Tempe Housing Authority adopts five‑year plan, updates voucher policies and appoints resident board member

The Tempe Housing Authority Governing Board voted unanimously to adopt a five‑year strategic plan and related annual and administrative plan updates and to appoint Callie Moss as the resident member of the board. The board also approved routine minutes from Jan. 23, 2025, during the same meeting.

The five‑year plan sets four priorities the housing authority calls expansion and innovation; organizational strength and modernization; responsive stakeholder services; and workforce development. "Over the next 5 years, the Tempe Housing Authority aims to build a thriving, inclusive, and resilient housing future," said Irma Hallam B. Kane, deputy human services director for housing, in remarks presenting the plan and annual report.

Why it matters: the adopted plan and policy changes guide how Tempe will use federal Housing Choice Voucher funding and local programs to place voucher holders, recruit and retain landlords and preserve or add long‑term affordable units. The administrative changes also prepare the agency to implement pending federal changes to voucher administration and explain how the authority would respond if HUD funding falls short.

Key elements of the plan and administrative updates described by Kane include efforts to expand landlord partnerships and project‑based vouchers; explore a voucher‑based homeownership pathway; modernize operations including landlord ACH payments and an overhauled mobile‑friendly website; and create a customer service pledge and expanded housing navigation supports for participants and applicants. Kane said the authority has refined programs to help landlords (damage‑claims assistance, outreach and training) and voucher holders (security deposit assistance funded with HUD dollars).

Kane reported several accomplishments from the last five years, including raising voucher utilization in Tempe from the seventies to "upwards of 95%" and adding emergency housing vouchers, veterans supportive‑housing vouchers and a two‑year tenant‑based rental assistance program for people experiencing homelessness. The authority also moved in January to using small‑area fair market rents, which applies different payment standards by ZIP code to help voucher holders access higher‑opportunity neighborhoods.

Kane outlined administrative‑plan specifics: the initial voucher term remains 60 days; extensions may be granted in 30‑day increments up to a maximum of 120 days with a required search log; a household that loses members will not have its voucher downsized until its next recertification; and if funding is insufficient to cover all participants the authority would end assistance starting with the most recently admitted participants, with veterans and elderly or disabled households least likely to be impacted.

Kane also announced staffing and program items: the housing team recently hired Jessica Gonzales to lead neighborhood revitalization and emergency home‑repair programming, and the authority’s affiliate nonprofit, the Tempe Coalition for Affordable Housing, operates about 70 permanently affordable units and has acquired a vacant site planned for redevelopment of up to 40 affordable units. Kane said the authority will host a landlord mixer on April 16 to discuss program features and strengthen landlord partnerships.

Board members asked questions and offered praise during the informational update. "Voucher use in our community, that is a phenomenal number," Board Member Hodge said, thanking staff for work focused on veterans, seniors and other low‑income households. Council Member Amberg asked how voucher downsizing would work if a household cannot find a smaller unit; Kane said staff provide housing navigation services and families may choose to remain in a unit and pay more if they can afford it until recertification.

Formal actions taken: the board adopted a resolution approving the public housing agency five‑year plan, the annual plan and revisions to the administrative plan and authorized acceptance of additional Housing Choice Vouchers that may become available from HUD (voice vote; tally recorded as 7–0 with Board Member Keating absent). The board also adopted a resolution appointing Callie Moss as the resident member (motion moved by Vice Chair Garland, seconded by Board Member Hodge; voice vote recorded as 7–0) and approved the Jan. 23, 2025 meeting minutes (motion moved by Board Member Adams, seconded by Board Member Hodge; voice vote recorded as 7–0).

The board treated Kane’s presentation as an informational update; the plan adoptions and appointment were formal votes. No public comments were received on the five‑year plan during the public hearing portion of the meeting.

Looking ahead, Kane told the board staff will bring any federal implementation dates for the Housing Opportunities Modernization Act changes to the board when HUD specifies them. The authority’s policy now anticipates those federal changes but staff said they are awaiting HUD’s guidance on timing.

Votes at a glance: the board recorded unanimous approvals for the appointment of Callie Moss (7–0), adoption of the five‑year plan/annual plan/administrative revisions and acceptance of potential additional vouchers (7–0, Board Member Keating absent), and approval of meeting minutes for Jan. 23, 2025 (7–0).