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<br />" , <br /> <br />TUESDAY <br /> <br />MAY 27, 1980 <br /> <br />3) The additional rehabilitation units would not add a significant <br />burden to our workload. VHDA would handle most of the administration, <br />including: initial inspection of units and determination of required <br />repairs; determination of costs; preparation of work write-ups, <br />specifications, and plans; all financial arrangements; inspecting <br />rehabilitation work; and handling compliance with applicable <br />regulations. Our responsibilities would include determination of <br />tenant eligibility and annual re-inspections (just as for our <br />current Section 8 units), providing information to interested <br />owners and the public, and being the local contact for VHDA. <br /> <br />4) We have been advised that due to funding cuts and a shift in <br />priorities in favor of rehabilitation, localities should not expect <br />to get any more "regular" Section 8 units. Most, if not all, of the <br />future units available to operating programs will be for Moderate <br />Rehabilitation. Regardless of whether we believe the West Piedmont <br />Planning District Commission's recent estimate regarding renter <br />households in need (495), or that of HUD (960), there are renter <br />needs in the City which are not being met. Council was previously <br />informed that we had a waiting list of 193 families seeking assistance <br />in the City and that we suspended taking applications on April 1 <br />since there was no chance of helping others for several months. <br /> <br />Of course, there is the opinion that it should not be the City's responsibility <br />to provide for any assisted housing. I will not attempt to argue one <br />way or the other, but it has been generally agreed that if assisted housing <br />is to occur in Martinsville, assistance such as through the Section 8 <br />program is preferable to new apartment complexes that might be forced <br />on us. <br /> <br />Our program is somewhat unique among government programs in that we <br />operate on a surplus or deficit basis; there is no direct reimbursement <br />for our costs. Our current financial success is tied to the number of <br />units under lease in the City and County, combined with attempts to <br />hold down expenditures. We have also tried to pay our own way, by <br />voluntarily paying the City $1,500/year in rent as well as for 5% of my <br />salary, in addition to all direct costs which can be rationally charged <br />without causing the Finance Department undue hardship. VHDA has used <br />funds that we did not spend to help smaller programs elsewhere meet <br />their financial needs. <br /> <br />Since our funds are tied to the number of units under lease, inflation <br />will eventually eliminate our surplus. Thus, our continued ability to <br />"pay our own way" will depend on a modest, gradual increase in the <br />number of assisted units. The last units in the City were added in 1978. <br />The total of 31 additional units for the City would represent an <br />increase of 16.7% in units (186 to 217) over the two-year period <br />(1979-80 and 1980-81). Since it would be some time before all details <br />were worked out and rehabilitation were to actually occur, VHDA would <br />not expect to have all units under lease until 1982. Thus, even though <br />