The Tulsa Housing Authority’s president has warned the possibility of a “mass eviction event” looms if the federal government doesn’t give the organization voucher money to keep up with rent increases.
Housing and Urban Development has given the Authority the same amount of assistance money as last year despite rents for voucher eligible Section 8 properties increasing 3% on average. Landlords who manage authorized properties are permitted to increase rent based on local market rates.
690 tenants are in limbo to the tune of a $3.1 million shortfall unless HUD fires a “silver bullet” by making up the deficit, but Housing Authority President Aaron Darden doesn’t expect that to happen.
“I don’t think we’ve seen anything from this administration or from the new secretary of HUD that gives us a whole bunch of confidence that they’re going to dump a bunch of money into the Section 8 program,” Darden said. “If I’m wrong, great.”
Vice President of Communications Ginny Hensley said the Authority hasn’t been able to reach HUD staffers who typically help them with budget shortfalls.
“It’s difficult because there have been cuts to HUD staffing… the reason we haven’t been hearing back is they might not be there anymore,” said Hensley.
Hensley said Tuesday that the Housing Authority is having ongoing discussions with members of the Oklahoma City and Kansas City HUD offices about the situation.
The Housing Authority will know in May if HUD will offer the $3.1 million. If it doesn’t, commissioners would have to change how THA administers money, Hensley said.
At an April 10 board meeting, THA Chief of Staff Darian Walker suggested removing the Section 8 recipients who have been on the program the longest first, excluding elderly and disabled tenants. Walker said other cities have cut tenants when faced with similar situations.
Darden said eliminating vouchers would also create uncertainty for landlords, many of whom aren’t wealthy and use proceeds to pay for their own homes.
“If there’s this mass eviction event, we don’t know how the courts are going to handle that, either,” Darden said.
Hensley said this situation has spurred unprecedented conversations among Housing Authority commissioners.
“We were established in 1967, so almost 60 years, and we’ve never had to even have these conversations about what it would look like to remove subsidy from somebody,” Hensley said.
Hensley says members of the Housing Authority hope to create solutions with Tulsa if the feds don’t provide the money.
A spokesperson for the city did not immediately respond to KWGS’ request for comment Tuesday.
