GAP Between 1 Bedroom HUD Voucher Payment Standard and Portland Metro's RLRA @120% of FMR Grows By $118, With Highest Gap Now $496 a Month.

 HUD has published FY 2023 FMR's and they include a boost for the Portland metro area. 

I have previously pointed out that Portland's Metro Permanently Supportive Housing program use of a blanket 120% of FMR rent standard creates a significant gap between the choice of housing available to HUD voucher holders and renters with Metro Regional Long Range Assistance. 

The FY 2023 FMR's, effective October 1st will widen that gap. 

Using a 1 BR size, the payment standards set by Portland metro housing authorities and 120% of the FY 2023 FMR at $1,932, Metro could end up paying subsidy that is a much as $496 a month MORE than the HUD voucher payment standard for their Regional Long Range Assistance, so long as the RLRA rent is determined by the PHA to be "reasonable". 

Current Portland PHA set voucher 1 bedroom payment standards range from $1,436 to $1,588. Even if the rent for a HUD voucher holder is "reasonable" if it exceeds the payment standard the voucher holder has to pay 30% of their income PLUS 100% of the gap between the payment standard and the "reasonable" rent IF they continue to want to rent the unit. This effectively limits housing choices, especially compared to choice available to RLRA recipients. 

The chart below shows the difference between 120% of the FY 2022 and FY 2023 1 bedroom Portland metro FMR's and the current payment standards enacted by the housing authorities. (Housing authorities have 90 days to revise payment standards  and IF they do so I will make future revisions).

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.