Emergency Housing Vouchers Now Cover More Rent; Provide More Leasing Options for Housing Providers Special from Orange County United Way
R
ecently, the Orange County Housing Authority (OCHA) announced that some housing vouchers will now cover hundreds of dollars more in rent, enabling even more housing providers to fill vacancies and take advantage of valuable incentives through the WelcomeHomeOCSM housing navigation program. Empowered by Orange County United Way, WelcomeHomeOC is an innovative program that is good for your business by providing valuable incentives and benefits, and good for our community by helping to end homelessness for our neighbors in need. Housing voucher payment standards are calculated as a percentage of HUD’s Fair Market Rents (FMRs) and can range from 90%–120% of the FMR. For Emergency Housing Vouchers, OCHA has increased the payment standards to the maximum of 120% for all areas of the county (except Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Garden Grove). That is
24
Apartment News
a 12–29% increase over previous payment standards, depending on rental location and size. This is great news for rental housing providers, as even more market rate units can now qualify to be considered for the many incentives offered through WelcomeHomeOC. That means more individuals and families experiencing homelessness, who hold these vouchers, have an opportunity to secure housing in private market apartments and receive supportive services to ensure they stay in their homes for the long-term. For an even bigger business benefit, WelcomeHomeOC is currently offering rental housing providers in Orange County a $5,000* bonus for their NEXT lease through the program, even for those who have leased through them before. Endorsed by the Apartment Association of Orange County (AAOC) and the California Apartment
www.aaoc.com
April 2022
Association (CAA), WelcomeHomeOC has a 95% retention rate and zero reported evictions for those who’ve been in the program 12 months. To date, WelcomeHomeOC has housed nearly 600 Orange County residents who were experiencing homelessness, including 100 Veterans. Property providers who lease units through WelcomeHomeOC also benefit from the following incentives: • Double security deposit • Daily holding fees • Protection from damage and losses • Direct deposited, on-time rent • Tenant support services • Enhanced customer service and assistance If you have upcoming vacancies, Homelessness — continued on page 30
