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Bastrop council backs housing authority shift to project‑based vouchers to expand affordable units
Summary
The council unanimously approved a resolution supporting the Bastrop Housing Authority’s plan to reposition from public housing to a project‑based voucher model, a step officials said would increase subsidy levels, enable property ownership and provide leverage to build more units for people on the waiting list.
The Bastrop City Council on March 24 voted unanimously to support the Bastrop Housing Authority’s (BHA) proposal to reposition its inventory from traditional public housing to a project‑based voucher model under HUD.
Rhonda Baxter, executive director of BHA, told the council the authority currently owns about 50 public housing units and manages 25 vouchers, while roughly 1,500 people remain on the agency’s waiting list. Repositioning, she said, would let the authority own property, sign an annual contract with HUD (with an expected 20‑year deed of trust), receive higher voucher subsidy rates and use that enhanced collateral to secure financing for additional development.
Baxter said project‑based vouchers could raise per‑unit revenues — for example, a one‑bedroom voucher might fund about $1,400 per month under current HUD fair‑market rent tables — enabling more capital investment and staff capacity. Council members asked about protections to prevent demolishing existing lower‑density units and the city manager explained that subsequent rezonings or variance requests would require review by planning bodies and council. After discussion, council approved the resolution of support and asked for the housing authority’s five‑year plan to be shared with the city.
