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Housing staff proposes Section 8 administrative-plan changes as council demands wait‑list reforms
Summary
Housing staff presented mandatory HOTMA updates and discretionary changes to Redondo Beach’s Section 8 Administrative Plan, including payment-standard reductions and an asset limit, after describing a shortfall. Council directed staff to return with revisions that purge or control the wait list and add application expirations.
Redondo Beach housing staff on Monday outlined mandatory and discretionary changes to the housing authority’s administrative plan to comply with federal law and address a current voucher funding shortfall.
Imelda Delgado, the city’s housing manager, told the board that HUD’s Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA) required certain updates and that the authority has added discretionary measures to tighten spending while the program is in a shortfall. Among the proposed changes, Delgado said the agency revised subsidy standards so two people will be issued a one‑bedroom voucher; added asset limits that could terminate participation for households with more than $100,000 in assets; and allowed implementation of reduced payment standards — the cap on rental assistance — in response to the shortfall.
Delgado also said staff added waiting‑list preferences to prioritize emergency housing voucher (EHV) participants — first for elderly and disabled participants, then for other EHV recipients — to preserve priority if regular Housing Choice Voucher slots become available later.
Council member Kalajarovich, who led questioning during the hearing, pressed staff about the wait list and asked whether the housing authority could purge or otherwise require reapplication so active local residents are prioritized. Housing staff explained the administrative and HUD‑required steps for purging an older list and said that, as an interim step, they could reopen the waiting list and apply a local preference that moves Redondo Beach applicants to the front.
On operational details, a housing specialist said staff estimated about 40 families could be “right‑sized” (moved to vouchers that better match household size), producing roughly $25,000–$30,000 in monthly assistance savings if executed. Staff also explained that HUD requires at least 12 months’ notice before applying a decreased payment standard at a participant’s next annual reexamination, which is why staff described a 12–24 month horizon for some adjustments.
Public commenters urged the authority to provide clearer monthly or per‑renewal figures for how many households will be impacted and asked that staff follow up offline with more precise schedules. Derek Kapostar and Bridal Foster both urged the board to show the timeline and expected monthly turnover so community members could understand how downsizing and other changes would free funding for others.
Instead of adopting the resolution staff recommended that night, the board voted to send the administrative plan back for revisions that specifically address the wait list and include application‑expiration policies. The board’s motion instructs staff to return with a revised administrative plan for approval.
What’s next: Staff will prepare the revised administrative plan and return the proposed amendments to the board for formal adoption and for any required public‑notice steps.
