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OCII and MOHCD report expanded outreach, DAHLIA rollout and COP outcomes; 44 certificate holders housed in FY15–16
Summary
OCII and the mayor—s housing office described expanded Certificate of Preference outreach, DAHLIA pilot testing and electronic lotteries; staff reported 871 COP contacts on file and 44 people housed using COP preferences in FY15–16, including returnees from outside cities.
OCII and the Mayor—s Office of Housing and Community Development on Dec. 20 presented their annual Certificate of Preference (COP) marketing and outreach report, highlighting improvements in outreach, new digital tools and concrete lease-up outcomes.
Pam Sims, OCII senior development specialist, and Maria Benjamin, MOHCD director of homeownership and BMR programs, described a multi-pronged effort to maximize COP holders— access to below-market units. Key program innovations include DAHLIA, a searchable database and application portal for affordable listings, and an electronic lottery system that staff said dramatically reduced processing time for large applicant pools.
Program metrics and examples: OCII reported contact information for 871 COP holders (640 who had not used their certificates), added 111 new certificate holders during the year, and said 157 people applied for housing via certificates during the reporting period. Presenters said 44 people were housed using COP preferences in FY15–16; 10 of those returned to San Francisco from other cities. Maria Benjamin noted that, for large developments such as Doctor Davis (senior housing) and Pacific Point (family units), COP holders were an important source of successful applicants.
Outreach and supports: MOHCD and OCII described partnerships with community organizations (for example Bayview Senior Services), lottery monitoring and a targeted rental-assistance pilot to help COP holders overcome barriers such as back rent or credit issues. Staff said a COP-holder survey procurement is planned for January with survey results expected in spring 2017.
Public reaction: Public commenters including longtime certificate holders praised the outreach improvements and urged continued targeted media and community outreach to reach holders who now live outside San Francisco. The presentation was a workshop; no action was taken.
