Fiscal Year 2004 Proposed Budget

Section K - Community Planning, Housing and Development

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY PLANNING, HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
HOUSING SERVICES SECTION

PROGRAM MISSION: To help meet Arlington's housing needs by ensuring community awareness and utilization of the County programs and services regarding rental housing, home ownership and housing quality.

The Housing Services Section provides and coordinates direct service to tenants, landlords and prospective first‑time homebuyers in the County, and consolidates all housing information, referral, and counseling activities in one unit. The Section provides the following specific services:

• The Housing Information Center provides a "one-stop shop" for information and referrals regarding the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords, housing resources, financial assistance, code enforcement, home ownership, and relocation.

• The Tenant-Landlord Program provides information and mediation regarding tenant-landlord laws and practices; dispute resolution services; and support for the Tenant-Landlord Commission. Staff conducts the annual rent and vacancy survey, gathers data regarding changes to the rental market and develops informational materials, including the Apartment Guide to Arlington County and the Tenant-Landlord Handbook. Staff provides advice, referrals, and counseling to assist residents in maintaining current housing or finding new housing as well as coordinates and monitors activities of non-profit agencies under contract to provide housing services.

• The Home Ownership Program develops strategies to increase home ownership opportunities and fosters first-time home ownership by providing a broad range of information and guidance on home ownership, mortgages and the purchase process. Staff seeks the participation of the real estate industry and lending institutions in facilitating home ownership for low and moderate income and minority households, markets the County's Live Near Your Work Program, VHDA's reduced interest rate first trust mortgage products and the enhanced Moderate Income Purchase Assistance Program, including providing continuing outreach to residents displaced by redevelopment. Staff also facilitates other special educational and outreach activities such as Home Ownership Fairs; develops informational material on home ownership; undertakes program development and evaluation; and coordinates and monitors non-profit agencies and other public and private efforts and resources to increase home ownership. The program coordinator (1.0 FTE) is funded through the CDBG Program, and is included in the section on Special Revenue Funds (Section O). The General Fund supports the housing specialist (1.0 FTE) working with the program.

• Relocation Services ensure that developers/landlords are in compliance with the federal Uniform Relocation Act or the County Board's Voluntary Relocation Guidelines during any development or rehabilitation projects where tenants may be displaced, and provides technical assistance on relocation issues.

• The Field Team provides special housing services for the four Neighborhood Strategy Areas (NSAs) of Nauck, Columbia Heights West, Buckingham and Arna Valley. Staff undertakes proactive, systematic efforts to assess the environmental conditions and housing needs of NSA residents and provide educational workshops, counseling, and other technical assistance to enable residents to improve housing and neighborhood conditions. This program is funded through the CDBG Program, which is included in the section on Special Revenue Funds (Section O).

Special staff efforts in FY 2004 will be made to promote employer assisted home ownership programs; to continue outreach to small landlords through a televised workshop on their rights and responsibilities and to tenants through regular office hours at community centers and other strategies; to improve access to information through the County's Web page; and to implement targeted efforts to increase owner occupancy rates in the NSAs and condominiums Countywide.

SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

• Increased personnel costs reflect normal salary and benefits adjustments.

• Non-personnel costs and budget are included the General Division Section budget.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:

Objective: To assist the community in meeting its housing needs by providing current and accurate information about rights and responsibilities, available housing opportunities and services, and appropriate counseling, referrals and technical assistance.

• Housing information regarding rights and responsibilities and/or available services is provided to residents to help them resolve their housing problem. Some may not want staff to intervene or neglect to take appropriate action themselves.

• Increased housing prices decreased the number of low and moderate income first-time home buyers utilizing the federally funded Moderate Income Purchase Assistance Program to purchase homes in FY 2002. Although this trend is likely to continue, two new home ownership programs i.e. Live Near Your Work and VHDA's below market rate interest first trust mortgage program, being marketed by staff are expected to increase the numbers of first-time homebuyers purchasing homes in the County.

• Significant rent increases, re-development of rental complexes and greater interest in homeownership have resulted in a high level of calls to the Housing Information Center.

• Relocation projects usually carry over into a second year. A significant amount of staff time is spent providing information and assistance to developers and tenants of by-right projects that do not have approved relocation plans.

• The number of outreach events and assessments reflects continued interest in home ownership.

FUTURE BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS:

• Additional resources will be needed to achieve the adopted Affordable Housing Goals, i.e. increased services matching persons with mobility impartment with available accessible units and matching low and moderate income households with committed affordable units.

• Continuing redevelopment of apartment complexes and an inadequate supply of affordable housing will continue to increase the demand for tenant-landlord, housing counseling, relocation services, and assistance to first‑time home buyers.