What is the section eight management
assessment program?
The section eight management assessment program (SEMAP) measures the
performance of the public housing agencies (PHAs) that administer
the housing choice voucher program in 14 key areas.
How does SEMAP improve program performance?
SEMAP will help HUD target monitoring and assistance to PHA programs
that need the most improvement.
What are the 14 key indicators of performance?
The 14 indicators of performance show whether PHAs help eligible
families to afford decent rental units at a reasonable subsidy cost
as intended by Federal housing legislation.
The 14 key indicators of PHA performance are:
- Proper selection of applicants from the housing choice voucher
waiting list
- Sound determination of reasonable rent for each unit leased
- Establishment of payment standards within the required range
of the HUD fair market rent
- Accurate verification of family income
- Timely annual reexaminations of family income
- Correct calculation of the tenant share of the rent and the
housing assistance payment
- Maintenance of a current schedule of allowances for tenant utility
costs
- Ensure units comply with the housing quality standards before
families enter into leases and PHAs enter into housing assistance
contracts
- Timely annual housing quality inspections
- Performing of quality control inspections to ensure housing
quality
- Ensure that landlords and tenants promptly correct housing quality
deficiencies
- Ensure that all available housing choice vouchers are used
- Expand housing choice outside areas of poverty or minority concentration
- Enroll families in the family self-sufficiency (FSS) program
as required and help FSS families achieve increases in employment
income.
How does SEMAP work?
SEMAP is used to remotely measure PHA performance and administration
of the housing choice voucher program. SEMAP uses HUD's national
database of tenant information and information from audits conducted
annually by independent auditors. HUD will annually assign each
PHA a rating on each of the 14 indicators and an overall performance
rating of high, standard, or troubled. Metropolitan PHAs will also
be able to earn bonus points for their achievements in encouraging
assisted families to choose housing in low poverty areas.
What happens if a PHA does not perform adequately
on any of the 14 indicators or is assigned an overall performance
rating of troubled?
Either of these cases requires corrective action. HUD will conduct
on-site reviews of PHAs rated troubled to assess the magnitude and
seriousness of the problems. The PHA must implement a thorough corrective
action plan that HUD will monitor, to ensure improvement in program
management.
What regulations cover this program?
Regulations are found at 24
CFR 985.
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