Monday, October 31, 2011

Public Notice
The Franklin County Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) is pleased to announce the availability of up to 45 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) allocated for Project Based Rental Assistance (PBA) for existing and rehabilitated housing.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which provides funding for the HCV program, defines existing housing as that which requires less than $1,000 per unit of work in order to meet HUD’s Housing Quality Standards (HQS). PBA is limited to 25% of the units in a building unless the building has four units or less, or the units are excepted units in a multifamily building because they are specifically made available for elderly or disabled families or families receiving supportive services. PBA units must be located in census tracts with less than 20% poverty according to the most recent U.S. Census. HUD is permitted to grant exceptions to this requirement for compelling reasons. Contract authority may be provided for up to a maximum of fifteen years, subject to annual appropriations. Note: Payments under any contract are subject to future availability of appropriations and future availability of funding under the contract.

In order for currently occupied apartments to be included in this PB HCV program, the apartments must meet Housing Quality Standards (HQS) and the current tenant must apply and be determined eligible for a HCV Subsidy.  An occupied apartment will be accepted only if the current tenant is deemed eligible.  In addition, when a PB HCV apartment becomes vacant, the HRA will pay the full lease rent for the vacant apartment for a period of up to 15 days or until the apartment is rented, which ever comes first.  Note: Such payments may only be made if the vacancy is not the fault of the owner, and the owner takes every reasonable action to minimize the likelihood and extent of vacancies.
Interested owners must submit an application form. Applications will be accepted until 4:30 pm on or before Friday December 14, 2011, at the HRA office.  Applications should be addressed as follows:  Attn: PBA Assistance, HRA, 42 Canal Road, Turners Falls, MA 01376.  Only completed applications submitted in response to this notice will be considered for selection.  To obtain an application, please call 413-863-9781, extension 100 or click here.

HRA will rank each application based upon the following criteria: experience as an owner in the tenant-based voucher program and owner compliance with the owner’s obligations under the tenant-based program;  extent to which the project furthers the HRA goal of deconcentrating poverty and expanding housing and economic opportunities; if applicable, extent to which services for special populations are provided on site or in the immediate area for occupants of the property; extent to which existing units are currently occupied by families that are eligible to participate in the PBV program; site visit/inspection to determine the condition of the property and compliance with HQS; readiness to proceed; site and neighborhood standards in regards to the concentration if poverty; landlord/service provider experience in providing housing/services; an agreement to pay real estate taxes; proof of site control/ownership of the proposed property; description of supportive services if offered; and the responsiveness of the application.

The HRA is committed to promoting access to equal housing opportunities.