County’s Affordable Housing Department Receives High Marks For Program Management From State and Federal Agencies

March 11, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Hillsborough County’s Affordable Housing Department recently received favorable reviews from the State and Federal government for the management of two of its programs.  The annual reviews were of the department’s State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program and its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.

The monitoring review for the SHIP funding by the State Department of Community Affairs resulted in an overall scoring of 97 out of a possible 100 percent.  The Affordable Housing Department received $8.28 million in SHIP Funding in fiscal year 2008-2009.

SHIP Funding is used for the department’s housing rehabilitation and first-time homebuyer down payment assistance programs, new construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing, foreclosure prevention, rental deposit assistance program, youth aging-out-of-care rental assistance program, and disaster housing assistance.

The Department’s Section 8 Program received a High Performer ranking of 100 percent from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is the second consecutive year that Section 8 has received a High Performer ranking. In 2010, the Section 8 program assisted 2,356 families.

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is a federal program that provides rental assistance for low and moderate-income households. Program participants pay a portion of their monthly adjusted income toward rent, and the program provides the difference between the participant’s rent portion and the contract rent.

“I am extremely pleased with the outcome of this monitoring,” said Paula Harvey, director of the Affordable Housing Department. “In my short time with Affordable Housing, I have recognized not only the dedication of the staff to provide housing opportunities to the residents of Hillsborough County, but also their professionalism and commitment to properly manage the grant programs we administer.”

For more information on the County’s Affordable Housing Department and its programs, visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org/affordablehousingoffice/ or call (813) 612-5397 for the Housing Programs or (813) 903-3400 for the Section 8 Program.

For media use only:
Paula Harvey, AICP, Interim Director
Affordable Housing Department
Telephone: 813-612-5397
Cellular Phone: 813-546-2086