Lavonia Housing Authority Switching to Section 8 HUD Funding

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

The Lavonia Housing Authority is moving to a new funding system from the federal government.

Housing Authority Board members met last week to approve the Authority’s plan to move from the Public Housing Program to the HUD Project Based Rental Assistance through the Rental Assistance Demonstration Program, also known as Section 8.

The Housing Authority has been under the Section 9 Public Housing Program since the mid-1960′s.

Last month, the Lavonia City Council approved a federally required title search as part of the switch over process. At that time, Lavonia Housing Authority Executive Director Ricky Whitworth explained the benefits of the switch.

“We get locked in at a 92% proration, it’s a 20-year renewable contract,” Whitworth said. “It will take us out of a program that is not being funded well and put us in a program that is well funded. Under the Section 8 program, we will have a lot more financial freedom. If we want to purchase property we will be able to do that. If we want to apply for a bank loan, we will be able to do it. You’re treated more like a property owner or like a business.”

Whitworth said under Section 8, the Housing Authority will have access to more funding for operating and maintenance expenses as well as improvements.

Whitworth said the change to the Section 8 HUD funding will not have any affect on current or future residents of the Lavonia Housing Authority.

“What we do will be the same and our tenants will not know the difference,” Whitworth said. “Rents will be calculated the same. Just the funding mechanism we get from the federal government is the only thing that’s going to change.”

The Lavonia Housing Authority owns 180 housing units, all built at different times dating back to the early 1950s.

All of those properties will now be under the HUD Section 8 program.