DEPARTMENT:
Neighborhood & Housing Services Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
Ver?nica R. Soto, FAICP, Neighborhood & Housing Services Department Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUMMARY:
Briefing and discussion on Emergency Housing Assistance Program Amendments
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On April 23, 2020, City Council approved the creation of the Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP). The program provides eligible applicants rental or mortgage assistance, utility assistance, and cash assistance. The EHAP is administered by the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department (NHSD). As of February 8, the City has approved $71.9 million in assistance to over 28,770 households seeking emergency rental, mortgage, and utility assistance.
The total budget for the EHAP is $86.8 million. This includes Phases 1-3 of the EHAP. The U.S. Treasury awarded the City an additional $46.8 million for rental assistance and staff is recommending that the entire award be used to support the EHAP. This would increase the EHAP Budget to $133.6 million and the program would remain funded through September 2021.
As a result of the additional funding and associated guidelines, staff is recommending amendments to the EHAP. The proposed amendments reflect input from the EHAP Survey results that were presented to the Housing Commission on January 27, 2021, calls and input received at the EHAP Call Center and at community meetings like the Housing Commission and City Council where EHAP comment is provided. The most inclusive community input received was derived from the EHAP survey recently conducted.
At the request of the Housing Commission, City staff developed and distributed a survey to all EHAP applicants, participating property managers & owners, and implementation partners. The purpose of the survey was to solicit feedback on the program and its impact. The survey was drafted with input from members the Outreach Working Group and Housing Commission. Once appr...
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