Hendry County staff say limited SHIP dollars and long Section 8 waits constrain local housing aid

Adrianna Walker, the county’s housing and social services lead, told the Hendry County Board of County Commissioners on May 27 that county housing programs are stretched thin and that federal and state funding rules limit what local staff can do.

Walker summarized how the state SHIP program and federal Section 8 voucher program operate in Hendry County and gave counts of active projects, waiting lists and recent service levels.

The SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership) allocation is typically about $350,000 a year, Walker said. ‘‘The rehab is up to $50,000, not to exceed more than $50,000,’’ she said, adding that emergency repairs can be funded up to $15,000. SHIP funds must be used for owner-occupied homes and for units that are substandard or present health and safety hazards, she said. Manufactured homes constructed after 1994 are generally ineligible for SHIP rehab because of condition and construction standards.

Walker said SHIP requires minimum set-asides for special-needs households (a 20% minimum), and that the county must spend a percentage of the allocation on homeownership set-asides and recaptured funds. ‘‘Currently, we’re not doing this there because I’ve only been in the position,’’ she said, describing work underway to meet program rules.

On current workload, Walker said the county has five SHIP rehab projects recently approved (three contracts awarded, two to rebid) and four emergency-assistance projects in Clewiston. She reported a wait list of 16 homeowners for rehab and 12 for emergency assistance.

On housing choice vouchers, Walker said Hendry County serves 64 total Section 8 participants: ‘‘42 are tenants, 8 are emergency housing tenants such as victims of domestic violence, and 6 are port-ins,’’ meaning vouchers that moved in from other jurisdictions. She said there are 8 port-outs and five vouchers remaining to assign. The Section 8 application wait list totals about 50 households and is currently a five- to six-year wait.

Walker also reported that for fiscal year 2024–25 the county handled nine indigent cremations and no indigent medical payments, and that the county contracts with United Way to help residents with rent, utilities, prescriptions and food.

Commissioners and staff discussed how HUD rules and state allocation methods affect local budgeting. Commissioner Emery Howard asked whether port-ins are reimbursed; Walker confirmed port-ins bring funding from the initiating housing authority and do not draw from Hendry’s voucher pool. ‘‘The port-ins don’t cost us anything,’’ Walker said.

The presentation did not include any board action; commissioners asked staff to continue monitoring allocations and program timing and to report back as needed.

The county administrator noted the housing office operates out of the United Way building in LaBelle and a satellite office in Clewiston to coordinate social services.