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Commission to phase down 120% voucher payment standard after HUD funding changes
Summary
Housing staff said a prior HUD waiver allowing a 120% payment standard is not being renewed; payment standards will be reduced to 110% as vouchers renew or tenants move.
Housing staff told the Davenport Housing Commission that the agency will phase down a previously authorized 120% payment standard for Housing Choice Vouchers to 110% over time, after HUD funding decreases led the commission not to renew the waiver.
Staff said the 120% payment standard began under a HUD waiver in February 2023 to allow quicker leasing from a fresh wait list and to use reserve funding to house people rapidly. The waiver was renewed once but was not renewed this year; as a result, the commission will reduce the payment standard when individual vouchers renew or when participants move.
A staff presenter explained that even though the active voucher count fell by eight in December, the program continued to expend near its available funding because several vouchers remained under the 120% standard. The reduction to 110% will be implemented gradually to avoid abrupt changes to landlords’ housing assistance payments at renewal.
Commissioners asked about landlord participation with a lower payment standard. Staff said landlords continued to call to participate and that the initial higher standard had been an incentive tied to the waiver and extra reserve funding. Staff also noted HUD had begun decreasing the commission’s funding, which informed the decision not to renew the waiver.
The commission approved the December utilization report, which recorded the voucher change and provided the basis for the discussion. Staff said they will monitor lease-ups and renewals and implement the phased reduction as described.
