The Housing Authority of the City of Vallejo on Wednesday conducted a public hearing and unanimously adopted a resolution approving revisions to its Housing Choice Voucher administrative plan to implement changes required by the federal Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOPMA) and related HUD guidance.

Alicia Jones, housing director for the city’s Housing and Community Development Department, told the board the revisions respond to HUD PIH notices and HOPMA rulemaking finalized in 2023. “These changes will go into effect effective 07/01/2025,” Jones said, and staff recommended adoption of the regulatory changes included in the packet.

The changes cited by staff affect multiple sections of the administrative plan, specifically chapters 7, 8, 11, 14 and 16. Key operational changes noted by Jones include increasing third‑party verification windows from 60 days to 120 days; permitting certain interim inspections to be combined if requested within 90 days of a regularly scheduled inspection; shortening the abatement period for noncompliant owner units from 180 days to 90 days; and updates to the reexamination process that allow the housing authority to forgo an interim adjustment if a household’s adjusted income changes by 10% or less.

Board members pressed staff on how those changes will affect voucher holders. Board member Gordon asked whether families lose vouchers when units are abated and whether the authority can extend search time. Jones said the authority may offer extensions but that initial search time is 120 days with possible additional 30‑day extensions (two extensions may be available depending on circumstances). She also said when an owner’s unit is abated “the housing authority uses a percentage of the abated rent to assist the family with their rent and assist the family with their move.”

Board member LaDuechew requested staff provide detailed data to the Housing and Community Development body on abatements, including counts of abatements during recertification cycles, the pace at which abatements are cured, and how many voucher holders are forced to move or cannot lease up elsewhere. Jones agreed to prepare that information but told the board the department currently lacks administrative fee funding to add a housing navigator position; she said any additional staffing would need outside support or a different funding source.

On capacity for increased inspection requirements, Jones said the authority currently uses a consultant for the biannual inspections and retains an internal staff member for quality control reviews of those inspections, which staff said should allow the authority to meet the revised inspection requirements.

The board’s motion to adopt the resolution was made and carried unanimously with the vice chair absent. The revisions become effective July 1, 2025, per the staff presentation. Board members asked staff to return to HCD with the requested abatements and leasing data and to explore options for a housing navigator or partner support to help voucher holders locate units.

Less central details: staff said HOPMA contained “over 101 changes” affecting both tenant‑based and project‑based vouchers; HUD issues implementation guidance through Public and Indian Housing (PIH) notices; and the adopted administrative plan packet includes a chapter‑by‑chapter summary of the changes.