SOS Community Services of Ypsilanti is partnering with the Ann Arbor Housing Commission (AAHC)  to add a staff person who will provide supportive services for low income residents who are receiving a voucher subsidy from AAHC. 

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The AAHC, which administers 1,400 Section 8 vouchers, is concerned about the high number of tenants who lose subsidized housing every year.  In most cases, the AAHC believes the loss of these subsidies can be prevented with early intervention.  The loss of a housing subsidy is a serious event for a family.  Once a voucher is lost for ANY reason, a family will NEVER be eligible for Section 8 housing again.  For families who escape homelessness and find permanent housing through a Section 8 voucher, the loss of that voucher may lead back to homelessness.  (The vouchers allow families to obtain housing while paying no more than 1/3 of their income for rent. The Federal Government, thorough local agencies, subsidizes the remainder.)

Annually, the AAHC reports that about 120, or roughly 7%, of Section 8 vouchers turn over.  Last year, 20 of these were given up because the residents were able to support themselves without that aid.  The other 100 vouchers were lost due to adverse actions, mostly minor violations.  Between 8 and 12 families each month lose their Section 8 vouchers in Ann Arbor.  The Housing Commission would like to bring this number down.

Sometimes a family will lose a voucher because they are unable to pay a utility bill one month.  A family might lose a voucher because they did not fill out their renewal paperwork properly or on time.  According to the AAHC, about 80 grievance procedures occur annually, during which landlords and tenants attempt to resolve disagreements.  About half of those grievance procedures result in evictions.  Typically, landlords arrive at the meetings with a lawyer to represent their interests.  Tenants normally do not have an advocate to represent their position or help them negotiate a compromise to avoid eviction.  The AAHC is usually unaware of problems with paperwork, utilities, or grievances until it is too late to avoid eviction.  

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A new coordinator is preventing evictions by assisting residents with paperwork, utility resources, and grievance procedures.  A hotline has been established through which landlords or tenants can contact the coordinator to report a problem early and begin working on a solution.