Laserfiche WebLink
8. B. <br />Office of Consent 09/17/2019 <br />INDIAN RIVER COUNTY <br />ATTORNEY <br />Dylan Reingold., County Attorney <br />William K. DeBraal, Deputy County Attorney <br />Kate Pingolt Cotner, Assistant County Attorney <br />MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Board of County Commissioners <br />THROUGH: Robin Miller, Housing Program Manager <br />FROM: William K. DeBraal, Deputy County Attorney <br />DATE: September 11, 2019 <br />SUBJECT: Approval of Resolution Establishing Utility Rates for <br />Housing Choice Voucher Program <br />Indian River County Code provides for the Deputy County Attorney to be the Fair Housing <br />Coordinator for the County. Among the County's housing programs is the Housing Choice <br />Voucher Program, (HCV) formerly known as Section 8 Housing. Federal regulations require the <br />Board to approve by resolution the utility rates on an annual basis. <br />The Housing Choice Voucher Program is a federally funded program administered by the <br />County Housing and Rental Assistance Department (Rental Assistance). The HCV Program is <br />designed to benefit all participants. Private providers that own multi or single family homes apply <br />to Rental Assistance for participation. The units are inspected and approved for the HCV <br />Program. Upon approval, private owners qualify for tax incentives: that make participation in the <br />Program profitable. The County owns no HCV Program housing. <br />The County benefits from the Voucher Program by receiving a $70.00 processing fee from the <br />Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The County's Comprehensive Plan <br />objective of providing housing to low and very low income citizens is met by Voucher Program <br />participation. <br />The Board must approve the rates for water, sewer, gas, electric, and propane in our area on <br />an annual basis. This year, Rental Assistance retained The Nelrod Company to conduct a local <br />rate study for these utilities. Staff reviewed and approved the Nelrod rate study report and has <br />included the results on a spread sheet attached to the resolution. Those rates must be approved <br />by the County as it is a participant in the HCV Program. The resolution approving annual utility <br />rates for Fiscal Year 2020, effective October 1, 2019, is attached for the Board's consideration. <br />8 <br />