10/28/2008: "CC To Address Homeless & Also Housing Authority Today"

Council to review a Staff Report (70\k file) on a Housing Authority at 1:30 today, and also will discuss "homeless" issues as a separate topic.

So far as the County knows, we are a little short on homeless people, but concerns that some in the community, in particular older citizens on fixed incomes, could become homeless unless the County has a plan and a program in place, will be discussed by the County Council at 1:30 p.m. today (Tuesday, Oct. 28)

One of the recommendations the Council will receive is a Staff Report (45\k file) from Angela Lausch, Affordable Housing Coordinator, that “rental subsidies for extremely low income seniors for the purpose of preventing homelessness,” be discussed by the Council.

The staff report suggests that if they so choose, the Council could “approve the institution of a new program to provide rental subsidies for extremely low income seniors for the purpose of preventing homelessness, to be paid by using the 2163 Homeless Funds, estimated to be available in the amount of $37,000 per year.”

The report states the Act allows “Rental vouchers payable to landlords for persons who are homeless or below thirty percent of the median income or in immediate danger of becoming homeless.”; for 2008 the annual income must be under $13,650.00.

According to the report, there are seniors in the county that are paying 35 or 50 percent of the income on rent.

(Tuesday's County Council full agenda)