September 2000 Leasing Report - Welfare to Work Vouchers

Summary of Leasing Report

1. As of September 2000, 85% of WtW vouchers program-wide have been issued to eligible families and 32% have been leased.
   
   
2. Information collected from the monthly telephone calls to the 132 WtW voucher sites indicates that:
   
   
   • 57 sites (43%) have issued 100% or more of their voucher allocation.
     
   • 86 sites (65%) have issued 75% or more of their voucher allocation.
     
   • 47 sites (36%) have leased 50% or more of their voucher allocation.
     
     
3. Data on progress achieved during September 2000 shows a 78% increase in vouchers issued, and an 84% increase in vouchers leased over figures for August 1, 2000. Similar improvements had been recorded between the end of July and the end of August.
   
   
4. A spreadsheet is also attached that lists the WtW sites (ordered alphabetically by State) that have issued 100% and leased 50% or more of their vouchers as of September 2000.

Featured Best Practices

The following programs not only demonstrate innovation, but also illustrate leasing success (defined by an issuance rate of 100% and lease-up rate of at least 75%)

Fresno Housing Authority (CA)
Within the last few years, the housing market has begun to shrink and the vacancy rates are diminishing in Fresno. In response, the Fresno Housing Authority formulated a relocation task force using the existing members of the FSS Program Coordinating Committee (PCC). The task force meets once every two weeks and has included property owners to help lessen leasing barriers to families and encourage owner participation in the program. In addition, some families were referred to FHA partners for consumer credit counseling and legal aid to assist them with their housing search. As a result, Fresno is still achieving high issuance and lease-up rates (including 100% lease-up in Fresno County), despite the increasingly tight rental market.

Colorado Springs Housing Authority (CO)
To assist in the leasing process, CSHA developed a WtW contract similar to that of the FSS program. The contract emphasizes program requirements and gives the client flexibility in choosing between formal education and job training activities. This contract provides structure for the client and client commitment to the WtW voucher program. The contract also helps to organize the leasing process for the housing authority and provides a clear record of individual client goals.

Ft. Lauderdale Housing Authority (FL)
The strong partnerships and community support obtained by the FLHA has resulted in high issuance and leasing rates (the FLHA anticipates that all vouchers will be leased by the end of October, 2000). WAGES, the local TANF agency, is working very closely with the FLHA and is assisting families with security deposits. WAGES is also still referring families who may qualify for WtW vouchers. In addition, the local community college is referring students who may qualify for the program. These examples illustrate how the success of the FLHA is highly attributable to their overwhelming community support.

Billings Housing Authority (MT)
To structure the housing search process and increase leasing success, BHA staff created a contact sheet that clients must use to document their housing search attempts. WtW clients must report every two weeks with their client sheets. The staff uses this system to monitor clients to see who needs additional support in finding suitable housing.

Las Vegas Housing Authority (NV)
The Las Vegas Housing Authority (LVHA) continues to move forward in achieving its leasing objectives by getting Welfare-to-Work vouchers issued and leased expeditiously. LVHA is 97% leased, and it recently received a $50,000 grant for security deposits from the local TANF agency for certified WtW participants (this funding will be used to ensure the successful lease-ups of the remaining families who are searching for units). In addition, the LVHA has implemented the "buddy system," an innovative approach to helping families lease up. In this initiative, families are matched with a caseworker responsible for taking clients out to search for units. This approach enables caseworkers to better identify and address the needs and/or barriers facing the WtW families assigned to them for lease-up. By identifying these barriers at the onset, case workers are able to address these barriers before they interfere with lease-up.