Contra Costa County Housing Authority adopts 2025–26 budget as staff warn of possible federal cuts to voucher programs

The Contra Costa County Housing Authority on March 11 approved its annual agency budget for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, and unanimously received a report on workforce vacancies and recruitment efforts as staff warned of possible federal cuts to homeless assistance programs, including the Emergency Housing Voucher program.

Cherry Anderson, housing authority staff, told commissioners the hearing on vacancies was conducted in response to a state legislative requirement cited in the meeting as "AB 25 61," which, she said, requires public agencies to present vacancy status and recruitment and retention efforts at least once per fiscal year prior to adoption of the agency's final budget. Anderson said the authority has two bargaining units represented by AFSCME PEU Local 1 and reported vacancy rates below 20% in each unit. "We have less than 20% vacancy rates," Anderson said. She described steps the authority is taking to improve recruitment and retention, including changing minimum qualifications for some…