Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, February 28, 2013
Sequestration Scare Tactics: Caldwell Administration Threatens Sec 8 Housing Evictions
By News Release @ 4:28 AM :: 9058 Views :: Honolulu County, National News, Homelessness

From Honolulu Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program

Dear Section 8 Participant,    February 21, 2013

Congress and President Obama continue to work on the federal budget for calendar year 2013. Therefore, at this time, the City's Section 8 funding is still subject to change. We are providing answers to some of the questions you may have. If the City's funding is reduced, and we are required to take action, we will notify affected families and landlords immediately. For the most current information, please monitor our website at www.honolulu.gov/dcs/rentalassistance.htm .

Q: What is this about? How does this affect me and my family?

A: Congress is considering the entire federal budget and automatic budget cuts to domestic programs that are scheduled to take effect March 1, 2013. At this moment, everything is status quo. However, if Section 8 funding decreases, your housing assistance may be terminated.

Q: Who decides which families get terminated?

A: Based on our final approved funding, we will determine how many families we can afford to assist. For example, if the funding is enough to cover 2,700 families and our agency is currently assisting 3,000 families, 300 of the families receiving assistance will be affected.

Our administrative rules state that we must terminate Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contracts by the most recent date of admission. This means the last families who were admitted to the program will be cut first. If your housing assistance is terminated because of insufficient funding, your application will be placed back on the waiting list.

Q: What if my lease doesn't end until after the notice?

A: If the HAP contract is terminated, the lease between you and the landlord will also terminate. If you wish to remain in the same unit without the subsidy, you need to negotiate a new lease with the landlord.

Q: When will the agency find out about the approved funding?

A: Once the budget is approved by the President and Congress, the funding information is sent to the respective federal agencies. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will calculate the funding for each of the housing agencies and then send out a notification. In the past, it took HUD up to two months to calculate and send out the funding notification. As soon as we receive the notification and determine how many families we can afford to assist, we will send out notices to the affected families and landlords with at least 30-days notice.

Q: What can I do to help?

A: Please monitor our website for updated information. You may also contact your congressional leaders to let them know your concerns.

In the meantime, we ask you to be patient with services and continue to assist with money-saving measures. Please keep your scheduled appointments and have your unit ready when it is time for your unit inspection.

Please be understanding of processing delays as the volume of phone calls and transactions increase. We appreciate your patience.

Aloha,

Pamela A. Witty-Oakland

Director Designate

  *   *   *   *   *

HNN Section 8 participants worry sequestration cuts will make them homeless

SA: Families getting rent help told vouchers might be cut

The Numbers Don’t Match: Obama vs Harkin on Hawaii Sequester Impact

Washington Monument Gambit

The Seven Rules of Bureaucracy

Bob Woodward: Sequester Was Obama's Idea

Once the Budget is Approved?!?  Congress hasn’t Passed a Budget in over 1000 days

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT