Santa Rosa Housing Authority outlines FY 2026–27 budget assumptions as voucher program nears capacity
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Summary
At a Jan. 26 Housing Authority study session, staff outlined FY 2026–27 budget assumptions, saying HUD funding remains uncertain, the Authority has a voucher limit of 1,925 but is leasing roughly 1,700, and local revenues (RPTT, impact fees) are constrained by recent state law changes.
At its Jan. 26 meeting, the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Rosa held a study session on assumptions for the fiscal year 2026–27 budget, emphasizing federal uncertainty, voucher capacity limits and constrained local revenue sources.
Megan Bassinger, presenting budget context, said Congress had not finalized HUD appropriations and that preliminary signals were mixed: ‘‘CDBG and HOME flat; some increased funding for the voucher program,’’ she said, while cautioning Congress had not yet approved final budgets. She noted the Authority’s HUD voucher cap is 1,925 but that the program currently funds leasing for about 1,700 vouchers, ‘‘about an 87% lease up rate,’’ leaving little fiscal capacity to add households without additional funding.
Administrative services officer Kate Goldwein reviewed local revenue assumptions for the housing trust. She said the city’s finance department projects $3,500,000 in real property transfer tax (RPTT) for FY 2026–27. Under city policy, 65% of that — $2,275,000 — is allocated to housing and homeless services; staff estimated the housing trust’s share at roughly $1,137,000. Goldwein warned impact fee revenue is down after a state law change allowing developers to defer payments until project completion; the Authority budgeted $1,300,000 in impact fees but had only received about $400,000 to date and will budget more conservatively going forward.
On expenditures, Goldwein said administration overhead is expected to increase under 5% and staffing will remain flat; current staffing is about 27 full-time equivalents with a 4% cost-of-living increase included in projections. She said the Authority is not requesting new positions for the coming year.
Commissioners pressed staff on operational implications. Commissioner Wimmer asked whether vacancies and hiring freezes would affect service delivery; Bassinger replied federally funded positions have previously been exempted from freezes and the department expects to maintain its staffing complement. Commissioners also asked about the transfer of local HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons With HIV/AIDS) funding to the state; staff explained the change results from the area’s caseload falling below the HUD entitlement threshold and said the state will administer that funding while the area should continue to receive the dollars.
Public commenters urged the Authority to pursue increased access to HUD-VASH vouchers for homeless veterans and to explore state law options such as Senate Bill 4 to expand housing on faith-based or nonprofit-owned land. Dwayne DeWitt of the Sonoma County Housing Advocacy Group asked the Authority to improve outreach to VA social workers and to consider temporary warming-site solutions while vouchers are pursued.
Staff outlined the near-term calendar: the city budget public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 27; Authority staff will finalize departmental budget development through February, present a detailed budget in April and ask the Housing Authority to adopt a budget in June with a July 1, 2026 effective date.
The study session was informational; no budget adoption occurred. Staff said final HUD allocations — which historically have arrived later in the spring — will affect final line items and program capacity.
