Eastchester to close Section 8 office, upsetting voucher holders
Akiko MatsudaEASTCHESTER - Section 8 voucher holders were caught by surprise by the news that the town, which administers their rental subsidies, had decided to stop its participation in the program at the end of this month.
The town decided to withdraw from the program, citing the fact that the cost to administer it exceeds what the town is reimbursed for from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
"This decision is based on the financial burden placed on the town due to the lack of administrative support and funding to the program administrated by the town, which has and will continue to effect the taxpayers of the town of Eastchester," according to a copy of the town's letter to voucher holders obtained by The Journal News/lohud.
The Section 8 program, officially known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program, is the federal government's rental subsidy program to assist very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market.
What comes next for some 200 voucher holders, as well as those on the waiting list, is up in the air and the uncertainty is causing emotional and physical distress among some program beneficiaries, said Melvyn Tanzman, executive director of the Westchester Disabled on the Move.
"I deal with a lot of different types of people who have disabilities. One couple who have mental health disabilities, they already have some severe anxiety and fears. This really set them off," Transman said of a voucher holder who called his office for help. "There was a lack of transparency by the town of Eastchester."
How it works
Sponsored by HUD, the Housing Choice Voucher Program is operated by administrators in different local municipalities.
Local offices receive administrative fees from HUD based on the number of families that they assist, but apparently, the costs to operate the program in Eastchester has exceeded the federal reimbursement.
Eastchester isn't alone in having this problem, said Norma Drummond, the county's planning commissioner, who previously led the Section 8 program for Westchester County. The county ended its rental assistance administration at the end of 2010, and New York State, which oversaw the county program, contracted with CVR Associates Inc. to take over the operation.
Over the years, other municipalities such as Port Chester and Mount Vernon have also closed local administrative offices, but what's unusual about Eastchester is that the town did not find a successor for its program before widely announcing the closure of its local office, Drummond said.
When Port Chester announced it would close its office years ago, they had already negotiated with the county to take over its program, she said.
According to Eastchester's Jan. 24 letter to voucher holders, HUD "will have to decide and select the agency that will administer your housing voucher effective March 1."
Town officials did not return phone and email messages seeking comment.
Uncertainty remains
Alerted by community members, Westchester County Legislator Damon Maher, whose district includes Eastchester, has reached out to the federal agency for answers, he said.
Tenants were upset because the town's letter originally said their March subsidies could be affected by the office closure, Maher said. He was later assured that Eastchester will take care of the March payment, giving "HUD some more time to find a different agency through which these federal funds will flow," he said.
On Feb. 7, the town sent out a followup letter, assuring voucher holders that they will not lose their benefits, and the town will take care of their rent subsidy for March.
But the letter still leaves plenty of uncertainty.
"Please do not call or come to the office regarding this matter, as this is all the information we have available. When more information becomes available, you will be notified in writing either by this office of by HUD directly," the letter read. "It is our goal to ensure that all housing vouchers are honored and not interrupted during this transition."
Eastchester's Section 8 program was criticized in a pending lawsuit filed by Fair Housing Justice Centers, which argued that the town's use of a residency preference for the voucher program is discriminatory. The town denied the allegations.
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