NOTICE OF PROPOSED FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY (FSS) ACTION PLAN for Project Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)

The Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) was established in 1937. As a housing authority, we have housed over 4,300 individuals nightly in the conventional public housing program and approximately another 15,000 individuals nightly through the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and Special Voucher programs. We provide subsidized housing to the most vulnerable people in Austin, Texas. Almost half of our residents are children, over 12% are persons 62 years old and older, about 30% are persons with a disability, a majority of the households are headed by a single female, and the average household income is about $13,000.

In 2016, HACA endeavored to transform its conventional public housing program through HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD). As of June 15, 2020, of the 18 public housing properties and 22 Single Family Homes (1,839 units) originally funded by Section 9 of the 1937 Housing Act, only one property (78 units) remains in the conventional public housing program funded by Section 9. The 22 single family homes have been approved for disposal via HUD’s Section 18 program. All other properties and units have converted through RAD to Project Based Rental Assistance (PBRA). PBRA residents still pay 30% of their adjusted income towards their portion of the rent and HUD pays the remaining balance of the rent in Housing Assistance Payments (HAP).  The PBRA program is funded by Section 8 of the Act.

HACA has operated a successful Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program since 1994 administered by HUD’s PIH division. After conversion of our properties, HUD’s Multifamily division administers programs subsidized by the PBRA program. After conversion to the PBRA program, families wishing to join the FSS program would have to join via the Multifamily FSS program administered and funded by HUD’s Multifamily division. Any family in the FSS program prior to conversion are eligible to continue in the FSS program administered by HUD’s PIH program. HACA is eligible to continue serving these pre-conversion FSS families through a FSS Coordinator grant. All post-conversion families cannot be served by the FSS Coordinator grant, and therefore HACA must fund those coordinator salaries. But according to Notice H-2016-08, HACA is eligible to receive funds from HUD to cover the escrow of both types of FSS families.

Click HERE to read the full public notice.

HACA FSS Action Plan for PBRA 6-16-20