentive:

• HPHA would implement selected landlord incentives designed to attract or increase the number of landlords in the HCV program, which would provide more housing options for voucher holders.
• Eligible PHAs that apply for Cohort #4 will be put into a highly competitive lottery. If selected for the MTW program under Cohort #4 in the lottery, HPHA would implement the landlord incentives and HUD would evaluate their impact for 4 years.
• If HPHA applies for the MTW designation and is not selected for the MTW program under Cohort #4, HPHA must agree to participate in HUD’s evaluation of landlord incentives for 4 years as part of the control group, but will not receive the MTW designation under Cohort #4.

1. Vacancy Loss Payment between HCV tenants

HPHA could pay a landlord up to one month of contract rent as reimbursement for time the unit spent vacant in between HCV participants (Tenant based vouchers only).

• This incentive is aimed at getting landlords to continue to participate and offer their units in the HCV program.
• This incentive is also intended to pay the landlord for delays in the lease up process that are out of the landlord’s control, or if the landlord is making repairs or upgrades to the unit before renting to another Section 8 tenant.

2. Front end Vacancy Loss Payment

HPHA could pay a landlord up to one month of contract rent as reimbursement for time the unit spent vacant when the previous tenant was not an HCV participant (Tenant based vouchers only).

• This incentive is aimed at attracting new landlords to participate in the HCV program, or getting existing HCV landlords to make additional units available for HCV tenants.
• This incentive is also intended to pay the landlord for delays in the lease up process that are out of the landlord’s control, or if the landlord is making repairs or upgrades to the unit before renting to the new Section 8 tenant.

3. Signing Bonus

HPHA could provide an incentive payment, or “signing bonus”, of up to one month of contract rent to incentivize landlords to join the HCV program (Tenant based vouchers only).

• This incentive is aimed at attracting new landlords to the HCV program in order to achieve HPHA’s leasing goals for its HCV participants, such as properties in high opportunity neighborhoods or in areas where vouchers are difficult to use.
• This incentive is intended to increase the number and type of units available to HCV tenants in line with HPHA’s leasing goals as they may change from time to time.

Core Goal 1: Economic Self-Sufficiency

• Provide incentives to families with children where the head of household is working; is seeking work; or is preparing for work by participating in job training, educational programs, or programs that assist people to obtain employment and become economically self sufficient.

Core Goal 1: Challenges and Opportunities

• Cultural and geographic diversity
• Unique job training and job readiness needs/opportunities
• Need wraparound supportive services for our residents/participants
• Focus on Youth development

Example of Economic Self-Sufficiency

• Job training and vocational training programs for unique Hawaiian industries, high demand jobs in Hawaii, virtual job opportunities.
• Work readiness training.
• Wrap around case management and service referrals.
• Focus on Youth development educational and vocational training, homework help, tutoring, clubs and activities, recreation, mentoring, early childhood parent/child activities.
• Incentive accounts to encourage work, savings, and wealth development.
• Financial incentives for achieving training and educational goals
• These programs can be made possible through MTW funding flexibility.

Core Goal 2: Housing Choice

• Increase housing choices for eligible low income families.

Core Goal 2: Challenges and Opportunities

• Extreme Housing Affordability/Availability
• Pressures (limited affordable housing inventory)
• Preserve HPHA’s affordable housing
• Increase housing options

Example of Housing Choice

• Mobility counseling for HCV participants
• Increased payment standards for high opportunity neighborhoods
• Landlord recruitment and retention incentives
• Increased use of Project Based Vouchers (PBVs) in high opportunity neighborhoods
• Rehab and modernize existing housing portfolio
• Preserve and develop mixed income housing units

Core Goal 3: Effective Operations

• Reduce cost and achieve greater cost effectiveness in federal expenditures.

Core Goal 3: Challenges and Opportunities

• Streamline administrative processes for PH and HCV programs, reduce burden on residents/participants.

Example of Efective Operations

• Increased flexibility to the PBV program: selection, increase # of PBVs, increase PBV contract lengths
• Streamlining HQS inspection process: Pre qualifying unit inspections, self certifying minor violations to HQS, reduced frequency of HQS inspections
• Simplifying rent calculations
• Alternative re examination schedule