The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) has completed its annual program performance review under the Section Eight Management Assessment Program (SEMAP), as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HACLA’s Board of Commissioners approved HACLA’s 2019 SEMAP Certification for submission to HUD. HACLA projects an overall score of 145 out of 145 points for FY 2019. HACLA’s perfect score of 100% for 2019 will mark the fifth (5th) perfect score it has received in the last 12 years as a “High Performer.”
HACLA administers one of the largest Section 8 Programs in the country. SEMAP is a “report card” for public housing agencies (PHAs) who administer the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8). The review assesses PHA’s quality control system with respect to compliance with program requirements and program management. SEMAP provides procedures for HUD to identify Housing Authorities’ management capabilities and deficiencies in order to target monitoring and program assistance more effectively. Housing Authorities use the SEMAP performance analysis to assess and improve their own program operations.
“We are very proud of this achievement and our continued success in successfully managing and administering the Section 8 program to our participants,” said Carlos VanNatter, Director of Section 8 at HACLA. “This is a reflection of all 350 of the Section 8 staff; from the Advisors, to the Eligibility Interviewers, to the Management Clerks, Supervisors and Inspectors, and is an outstanding accomplishment for us all.”
The SEMAP measures PHAs performance based on 14 program indicators to assess whether PHAs help eligible families to afford decent rental units at a reasonable subsidy cost as intended by Federal housing legislation. The comprehensive indicators are a rigorous review of all aspects of a PHA’s operation of a Section 8 program, including applicant waitlist and leasing, participant examinations, Housing Quality Standards (HQS Inspections) and policies and standards. The indicators are scored electronically by HUD and by internal audit and document review.
About HACLA
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) was established in 1938 by City of Los Angeles Resolution No. 1241. HACLA is one of the nation’s largest and leading public housing authorities, providing the largest supply of quality affordable housing to residents of the City of Los Angeles. HACLA provides affordable housing to over 83,000 households in its Public Housing and Section 8 departments, and offers a range of permanent supportive housing programs for homeless households, including: Project-Based, HUD – Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, Homeless, Tenant Based Supportive Housing, Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids (HOPWA), Continuum of Care and Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy program.
