P.O. Box 430 Fort Worth, TX 76101-0430 Phone: 817.333.3400 Fax: 817.332-4830 website: www.ftwha.org
Barbara Holston, President and CEO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 8, 2013
Alice Sykes @ (817) 333-3405 or alicesykes@ftwha.org
FEDERAL SEQUESTRATION REDUCTIONS AFFECT
FORT WORTH HOUSING AUTHORITY’S HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM
Cuts Are Not Expected to Impact the Agency’s Assistance to Area Homeless Veterans
FORT WORTH, TX --- Funding cuts by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are expected to force the Fort Worth Housing Authority (FWHA) to implement across-the-board reductions in services and assistance to clients of the agency’s Housing Choice Voucher Program. The program serves approximately 5,104 individuals and families in Fort Worth.
Pending final analysis of HUD’s notification to FWHA, the agency expects to reduce the amount of assistance offered to Housing Choice Voucher clients by 255 families. The exact amount of the reduction will be announced at a later date.
In preparation of the expected federal reductions, FWHA is cancelling all outstanding vouchers that have recently been issued. Letters are being mailed to new voucher holders who are either searching for a rental unit or who are waiting to move into a unit, informing them that their vouchers are being cancelled. For the approximately 30-40 voucher holders who leave the program monthly for various reasons; turnover vouchers will not be replaced. FWHA is also notifying prospective landlords that Housing Assistance Payment contracts for new clients are not being executed.
Although there are currently 18,000 families on the Wait List, FWHA does not anticipate issuing any new vouchers for the remainder of this year. The voucher program for homeless veterans is not affected by the reductions.
“FWHA is awaiting further guidance from HUD concerning currently assisted families,” said Selarstean Mitchell, Vice President of Assisted Housing at FWHA. “If it becomes necessary to terminate individuals or families who are currently enrolled in the program, the agency has established various phases for implementing that process. However, elderly and disabled families are exempted from the termination procedures.” said Ms. Mitchell. “For now, the staff is focused on how to best utilize the existing resources to serve as many families as is reasonable and to effectively administer the program.”
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