The San Francisco Housing Authority is grappling with a significant decline in new admissions to its housing programs, primarily due to a shortage of tenant-based vouchers. During a recent government meeting, officials revealed that the number of new admissions has dropped over the last three quarters, with the authority unable to issue new vouchers amid ongoing budget constraints. This situation has led to a backlog of approved referrals to developers, which currently stands at around 70 per month, but is expected to increase as new construction and rehabilitation projects come online.

Despite the challenges in new admissions, the authority has made strides in processing annual re-examinations for current participants, a critical requirement for maintaining eligibility in the housing choice voucher program. Officials emphasized the importance of timely re-certifications, noting that failure to submit necessary documents could lead to termination from the program. The authority is actively working with tenants and property management to ensure compliance and support households in completing their recertifications.

The meeting also highlighted the financial impact of holds and abatements on landlords, with approximately $732,000 lost monthly due to units failing inspections. The authority is implementing a new bulk inspection process aimed at improving inspection pass rates and reducing the number of units in abatement. This change is part of a broader effort to enhance operational efficiency and address the backlog of inspections.

In terms of performance metrics, the authority's CMAP score has shown significant improvement, rising from 55% to a projected 89.6% for the upcoming fiscal year. This increase reflects successful quality control measures and a commitment to reconciling data with HUD to ensure accuracy in reporting.

As the authority navigates these challenges, the focus remains on improving service delivery and maintaining housing stability for current participants while addressing the pressing need for new admissions.