Sonoma County Supes To Consider New Housing Voucher Waitlist Plan

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Tuesday will consider a plan to scrap the county's 26,000-household waitlist for a federal housing voucher and replace it with 500 voucher applicants selected by a lottery. The Sonoma County Housing Authority is proposing that change and others to its Administrative Plan. The changes include eliminating preferences for veterans who are served by other housing programs, county residents and families with minor children.

UPDATE: Sonoma County Supes OK Switch To Lottery For Fed Housing Vouchers

With 300 vouchers available each year, the Housing Authority says it will take 90 years to serve every household on the current list, but converting to the lottery will limit the waitlist to the number of households that can be served within two years.

The Housing Authority, part of the county's Community Development Commission, held a public hearing on the proposal in May. Fifty-five of the 105 people who spoke at the hearing were against the switch to a lottery.

Many said it is unfair to people who have been on the voucher waiting list for years, and a lottery would make them start over.

If the changes to the Housing Authority's plan are approved, a new waitlist will open on July 1 for one month. The waitlist will remain closed until all 500 households are served, then the waitlist will reopen and the lottery will repeat. Those who aren't selected in the lottery can try again
during the next open application period.

Housing Authority leaders recommend returning to the original national preferences for seniors and people with disabilities until further analysis is complete under the new system.

— Bay City News Service