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Type:
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Resolution
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Status:
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Failed to Pass
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Title:
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Call for Chicago Housing Authority to accept and adopt waivers and updates issued under federal CARES Act
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Topic:
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CITY DEPARTMENTS/AGENCIES - Chicago Housing Authority
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Attachments:
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1. R2020-297.pdf
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Committee on Housing and Real Estate Chicago City Council Meeting April 22, 2020
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is working diligently to address the needs of its residents during the Coronavirus pandemic, now commonly referred to as COVID-19; and,
WHEREAS, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot issued Emergency Executive Order No. 2020-1 on March 18, 2020 in an effort to coordinate an immediate citywide response to mitigating, preparing, testing and taking immediate health measures to address COVID-19; and,
WHEREAS, social distancing and shelter in place orders have closed many parts of the city and its diverse economy, impacting thousands of residents directly; and,
WHEREAS, housing insecurity has become exponentially greater as a results of family budgets and financial obligations being negatively impacted by reduced or non-existent incomes; and,
WHEREAS, the Chicago Housing Authority ["CHA") is charged with overseeing public housing within the City of Chicago, with a Board of Commissioners appointed by the Mayor of the City of Chicago; and,
WHEREAS, the CHA is also duly charged with the administration of nearly 135,000 Public Housing, Housing Choice Voucher and Project-Based Voucher program participants; and,
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD"), under the authority provided to the HUD Secretary as provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Securities ("CARES") Act, released a series of waivers and program updates on April 10, 2020 directly related to their housing response related to COVID-19 and their Public Housing Authorities and Housing Choice Voucher programs, as well as processing requests for tenant approvals ; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago has attempted to assist its residents with an introductory $2,000,000 COVID-19 Housing Assistance Grant program, that provided 2,000 awardees with a one-time assistance payment of $1,000 for rent or mortgage payments; and,
WHEREAS, 83,000 people applied for the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Grant program; and,
WHEREAS, the introductory levels of participation in the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Grant program magnify the need for additional housing assistance; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO, that we, the Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago do hereby call upon the Chicago Housing Authority to accept and adopt all waivers and program updates issued by the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development as prescribed under the CARES Act and such waivers and program updates shall remain in effect until Jul 31,2020 for all short-term categories, and December 31, 2020 for all long-term categories unless otherwise specified; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the CHA shall immediately accept and adopt the following:
Waiver/Program Update Expiration Date
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Delay annual reexaminations of HCV and public housing families |
December 31, 2020 |
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Waive annual family income examination |
July 31, 2020 |
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Wave third-party income verification |
July 31, 2020 |
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Waive wait-list public notification |
July 31, 2020 |
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Delay Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspections |
Until reasonably possible |
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Allow owner HQS self-certification |
No later than October 31, 2020 |
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Allow alternative HQS unit inspections within 15 days of request of tenant occupancy |
July 31, 2020 with inspection no later than October 31, 2020 |
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HQS Life threatening deficiencies |
24 hours from notification |
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HQS Non-life threatening deficiencies |
30 days from notification |
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Owner certification of unit with previous Project Based Voucher client |
July 31, 2020 with inspection no later than October 31, 2020 |
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One bedroom per two people requirement |
Lease duration or one year from notice |
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Waive initial HQS inspection for homeownership assistance |
July 31, 2020 |
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Waive Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) oral briefing |
July 31, 2020 |
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Waive CHA voucher term extensions requirements |
July 31, 2020 |
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Waive 180 absentee rule |
December 31, 2020 |
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Waive payment increase effective dates |
December 31, 2020 |
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Waive utility allowance review & substitute with 10% automatic increase from last allowance revision |
December 31, 2020 |
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Waive homeownership counseling |
July 31, 2020 |
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Modify Family Unification Program to allow children up to their 26th birthday |
December 31, 2020 |
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Allow Total Development Cost/Housing Construction Cost to exceed limits by 25% for public housing clients |
December 31, 2020 |
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Waive Community Service & Self-Sufficiency requirements for public housing clients |
March 31, 2021 |
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Waive termination of rental assistance for families that exceed income thresholds maximums after two consecutive reexaminations for public housing clients |
December 31, 2020 |
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Delay review & update of utility allowances for public housing clients |
Evaluate by end of CY 202 |
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Waive notification polices for public housing clients |
July 31, 2020 |
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we, the Members ofthe City Council ofthe City of Chicago do hereby call upon Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot to direct her appointed Chicago Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, upon approving the above-referenced waivers & program updates, take under immediate consideration a proposal to reduce the Chicago Housing Authority's Resident Services FY2020 Budget of $46,150,479 to a reduced funding level of $27,961,129.50, thereby unencumbering $18,575,239.50 for the sole purpose of providing emergency assistance vouchers to Chicago residents experiencing COVID-19 -related housing insecurity.
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