DATE: April 9, 2025
TO: Chairperson and Members of the Community Development Commission
FROM: Housing and Neighborhood Services Department
TITLE: RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ANNUAL PLAN AND FIVE-YEAR PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY (PHA) PLAN
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the Oceanside Community Development Commission (CDC) adopt a resolution approving the 2025-26 Annual and 2025-2029 Five-Year Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plans and authorize the CDC Chair to submit the Plans to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with the inclusion of changes made to the PHA Annual and Five-Year Plans as a result of public comments; and authorize the CDC Chair, or designee, to execute any and all related documents for submittal.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The Oceanside Community Development Commission currently administers the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, commonly known as Section 8 rental assistance. The HCV Program provides rental assistance benefits to approximately 1,600 very low-income Oceanside households. For the upcoming FY 2025-26, the total federal appropriation for the Federal tenant-based rental assistance programs is approximately $29.7 million.
HUD established a requirement for PHAs to submit PHA plans beginning in Federal Fiscal Year 2000. PHAs have discretion to use federal funding to address the needs of low-income families. The PHA Plans are used to ensure that the PHA is accountable to the local community for choices it makes with this flexibility.
PHAs are required to submit both a five-year plan outlining its mission and goals, and a one-year plan highlighting the PHA’s operations, programs, and services. These plans are the Annual Plan for 2025-26 and the Five-Year Plan for 2025-29 (collectively referred to as the “Plans”).
The current Five-Year Plan covers the period of 2020-25 and was adopted by the CDC on March 25, 2020. The 2025-26 Annual Plan describes the PHA’s progress on goals that were set in the current Five-Year Plan.
Both plans must be submitted to HUD 75 days prior to the start of the fiscal year, July 1 of each year, or by April 17 in this case.
Annual 2025-2026 Plan
The Annual Plan for 2025-2026 provides an update on the goals specified in the Five-Year Plan 2020-2025. Progress on goals (Annual Plan B.3) include the following:
|
GOAL |
OBJECTIVE |
PROGRESS |
|
Expand the supply of assisted housing |
Apply for additional Housing Choice Vouchers if funding is available |
In July 2024, Greenbrier Village, a 60-unit permanent supportive housing community, opened its doors. The community has 59 units occupied by extremely-low income individuals and families who were experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. 59 Project-Based Vouchers (PBVs) were utilized to facilitate developing affordable housing units in a high-cost housing market. Increasing the number of PBV units is consistent with the PHA’s plan to expand the availability of affordable/assisted units for those in need. In total, there are currently 109 PBV units in the PHA’s jurisdiction. Past and current federal budget appropriations do not make available any funding authority for new HCVs for Oceanside, therefore additional vouchers will not be applied for at this time. |
|
Improve Voucher Management |
Obtain and maintain High Performer Status |
The PHA completed its Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) for FY 2023-2024 and earned a High-Performer rating (96%). The High-Performer rating is the PHA’s second consecutive year that it earned a High-Performer rating. |
|
Promote self-sufficiency of assisted households |
Assist 50 HCV households with the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program |
In December 2024, the PHA was awarded renewal funding of $131,000 for its Family Self Sufficiency Program to fund the FSS Service Coordinator, enabling the PHA to continue the important work with HUD-assisted residents. |
2025-2029 Five-Year Plan
The 2025-2029 Five-Year Plan identifies the goals and objectives that will enable the PHA to serve the needs of low-income families for the next five years. The goals remain the same as the previous Five-Year Plan with the inclusion of increasing the utilization of Project-Based Vouchers and leveraging the PHA’s current management software to streamline and improve efficiencies in administering the rental assistance program.
Waiting List Status
The HCV Program maintains an open waiting list and continues to accept new applications each day from households in need of rental assistance. There are currently 4,704 households on the OHA waiting list, equating to approximately a 10-year wait time. PHAs may not restrict applications to households living within the PHA's jurisdiction. Households who live or work in Oceanside receive a preference for assistance. Approximately 2,388 households (50%) on the waiting list claim the live/work Oceanside preference.
Public Review and Comment
Federal regulations require that a Resident Advisory Board (RAB) participate in the planning process and assist and make recommendations regarding the PHA Plans. Four HCV program participants have volunteered to serve on the RAB. The 2025-26 Annual and 2025-2029 Five-Year Public Housing Agency Plans were reviewed with no comments by the RAB at its meeting on January 27, 2025.
Copies of the 2025-26 Annual and 2025-2029 Five-Year Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plans have been made available to the general public at the Housing and Neighborhood Services Department office and on its website at www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/government/housing-neighborhood-services/housing/section-8-housing-choice-voucher-program <http://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/government/housing-neighborhood-services/housing/section-8-housing-choice-voucher-program> for public review and comment beginning Sunday, February 23, 2025, for a HUD required 45-day comment period. A Public Hearing before the CDC is now being conducted following conclusion of this this comment period. A public notice of the CDC public hearing and availability of the Annual Plan for review and comment was published in the local newspaper. The CDC is required to consider written comments, as well as those comments made at the Public Hearing.
Affordable Housing Impact
Based on the 2016-2020 American Communities Survey, 51% or 31,235 of Oceanside’s households are characterized as extremely low- at 30% or below the Area Median Income (AMI) and very low-income households at 50% or less of the Area Median Income. Per FY2025’s AMI figures for San Diego County, a very low-income four-person household has an annual income of no more than $82,700. The availability of the HCV program provides long term financial assistance to maintain stable and decent housing to those households.
The PHA Plans further advances Program 2 Objectives in the City's Housing Element (2021-29), which calls for the City to, "Promote the use of Housing Choice Vouchers with the goal of maintaining at the current level of assistance."
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for the Section 8 HCV Program is appropriated by HUD on a calendar year (CY) basis. For CY 2025, funding is estimated to be $29.7 million for Housing Assistance payments to landlords and administrative fees which will be deposited to Hsng Sct 8 Vouchers- CDC accounts 923475200283.4392.0005 and 923475200283.4392.0003 and incorporated into the proposed FY 2025-26 budget. Any FY 2025-26 adjustments needed are completed during the fiscal year.
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
At its March 25, 2025, meeting, the Housing Commission recommended that the CDC adopt a resolution approving submission of the 2025-26 Annual and 2025-2029 Five-Year PHA Plans to HUD with the inclusion of changes made to the PHA Plans as a result of public comments; and authorize the CDC Chair, or designee, to execute any and all related documents for submittal. For the Five-Year Plan, the Housing Commission recommended including language emphasizing the marketing of HCV programs to military veterans.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
The referenced documents have been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form.
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Prepared by: Raymond Rull, Housing Program Manager
Reviewed by: Leilani Hines, Housing and Neighborhood Services Director
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Resolution
3. Annual PHA Plan
4. Five-Year Plan