The Boston Housing Authority is pleased to announce several proposed changes to our Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan, which governs the BHA’s Section 8 program. The changes include two additional Preference Point categories, an addition to our Super Priority category and an additional review process to enhance our Rent Reasonableness Methodology. The proposed changes are summarized below:
The BHA is adding two additional preference categories.The first, Preference under Olmstead which refers to a Supreme Court ruling which prohibits unjustified segregation of individuals with disability gives preference points to those qualified applicants with either mental or physical disabilities who are either ready to exit an institution or at risk of being institutionalized, as verified by the treating facility or hospital. Applicants who receive this preference must be willing to participate in services as provided by State Money Follows the Person (MFP) entities or other support service agencies and partnering organizations.The services may include case management and personal care. The goal of this preference is to reduce institutionalization of individuals.
The second, Homeless Service Organizations preference, will be a preference for those homeless applicants who are working with the following consortia of service organizations Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), Friends of Boston’s Homeless, Heading Home, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, Pine Street Inn, and the 25 Cities Initiative.The goal of this preference is to house those individuals and families that are working with the homeless consortia listed in the City’s ongoing effort to end homelessness.
The inclusion of Project Based Voucher participants in the Super Priority category, which previously only identified Moderate Rehabilitation participants, will give them the ability to apply for other site based waiting lists in the event the BHA does not have vouchers to issue.
The BHA has piloted, and is continuing to use, a rent reasonable software program, GoSection8, which provides an automated valuation process that generates accurate U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) compliant Rent Reasonable reports in a matter of moments. It is a fast and accurate way for housing authorities to complete rent reasonable certifications. The software has completed more than two million rent reasonable certifications nationwide since 2004 and uses the GoSection8 proprietary methodology and comparable database to provide the most accurate and up to date market rent assessments. This additional tool will ensure the BHA’s continuing compliance with all HUD Rent Reasonable Requirements.
These proposed changes are being made available for a forty-five (45) day public comment period beginning Friday October 17, 2014 and ending December 1, 2014. There will be a public hearing on Wednesday November 19, 2014, 6:00 pm at 125 Amory Street. Jamaica Plain MA. Copies of the Administrative Plan will be available on the BHA website, www.bostonhousing.org and at our offices at 52 Chauncy Street, Boston MA. Comments may be sent to Boston Housing Authority, 52 Chauncy St. attn: Paula A. Saba, Chief of Leased Housing Programs , Boston, MA 02111; or by email.