Yolo County Housing lays out 5-year plan, cites voucher shortfall and homeownership goals

Yolo County Housing Executive Director Ian Evans told the West Sacramento City Council on Feb. 19 that the agency has completed a draft five‑year strategic plan that aims to increase affordable housing capacity countywide and expand homeownership opportunities for program participants.

The presentation detailed current programs — including public housing, Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV), project‑based vouchers, seasonal migrant centers and several specialty voucher streams — and listed goals such as increasing affordable housing units by roughly 15% and boosting homeownership opportunities for residents by 50% by 2029.

Evans said the agency currently has about 1,500 vouchers leased up countywide, with HUD approval for over 1,900 vouchers but not enough federal budget authority to lease them all. “We actually have approval from HUD for a total of over 1,900 vouchers. But we don't get enough budget authority from HUD to lease those up currently,” he said. He added that the agency’s average per‑unit voucher cost is about $1,100.

The plan highlights Yolo County Housing’s programs: public housing (431 units countywide, including Las Casitas and Riverbend Manor 1 & 2 in West Sacramento), seasonal migrant centers, a small client services team that runs a Family Self‑Sufficiency program and after‑school computer learning centers, and a nonprofit development arm called New Hope Community Development Corporation.

Evans described priorities and tactics: pursuing HCV homeownership by increasing lender participation and homeownership training; pursuing project‑based vouchers to tie units to developments so tenants know a unit will accept vouchers; maintaining and improving existing properties through targeted capital work such as a recently signed $1,500,000 contract for roof and HVAC replacement at a Riverbend complex; and exploring workforce housing models that target households earning between roughly 80% and 140% of area median income.

Council members pressed for details and local coordination. Councilmember Diana Alcala asked where the Las Casitas computer learning center is located; Evans answered that it is on Cummins. Councilmember Early, who also serves on Yolo County housing bodies, raised homeownership and inclusionary housing as priorities and urged local partnerships to provide down‑payment assistance and other leverage for tax‑credit applications. Councilmember Orozco asked about project timelines and whether the agency is working with local partners; Evans cited recent awards and partnerships in West Sacramento including project‑based vouchers at 1801 West Capitol and the huddle project.

Evans also described ongoing constraints: emergency housing vouchers issued during the COVID pandemic had a funding sunset and cannot be reissued when households exit, and the agency’s ability to build new affordable housing depends heavily on unpredictable federal and state funding and on competitive tax credit markets.

Why it matters: the plan lays out concrete targets and ties many proposals to external funding streams (HUD vouchers, state grants, tax credits and local PLHA/PLHA‑like funds). If federal budget authority for vouchers remains constrained, local and state leverage will be key for achieving the agency’s stated goals.

Evans said the agency will take feedback from tonight’s council meeting back to leadership and present the final plan to the Yolo County Housing Commission in March for adoption.

Ending: After questions from multiple council members, Evans said he will return with edits after collecting feedback from the “roadshow” of city council presentations and the housing commission’s review. “This will be our plan over the next five years,” he said.