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County approves 2025 public housing agency plan and keeps voucher payment standards
Summary
The Blue Earth County board approved the 2025 Public Housing Agency annual plan and a Housing Choice Voucher payment standard schedule that will take effect Dec. 1; the plan emphasizes repositioning public housing to project-based vouchers and continued landlord and homelessness prevention work.
Blue Earth County commissioners on Sept. 23 approved the county's 2025 Public Housing Agency (PHA) annual plan and adopted a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) payment standard schedule that will take effect Dec. 1.
The annual PHA plan outlines the county's high-level policies and strategies for public housing and the voucher program, including the near-complete repositioning of public housing units into project-based Housing Choice Vouchers. Nancy, a housing staff member who presented the plan, said the board expects the first phase of units to transfer to project-based vouchers by Oct. 1 with remaining units to move by the end of the year.
Why it matters: the plan sets local policy for how federal rental assistance is administered, shapes landlord engagement and homelessness-prevention activities, and determines payment standards that affect both subsidy amounts and how many households can be served.
The county reported several program outcomes and actions in the plan. Nancy said the agency received “high performer” status for its voucher programs and a 98% inspection rating for public housing. The county assisted 52 low-income families to obtain homeownership and has helped expand a community land trust in Mankato. The plan notes support for Low Income Housing Tax Credit projects (Lewis Lofts, Sinclair Flats) and the preservation of Walnut Towers (now Alma Apartments) providing 86 subsidized units. The county also reported receiving 240 new vouchers, largely from the state’s Bring It Home rental assistance program, and said it is administering about 166 vouchers that serve people experiencing homelessness — a 33% increase in homelessness services over five years.
On payment standards: Nancy told commissioners that HUD sets Fair Market Rents (FMRs) annually and allows local authorities to set payment standards between 90% and 110% of FMR. Because HUD's FMRs for the area were slightly reduced this year and the county is underutilizing existing vouchers (staff reported current funding serves roughly 88% of vouchers), staff recommended maintaining the current payment standards, described in the meeting as within 104%–108% of FMR. Staff said increasing the standard would reduce the number of families the county could serve given current funding levels.
Board action and next steps: after the public hearing produced no public comment, a commissioner moved and the board voted to approve the annual plan and, later in the meeting, to approve the HCV payment standard schedule by resolution. Staff said the standards will be effective Dec. 1. Commissioners expressed appreciation for staff outreach to landlords and the administration's work on homelessness prevention and partnerships.
Context and limitations: the county said the plan also addresses waiting-list preferences, utility allowances, the administrative plan, admissions/occupancy policies, capital fund formulas and special vouchers for specific populations. The plan document was posted for public comment; the meeting record shows no public speakers on the item. The board approved both the plan and payment standard resolution during the Sept. 23 session.
Ending: staff will proceed with the planned repositioning and with implementing the Dec. 1 payment standards; further program details and any material changes would appear in future board packets or HUD submissions.
