The Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV) pays a subsidy amount towards the rent for low-income people, so they can live in a house, condo, duplex, townhome, apartment, or mobile home of their choice.  CMCA partners with local landlords in Callaway, Cole, Cooper, Howard, Moniteau and Osage Counties.  Households eligible for the Housing Choice Voucher program are added to a waitlist until vouchers become available.  Once vouchers are available, the family actively begins searching for housing through a landlord that accepts Housing Choice Vouchers.  The number of people on the waitlist, the average length of time spent on the waitlist, and the number of people with vouchers who are unable to find housing are all indicators of the housing crisis.  In October 2021, CMCA's Housing Choice Voucher program had 115 households on the waitlist and 54 households who were approved for vouchers but were unable to find housing with landlords who accepted the vouchers.  

Low-income households spend 13.9% of their annual income on energy costs, compared to 3.0% for other households.  Weatherization services seek to reduce this financial burden while also improving the energy efficience and safety of the home.  Weatherization services save low-income families in Missouri an average of $370 per year on utility expenses, including an average 18% savings on annual heating consumption and an average 7% savings on annual electric consumption.    

Improved housing conditions also impact the family's health, resulting in fewer missed days of work or school due to illness.  Nationally, families whose homes have been weatherized decrease their out of pocket medical expenses by an average of $514 per year.  Each weatherized home results in a national average of $14,128 in total health and household related benefits.  These cost reductions can benefit landlords too.  As families have more funds at their disposal, they are better able to stay current on rent payments.  From a cost-analysis perspective, every $1 invested in weatherization services yields $1.72 in energy benefits and $2.78 in non-energy benefits.

Join CMCA in making a difference today.

Sources:

1. U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy . (2021, January). Weatherization Assistance Program.

2. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. (n.d.). Residential assistance. 

CMCA is the Mid Missouri Public Housing Agency responsible for processing vouchers supplied through the Housing Choice Voucher Program (formerly known as Section 8) as part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  CMCA serves the counties of Callaway, Cole, Cooper, Howard, Moniteau and Osage.  For information for Boone County, visit the Columbia Housing Authority, or for information for Audrain County, visit the Mexico Housing Authority.

The Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV) pays a subsidy amount towards the rent for low-income people, so they can live in a house, condo, duplex, townhome, apartment, or mobile home of their choice.  To qualify for this program, rental units must meet the standards of health and safety, as determined by the Mid-Missouri Public Housing Agency (MMPHA).  The housing subsidy is paid directly to the landlord by MMPHA on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program.  As the family's income increases, they pay more towards the actual rent.  A family graduates from the HCV program when they have paid the full rent amount independently for six months.  The number of HCV vouchers that CMCA can afford to administer varies based on the value of the vouchers.

CMCA’s Weatherization Assistance Program aids in creating a healthy dwelling for eligible applicants by conserving energy.  Weatherization reduces a home's energy use for years to come. Some weatherization improvements, such as insulating walls or an attic, will keep saving residents money for the life of the house — 30 years or more. Other improvements, such as making heating equipment more efficient, will provide savings for 10 to 20 years. Health and safety improvements are benefits that just keep on giving, over and over again.

Interested in how you can help?  Learn more about how you can make a difference for families in mid-Missouri.

FY22 Quarter 1 Updates

Key Updates:  

• The landlord incentive program ended on December 31st. A total of $23,000 in landlord incentives were awarded during the first quarter. Landlords received $500 for each new family added to the HCV program. Funds have been expended for the current program. CMCA will evaluate the effectiveness of the landlord incentive program by surveying the landlords.

Challenges:  

Strengths:  

Changes needed?