City Housing Officials Seek Council Approval of Plan to Help Fund Homeless Incentive Program

Pasadena’s Department of Housing is seeking authority from the City Council to amend the interagency agreement between the city and the Los Angeles Community Development Authority (LACDA) in order to pave the way for an additional funding of $103,667 for the Homeless Incentive Program (HIP). 

The Department of Housing request will be discussed Monday at the Finance Committee meeting, which begins at 3 p.m., before being passed on to the full City Council at 4:30 p.m. 

A program made possible by Measure H which passed in March 2017, the HIP helps low-income families exiting homelessness through incentive payments and move-in assistance. Specific assistance includes landlords holding fees or incentive payments, credit checks and application fees, and security and utility deposits.

In Pasadena, the HIP has helped 49 households since initial funding was allocated under the HIP in 2018. Including the initial allocation, the City has received a total of $321,750 in HIP funds following the approval of two subsequent amendments.  

The housing incentives enable persons exiting homelessness to compete more effectively in the current rental market, which is experiencing very low vacancy rates at the moment; average rents are generally higher now that housing vouchers are able to pay. 

Amendment No. 3 is necessary so that LACDA would release the additional $103,667 that will be good for 12 months, a Department of Housing report showed. 

Once approved, the recommendation would also authorize the city manager to make representations with LACDA to submit the contract amendment, as well as other necessary amendments to the HIP agreement to cover fiscal years 2023, 2024 and 2025. 

The Department of Housing is also asking the City Council to amend the fiscal year 2022 operating budget to recognize and appropriate $103,667 in Measure H Funds in the Other Housing Funds. 

Meetings of the Finance Committee continue to be held via videoconference. Members of the community can listen to the discussion through www.pasadenamedia.org.