LMH Awards Additional Tenant-Based Housing Choice Vouchers
to Successful Program Partners
Lucas Metropolitan Housing (LMH)
has awarded additional tenant-based housing choice vouchers
to two program partners who have continued to maximize their
program utilization above the LMH-required standard of 95
percent.
LMH designed, developed, and
implemented a 90-Day Partner Performance Plan in mid-2020 to
refresh relationships with the current Housing Choice
Voucher Program partners. As part of this plan, LMH
reengaged in strategic conversations with all 12 permanent
supportive housing partners and implemented a collaborative
approach to provide them further assistance in identifying
and removing barriers to performance and progress.
“We know that, when taking
steps to ensure that our partners are successful, LMH also
becomes successful by reporting to the Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) the expected voucher utilization
levels across the Agency’s Housing Choice Voucher portfolio.
More importantly, LMH continues to build strong and
expansive partnerships to supplement the housing solutions
we provide with the supportive services that our clients
needs,” said LMH President and Chief Executive Officer,
Joaquin Cintron Vega.
Partners who utilized all or
some of their assigned vouchers at or above 95 percent can
request additional vouchers. Once LMH determines that the
partner qualifies for additional vouchers, the vouchers may
be awarded. This has recently been the case for the Toledo
Lucas County Homelessness Board’s (TLCHB) Housing First
program, which was awarded an additional 30 vouchers, and
for the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio (HCNO) Infant
Mortality program, which was awarded an additional 40
vouchers.
“Both programs have made
tremendous upward strides in utilization this last year, so
we sort of look at this as a way of saying thank you for the
great job they’re doing serving our families,” said Shanetta
Moye, Vice President of the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
“We want all of our partners to know that we are 100 percent
invested in ensuring their programs’ success.”
“We’re grateful to LMH for
awarding these vouchers, which have become a key tool in our
community’s efforts to ensure African American and other
families have healthy infants who reach their first of many
birthdays,” said Jan Ruma, vice president of Hospital
Council of Northwest Ohio (HCNO), which operates the
Northwest Ohio Pathways HUB care coordination system. “Safe
and affordable housing is critical to both a healthy
pregnancy and a thriving family.”
“The Toledo Lucas County
Homelessness Board is grateful for LMH’s continued support
of our No Barriers Housing initiative and proud to partner
alongside them in our efforts,” said Rachel Gagnon,
executive director of the Toledo Lucas County Homeless
Board. “By committing more resources to this important
program, we are able to offer more individuals the
foundation necessary for life improvement, thereby creating
a more stable community.” |