Press Release- Disaster For San Francisco Section 8 Renters

Press Release

September 30, 2004

Contact Person
Lynda Carson 510/763-1085

Housing disaster for Section 8 tenants in San Francisco, Marin County and San Mateo County.

A proposed funding cut by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the rental assistance program known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8 program) will have a huge effect on tenants and landlords in the San Francisco/Marin/San Mateo Counties.

Based upon the figures listed below from the new final list of the Fair Market Rents (FMR's) posted by Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Section 8 renters of San Francisco, Marin County & San Mateo County will face a disaster due to the huge funding cutbacks in the housing voucher program.

On October 1, 2004, the value of the Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8 vouchers) already in use by the poor will be decreased in value by as much as hundreds of dollars in some cases.

The decrease in FMR numbers reveal how much each voucher has been decreased in value for 2005 from 2004. See figures below...

The new final FMR's go into effect on October 1, 2004.

2004 San Francisco/Marin/San Mateo HUD FMR's
Studio-$1084/ 1bdrm-$1405/ 2bdrm-$1775/ 3bdrm-$2435/ 4bdrm-$2577

2005-HUD Proposed FMR's
Studio-$1165/ 1bdrm-$1431 2bdrm-$1792/ 3bdrm-$2392 4bdrm-$2529

2005 Final Posted HUD FMR's
Studio-$1000/ 1bdrm-$1229/ 2bdrm-$1539/ 3bdrm-$2055 4bdrm-$2172

Decreased amount of dollar value per voucher already in use.
Studio-$84/ 1bdrm-$176/ 2bdrm-$236/ 3bdrm-$380/ 4bdrm-$405/

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Oakland/Alameda/Alameda County/Contra Costa County FMR's

2004 FMR's
Studio-$936/ 1bdrm-$1132/ 2bdrm-$1420/ 3bdrm-$1947/ 4bdrm-$2325/

2005 Final FMR's
Studio-$935/ 1bdrm-$1132/ 2bdrm-$1342/ 3bdrm-$1870/ 4bdrm-$2293

Decreased amount of dollar value per voucher already in use.
Studio-$1/ 1bdrm-$0/ 2bdrm-$78/ 3bdrm-$77/ 4bdrm-$32


Oakland has around 10,754 vouchers already in use.

Alameda County has around 5,460 vouchers already in use.

Alameda has around 1,625 vouchers already in use.

Contra Costa County has around 6,687 vouchers in use.


HUD Sources:

Click below for the 2004 FMR list.

http://www.huduser.org/Datasets/FMR/FMR2004F/CA_FY2004F.pdf

Click below for the 2005 proposed FMR list.

http://www.huduser.org/Datasets/FMR/FMR2005/SCHEDULE_B1_FY2005P.pdf

Click below for final FMR list posted for 2005.

Final/FMR http://www.huduser.org/Datasets/FMR/FMR2005F/Final_FY2005_SCHEDULEB1.pdf



San Francisco has around 7,229 vouchers already in use.

Marin County has around 2,109 vouchers already in use.

San Mateo County has around 4,023 vouchers already in use.



I strongly urge HUD to reconsider it's position and urge HUD to fully fund the vouchers already in use at the 2004 levels in order to avoid a huge disaster that is now in the making.

Sincerely,

Lynda Carson
Oakland CA. 94606

510/763-1085