RICHLAND Richland Housing Authority board members voted unanimously Thursday to turn its rental assistance voucher program over to the Kennewick Housing Authority starting in November.
Board chairman Britt Creer said after a special meeting that both Kennewick and the Housing Authority of Pasco and Franklin County were willing to take over the Section 8 voucher program, but the board believed Kennewick a better fit for its Richland clients.
"Being Benton County ... we thought it would be more consistent," Creer said.
The Section 8 program is a federally subsidized program that provides rental assistance for low-income families.
The Richland Housing Authority's management of the program came under fire after a HUD management review conducted in June found the authority had misused housing assistance payment money.
The review also found the agency had continued to allow a perceived conflict of interest it previously told state auditors had been resolved and couldn't account for nearly $500,000 in housing assistance money from HUD.
A corrective action plan was submitted to HUD in September, but the federal agency later decided not to provide the housing authority with any money to fund the vouchers for November.
HUD has agreed to pay the Kennewick Housing Authority for the Richland vouchers, Creer said.
With the funding pulled, the Richland Housing Authority was left in the position of either voluntarily giving up management of its Section 8 program or having HUD take it away.
Creer said giving up the program voluntarily would better ensure a smooth transition for the housing authority's low-income clients.
If HUD had forced a transition, there could have been a gap in service, he said.
Creer said people who currently have their federal rent subsidies managed by the Richland Housing Authority shouldn't see any change in their subsidies once their files are turned over to Kennewick.
But every client is subject to an annual review and could see a change when the review date comes, he said.
Before the transfer is finalized, Kennewick must agree to take over the vouchers and the Richland City Council must agree to allow Kennewick Housing Authority to operate within city limits.
The council is set to make that decision Tuesday.
Joe Schiessl, planning and redevelopment manager for the city of Richland, said he doesn't anticipate any hesitation by the council in allowing Kennewick to manage the vouchers.
"Our primary objective here is to help minimize or completely eliminate the impact to the Section 8 clients in Richland as much as we have the ability," Schiessl said.
About 400 people living in Richland, West Richland and Benton City receive Section 8 rental assistance from the Richland Housing Authority.
-- Michelle Dupler: 582-1543; mdupler@tricityherald.com
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