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Salem Housing Authority warns voucher funding limits as demand rises; $50,000 city stability fund already oversubscribed
Summary
Salem Housing Authority Director Nicole Yoots told commissioners that rising rents have pushed voucher spending to near authorized limits, leaving SHA briefly paused on new placements. A $50,000 city stability fund attracted 94 applications totaling roughly $159,000 and has been paused while staff verify documentation.
Nicole Yoots, director of the Salem Housing Authority, told the commission on April 27 that the agency continues to serve more than 9,000 residents and is at “a strong voucher utilization,” with 3,096 households leased out of 3,302 authorized vouchers.
Yoots said that rising rents have increased per‑unit subsidy costs and strained available funding: “Our per unit cost right now is about $1,100,” she said, adding that two‑bedroom rents in some areas run from about $1,200 to $1,600 and can reach $2,000. Because payments now average more per household, Yoots said, SHA has paused issuing additional vouchers until attrition frees up budget capacity.
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