1. Housing Choice Voucher
Damien Allen: Overview Utilization
Linda Pistilli: Shortfall
Meaghan Messner: HUD-VASH

2. Purpose and Importance
 Purpose:
 Ensure full use of HCV funding
 Focus HUD interaction with PHAs to enable more informed
decisions
 Demonstrates that PHA can efficiently administer
program consistent with program mission
 Maintains consistent lease up and utilization results in a
more efficiently run program
 Allows for revenue generation because admin fee is
based on lease up
 Minimizes risk

3. HCV Utilization Goals
 Optimizing Utilization: Achieving the optimal zone
 Optimal Zone = 95-100% UML or ABA + excess
NRA.
 No Shortfall/Overleasing PHAs
 No Underleasing PHAs
 Stabilized leasing, No W phenomenon

4. Maximizing Utilization Benefits PHA
 Enhances control over voucher issuance, budget
and administrative procedures and performance
trending
 Encourages information sharing within the PHA
 Fosters improved reporting and stronger data in
HUD/PHA systems
 Increases access and support from FO partners
related to funding and programmatic concerns

5. HCV Utilization - Two Year Tool

7. Historic Lease Up Patterns: Attrit Down

8. Stable Leasing Pattern

9. Field Office Contacts
 Damien Allen – PHRS, 215.861.7681 or
Damien.C.Allen@hud.gov
 David Kinnard - Financial Analyst, 215.861.7610 or
David.L.Kinnard@hud.gov

10. Shortfall Prevention Team
… THE “DARK SIDE”
OF HCV UTILIZATION

11. Shortfall
… what happens when all (projected) funds available
for the calendar year (NRA, ABA, set-aside, other
funds) are not sufficient to support (projected) HAP
costs for all current participants through year-end
 Calculation does not include cost to support units in
excess of UMA

12. Objective: NO Families Terminated for Insufficient Funds
 HCV a budget-based program since 2005
 No guarantee that funding will support all units
authorized
 PHAs must manage program within the limits of
available funding

13. Variables
 Funding – not definite until ??
 NRA – PHA-held and HUD-held
 HAP costs – YTD and projected PUC
 Unit months leased – YTD and projections based on
 Leasing
 Attrition

14. Identifying Shortfalls
 Monthly master utilization report includes “risk list”
of PHAs that may be in trouble … each PHA screened
by Field Office and results posted online
 Confirmed shortfalls referred to Shortfall Prevention
Team (SPT) for help in developing and
implementing Action Plan
 Additional referrals from Field Offices, Financial
Management Center

15. SPT Bag of Tricks
 Stop leasing
 Review cost-saving measures discussed in PIH
Notice 2011-28, and implement where appropriate
 Request HQ approval of Payment Standard Waiver
for immediate, across-the-board reduction in
payment standard (and FO approval for PS below
90% of FMR)
 Amend policy, request HQ approval of Utility
Allowance Waiver to allow use of voucher size for UA
when family leases larger unit

16. HUD-VASH
PBV % of
FY FY FY FY FY Set- TOTAL VASH vouchers
PHA 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Aside AWARDS Porting
Wilmington 35 0 25 15 25 0 100 57%
Philadelphia 105 105 75 50 75 0 410 2%
Scranton 0 0 25 0 0 0 25 4%
Harrisburg 0 35 0 25 25 0 85 54%
Delaware County 0 35 25 0 0 0 60 27%
Chester County 105 35 0 25 50 0 215 14%
Wilkes Barre 35 35 0 25 0 0 95 79%
Lebanon County 70 20 25 0 0 0 115 72%
Allentown 0 0 0 0 15 0 15 24%
Bucks 0 0 0 0 10 0 10 0%
350 265 175 140 200 0 1130