Affordable housing units converted to Section 8

The Metropolitan Council is converting to the federal Section 8 program 150 affordable housing units metrowide — including about two dozen in Ramsey County.

The administrative move provides a different source of federal money for the program and makes it easier to administer, according to Met Council officials.

The Met Council is getting approval from the 11 metro cities in the program, so they amend their operating agreements for the Family Affordable Housing Program (FAHP), in order to convert the program to Section 8.

Roseville and Shoreview are participating.

Roseville’s City Council has already amended its agreement, says Terri Smith, the Met Council’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority manager, and Shoreview likely will this month. She says the council is about halfway through the process of amending its agreements with various cities.

The program’s $1.4 million annual operating budget comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “It is partially for funding reasons to switch to Section 8, but also for ease of administration because we have such a large Section 8 program already,” Smith says.

FAHP residents are selected based on rental and criminal histories, and on their ability to pay rent on time, maintain the property and be good neighbors, according to the Met Council. Residents pay 30 percent of their adjusted income for rent; federal dollars make up the balance.

Alan Madsen, city administrator for Maple Grove, which recently approved the amended operating agreement for its 20 FAHP homes, says the program has helped pare down the number of blighted homes in his city.

“The neighbors are happy because you’re taking a blighted piece of property and you’re cleaning it up,” he says.