Lake County Housing Authority Honored with High Performer Status by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has again rated the Lake County Housing Authority's (LCHA) Housing Choice Voucher program as a “High Performer” for the fiscal year 2012. LCHA is among a select number of housing authorities, of the approximately 3,200 across the US, to achieve and maintain this prominent designation.
LCHA Executive Director David A. Northern, Sr. expresses how it is “truly remarkable that the agency achieved not only a High Performer status but also that the final Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) score was 105%. Our agency continually sets the goal of achieving High Performance status, and it is through the wonderful guidance of our Board of Commissioners and continuous hard work and dedication of staff that allows us to accomplish this year after year. Through such recognition, HUD helps attest how we are fulfilling our unwavering commitment to maintain a top level of service for the clients we serve.”
Both LCHA's Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher (HCV)/Section 8 programs consistently have earned impressive ratings from HUD over the years. The ranking of High Performer is the highest honor bestowed by HUD to housing authorities.
HUD requires that all housing authorities meet strict requirements and full compliance with regulations in the operations of their Public Housing programs. Annually, housing authorities undergo SEMAP review. Fourteen key areas are evaluated in this review, including the proper selection of applicants from the housing choice voucher waiting list, sound determination of reasonable rent for each unit leased, ensuring units comply with housing quality standards before families enter into leases and PHAs enter into housing assistance contracts as well as the enrollment of families in the family self-sufficiency (FSS) program per established requirements and seeing that FSS families achieve increases in employment income, further their education and/or job skills etc. Housing authorities scoring at 90 percent or higher receive the High Performer designation.
About Lake County Housing Authority (LCHA):
The Lake County Housing Authority (LCHA) is an organization that has a 60+ year history of developing and administering housing programs within its jurisdiction area, comprised of all Lake County, Illinois with the exceptions of the townships of Waukegan and North Chicago, which have their own housing authorities. Consistently scoring as a “High Performer” on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assessments, LCHA provides housing assistance to approximately 3,500 families. For more information on the Lake County Housing Authority, please visit our webpage at www.lakecountyha.org