The Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) – Opportunity to Provide Public Comment

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The Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA)

Opportunity to Provide Public Comment

HACA’s draft Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Administrative Plan (Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act (HOTMA) – Phase 1 and HCV Administrative Plan -HOTMA Phase 2, and the 2025 PHA Annual Plan and 2025-2029 Five-year Plan

The Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) will have a public comment period for its revised Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Administrative Plan - HOTMA Phase 1 and HCV Administrative Plan - HOTMA Phase 2, and the 2025 PHA Annual Plan and the 2025-2029 Five-year Plan

There will be a forty-five-day (45) public comment period commencing at 8:00 a.m. on September 23, 2024 through 5:00 p.m. on November 5, 2024. All comments should be made in writing and delivered to 1124 S. IH-35 Austin, TX 78704 and made to the attention of Michael Gerber, President/CEO or via electronic mail at executive@hacanet.org.

Public Hearing and Resident Advisory Board Meeting

A Public Hearing and Resident Advisory Board meeting to present comments regarding the revised HCV Administrative Plan - HOTMA – Phase 1, HCV Administrative Plan - HOTMA Phase 2, and the 2025 PHA Annual Plan the 2025-2029 Five-year Plan will be conducted as follows:

October 3, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. at the HACA Central Office, 1124 S. IH-35, Austin, TX 78704

Board of Commissioners Vote

The Housing Authority of the City of Austin Board of Commissioners will vote on the adoption of the revised HCV Administrative Plan - HOTMA – Phase 1, HCV Administrative Plan - HOTMA Phase 2, and the 2025 PHA Annual Plan and the Five-Year Plan on November 21, 2024 at the HACA Central Office located at 1124 S. IH-35, Austin, Texas 78704. A forum will be available during Citizens Communication to voice your views.

HACA is inviting public comment on the HCV Administrative Plan – HOTMA Phase 1, HCV Administrative Plan - HOTMA Phase 2, and the 2025 PHA Annual Plan and the 2025-2029 Five-year Plan. At the November 21, 2024 HACA Board Meeting, HACA’s Board will be asked to approve these revised policies/plans.

Notification of Implementation

HACA will wait until HUD notifies HACA that Housing Information Portal (HIP) and all program and system changes are completed prior to implementing HCV Administrative Plan - HOTMA Phase 2. HACA will notify program participants of the date at which the HOTMA policies identified in the HCV Administrative Plan HOTMA - Phase 2 regarding income and assets with a date HACA will start to conduct reexaminations using those HOTMA policies. Additionally, HACA will notify HUD and receive approval from HUD before implementing the HOTMA Phase 2 changes identified in the HCV Administrative Plan HOTMA Phase 2.

Copies of the revised draft HCV Administrative Plan - HOTMA – Phase 1, HCV Administrative Plan - HOTMA Phase 2, and 2025 PHA Annual Plan and Five-Year Plan are available for review and inspection at the HACA Central Office located at 1124 S. IH-35 Austin, TX 78704. Electronic versions are available online at Annual and Five-Year Plan Draft Updates and HCV Administrative Plan Draft Updates HOTMA.

HACA is committed to compliance with the American Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Please call 512-477-4488 ext. 2131 for assistance.

Information regarding Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act (HOTMA)

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/mfh/hotma

The Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) was signed into law on July 29, 2016. HOTMA makes numerous amendments to Sections 3, 8, and 16 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (1937 Act), including significant changes to income calculation, net family assets, and income reviews. HUD finalized HOTMA rulemaking in 2023 to put Sections 102, 103, and 104 into effect through revisions to HUD’s regulations found in 24 CFR Part 5 and 24 CFR Part 891.

HOTMA Provisions

• Section 102 addresses income reviews, including the frequency of income reviews, and revises the definitions of income and assets.
• Section 103 addresses public housing for over-income families.
• Section 104 sets asset limits for Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance and Section 202/8 programs.

Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan – HOTMA Phase 1

HCV Admin Plan – HOTMA Phase 1 includes local changes and HUD allowed HOTMA changes prior to implementation of the Housing Information Portal (HIP) and software/system revisions.

HUD has allowed for the implementation of some HOTMA provisions changes prior to implementation of the Housing Information Portal (HIP) and software/system revisions, which are reflected in the revised HCV Administrative Plan – HOTMA Phase 1. The allowed HOTMA changes include:

• PHAs are required to stop enrolling families into the Earned Income Disregard (EID) on January 1, 2024.
• Consent Form. Notice PIH 2023-27 (Authorization for the Release of Information (Forms HUD-9886-A) provides that PHAs may begin having families sign the new HUD-9886-A on January 1, 2024.
• Safe Harbor Income Verifications. Notice PIH 2023-27 allows PHAs to use income determinations from other means-tested federal public assistance programs to verify annual income.

Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan – HOTMA Phase 2

On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, HUD announced that PHAs will not be required to be compliant with HOTMA Section 102 and 104 income and assets provisions by January 1, 2025, except for the Earned Income Disregard (EID) provisions. Although the implementation of the HOTMA Section 102 and 104 Final Rule remains in effect, these income and asset provisions of the final rule require access to new HOTMA-compliant HUD-50058 forms in the Housing Information Portal (HIP) and the not-yet-released replacement for IMS/PIC and HIP will not be ready by January 1, 2025.

HACA revised the HCV Administrative Plan – HOTMA Phase 2 to include HOTMA income and asset changes. The HCV Administrative Plan – HOTMA Phase 2 will not go into effect until HUD notifies PHAs that HIP is completed and all program and systems changes, including the implementation of the Housing Information Portal (HIP) and software revisions, have been completed to allow for the implementation of the income and assets provisions of HOTMA.

Periodo de Comentario y Audiencia Pública para el 2025 FY Plan Anual y 2025 - 2029 Cinco Años de Agencia HACA

La Autoridad de la Vivienda de la Ciudad de Austin (HACA) tendrá un periodo de comentarios públicos para el Plan comenzando el 23 de septiembre de 2024. Habrá 45 días de periodo de comentarios públicos comenzando a las 8:00 a.m. del 23 de septiembre de 2024 hasta las 5:00 p.m. del 5 de noviembre de 2024. Todos los comentarios deben ser hechos por escrito y entregados en 1124 S. IH-35 Austin, TX 78704 y hechos a la atención de Michael Gerber, Presidente/CEO o executive@hacanet.org.

Octubre 3, 2024 a las 12:00 p.m. Oficina Central de HACA, 1124 S. IH-35, Austin, TX 78704

Adicionalmente, la oportunidad final para presentar comentarios en relación a eso plan ante el Consejo de Comisarios de la Autoridad de la Vivienda de la Ciudad de Austin será conducida durante la Reunión del Consejo de Comisarios el 21 de noviembre de 2024. El Consejo de Comisarios tomará acción en lo relacionado a la aprobación del plan en esta reunión. Las copias del plan se encuentran en la Oficina Central o en línea en www.hacanet.org. Para más información o ayuda, llame al 512-477-4488 ext. 2131.