Scottsdale Housing Agency holds public hearing on 2025–2029 PHA plan and administrative-policy updates

Scottsdale Housing Agency staff presented the agency’s draft five‑year Public Housing Agency (PHA) plan for 2025–2029 and proposed administrative‑plan changes at a public hearing of the Scottsdale Housing Agency Governing Board.

The presentation, given by Mary (Scottsdale Housing Agency staff) with further detail from Christina Cooley, housing supervisor, outlined program mission, voucher counts and utilization, payment‑standard policy, and upcoming administrative changes required by federal law and HUD guidance. “The city of Scottsdale Housing Agency’s mission is to improve the lives of Scottsdale families by providing quality housing opportunities, avenues to become self sufficient, and serving all citizens with dignity and respect,” Mary said.

The PHA plan and related annual agency plan together document how the agency will operate the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program and other federal rental‑assistance activities. The plan is open for a 45‑day public comment period that staff said opened on Feb. 21, 2025; public comment may be submitted through the Housing & Community Assistance website and will be accepted through the close of the process before staff returns to the board on April 10 for signatures and final submission to HUD (staff gave an April 15 HUD filing deadline).

Why it matters: the PHA plan and administrative rules determine who is eligible for vouchers, how payment standards are set, and the agency’s compliance with HUD program rules. Changes required by federal law and HUD implementation guidance can affect voucher holders’ rent burden and program operations.

Key points from the hearing

• Voucher inventory and utilization: staff said the agency manages about 780 vouchers in total, including all specialty vouchers, and reported about 544 vouchers were in use as of Feb. 28, 2025. Staff noted roughly 735 of the inventory are “traditional” HCVs (transcript numeric formatting varied). The agency also reported a waiting list of roughly 388 individuals and estimated it could take around 30 months to reach applicants on the list depending on budget authority and Small Area Fair Market Rent (SAFMR) changes.

• Payment standards and SAFMR: staff discussed adoption of small area fair market rents set by HUD and told the board the housing board previously approved applying a payment standard at 102% of SAFMR for most areas. Staff said SAFMR shifts and rent escalation are being monitored for budgetary impact.

• Administrative plan updates (HUD/HOPMA implementation): Christina Cooley described proposed changes to the administrative plan to align with HUD requirements and implementation of the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOPMA). Staff said some HOPMA provisions will take effect on July 1 and other elements await HUD guidance. Changes highlighted include: a board‑approval threshold of $50,000 for administrative‑fee reserve expenditures; broader protections under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to include economic or technological abuse; switching calendar‑day references to business days for greater operational consistency; establishing separate wait lists for tenant‑based and project‑based vouchers; clarifying voucher size determinations for households with foster children; and updating how an increased payment standard is applied (at the next interim or annual exam, whichever comes first).

• Program performance and pilots: staff reported the agency’s Section 8 management assessment score improved from 85 to 89, one point shy of “high performing” status. The agency also reported participation in HUD pilot systems including EVMS (E‑Voucher Management System) and the Inspire inspection pilot for housing quality standards, and said it has doubled Family Self‑Sufficiency (FSS) participation from 20 to 41 participants. Staff noted the agency received 10 additional VASH (Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) vouchers from HUD.

• Project‑based vouchers and resident engagement: staff said the agency issued an intent to award project‑based vouchers in February 2025 and that the resident advisory board—made up of active HCV participants—reviewed the proposed changes and unanimously approved them. Staff emphasized that some project‑based voucher payment standard choices are optional for project owners but that the agency plans service‑type requirements at project sites to support residents.

Board questions and context

Board members asked about the federal budget and how a continuing resolution could affect funding; staff said the federal continuing resolution was set to expire March 14, 2025, and that the House had passed a bill to continue funding at current levels through September but Senate action was pending. Commissioners also asked about the effect of SAFMR changes on budget authority; staff said they were monitoring financials with HUD to avoid shortfalls.

Next steps

Staff said the public comment period remains open and that the board will be asked to certify the plan and sign required certifications (including civil rights compliance) on April 10 before submission to HUD by April 15. Staff emphasized remaining items are contingent on HUD guidance and federal budget outcomes.

Ending note: the board opened the hearing for questions and took none in formal public comment during this meeting; staff made documents available for public review on the agency website and at the office.