Beloit Housing Authority reports high HUD ratings and outlines housing and voucher programs

Clinton Cole, director of the Beloit Housing Authority (BHA), presented an overview of the authority’s programs and performance, telling the City Council that BHA has earned high ratings from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for its management of public housing and the Section 8 program.

Cole said the authority manages 131 public housing units across the city (including 16 single‑family units) and administers 603 Housing Choice (Section 8) vouchers. BHA completed 682 Section 8 inspections in 2024 and inspected 150 public‑housing units; HUD requires annual inspections and annual income reexaminations for compliance. Cole reported no evictions and no lease terminations in 2024.

The authority also operates Family Self‑Sufficiency (FSS) services; Cole said 30 participants are active in FSS and 17 participants have graduated from the program since 2020. The agency holds three homeownership vouchers that allow Section 8 participants to use assistance toward mortgage payments, and it administers two Foster Youth to Independence vouchers for eligible 18‑to‑24‑year‑olds. BHA has an MOU with the Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Board and the Rock County Housing Intervention Task Force to provide supportive services to foster‑youth participants.

Cole said the CDA (Community Development Authority) appoints BHA’s governing board and approves the housing authority budget, including capital funds. He also noted the city contains roughly 515 other affordable housing units that are not operated by BHA.