Clarion County Housing Authority Strives to Help Needs of Clients

Scott Shindledecker

Scott Shindledecker

Published June 11, 2017 2:00 am
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CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — The Clarion County Housing authority is working hard to help meet the needs of their clients.

“Our mission at the Clarion County Housing Authority is to help improve the quality of life for the low, very low, and extremely low income clients,” said Penny Campbell, CCHA Housing Authority Deputy Director.

“We work to provide an affordable, safe sanitary home and a suitable living environment to elderly persons and families and those with special needs.”

“We pledge to recognize our residents as the ultimate customer, to provide and promote the widest range of housing choices available throughout Clarion and Forest counties and to administer and manage our programs in the most effective and efficient manner possible by maintaining high quality standards while extending respect, courtesy and consideration to our clients all times by operating in an efficient, ethical and professional manner,” Campbell said.

There are many programs and properties, and it is important that the public understand the guidelines that govern them and the rights and responsibilities of the people that are served.

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is one of several housing opportunities that are available to applicants.

The Section 8 Voucher Program enables applicants, singles, families, seniors, handicap and disabled, to receive assistance with rent costs at an eligible rental unit of their choice while basing their portion of the rent on the household income.

The Section 8 Voucher Program can also assist with lot rent for households who own their home, but need assistance with the cost of lot rent. The Section 8 Voucher Program is a nationwide federal program.

The Clarion County Housing Authority has a residency preference for all applicants who live or work in Clarion or Forest counties.

This entitles county residents, or people who work in Clarion or Forest Counties, to be placed higher on the agency’s waiting lists than an applicant outside of Clarion or Forest counties. These applicants will be eligible for assistance with their rent before any applicants from outside of Clarion and Forest counties.

Current funding allows the authority to assist about 461 households per month. The average number of applicants on the waiting list in 2016 was 202.

When funding allows and participants leave the program, the authority begins the interview process by meeting with the households at the top of the waiting list. If eligible, these applicants are issued vouchers and given the opportunity to find decent, safe, and sanitary housing that is considered affordable to them and reasonably priced for the area.

Vouchers are valid for a minimum of 60 to a maximum of 120 days.

CCHA continues to interview and assist applicants from the top of its waiting lists until the authority have exhausted all applicants who live or work in Clarion and Forest counties. When all Clarion and Forest County applicants have been given the opportunity to be interviewed and/or assisted, CCHA is then required to begin the same process with out of county applicants.

After an applicant locates an affordable and reasonably priced unit, the unit must pass the minimum Housing Quality Standards which are set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. All units are inspected and must pass the inspection before being assisted in our program and annually thereafter.

Some applicants and participants are eligible to take advantage of portability. Portability gives the consumer the freedom of taking their voucher and leasing a unit anywhere in the United States where a Housing Choice Voucher Program is administered.

Clients must reside in Clarion or Forest Counties for a minimum of one year before being eligible to port to a different area.

As well as offering quality rental units, the Section 8 Voucher Program, the authority administers the Family Self Sufficiency Program and the Homeownership Program.

The Family Self Sufficiency Program (FSS) strives to coordinate services between families in need and existing service agencies with the primary goal being self-sufficiency. Not only do participants benefit from the coordination of services, but they also receive monthly monetary deposits to an escrow account with each increase in earned income.

At the end of the family’s participation, if their FSS goals were met, they are awarded their entire escrow accounts.

The Homeownership Program aids its participants in payment of their mortgage rather than their rent. Just as the Section 8 Program pays a monthly rental payment based on the household’s income, the Homeownership Program can pay a portion of a household’s monthly mortgage payment based on their income.

Moreover, the Homeownership Program also prepares potential buyers through budget, financial and credit repair counseling. Also, as part of the program, additional training on home buying and home maintenance is provided.

There is also potential to assist interested participants in a lease to purchase agreement. The goal is to aid interested participants in fulfilling the American Dream of owning their own home and ease the transition from renter to homeowner.

While the Housing Choice Voucher Program is the largest program, there are also five rental properties, comprised of 178 units.

Cherry Run Estates in Rimersburg and Edenburg Court in Knox offer income based housing to seniors age 62 and older and/or disabled individuals while Medardo Estates in Rimersburg,

Hillside Apartments and Penn Court Apartments in Clarion offer income based housing to families.

“The Clarion County Housing Authority is more than just a source for affordable housing. We are in the business of assisting Clarion and Forest county residents, in attaining safe, sanitary, affordable housing, coordinating services with other agencies, the ultimate goal of self-sufficiency and, for some, the American Dream of homeownership,” Campbell said.

For more information on any of the programs at the Clarion County Housing Authority, visit www.clarionhousing.com, contact Penny Campbell, Deputy Director, at 814-226-8910 extension 105, or stop by their offices located at 8 West Main Street in Clarion Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This institution is an equal opportunity housing provider and employer.

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