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363 NMI families avail of housing assistance
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Posted on May 13 2008
The Department of Housing and Urban Development in Honolulu has reported that a significant number of local families in the CNMI have availed of the Section 8 Housing Assistance Program.
The Housing Assistance Program, which is locally administered by the Northern Marianas Housing Corp., assisted a total number of 363 families throughout the CNMI.
The federally funded Section 8 program provides housing assistance to very low and low-income families.
According to Michael Flores, director of Public and Indian Housing, Housing Choice Vouchers allow very low-income families to choose and lease or purchase safe, decent, and affordable privately-owned rental housing.
Flores said the CNMI initially had 215 Housing Choice Vouchers, “but as a result of Typhoon Chaba and Typhoon TingTing, we added 148 additional vouchers that we have since allowed NMHC to help 363 families.”
NMHC administers subdivisions in Garapan, Mihaville and Koblerville on Saipan, and on Tinian and Rota for a total of 142 units and receives about $1.7 million in annual funding to provide assistance to the families living in them.
The amount, which is shouldered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, depends on the income level of the family. The program assists in paying the fair market rent 30 percent of their adjusted income or 10 percent of their gross income, whichever is greater.
However, in cases when families do not have any source of income at all, the Section-8 Housing Assistance Program fully subsidizes them and pays the entire contract rent.
Housing officials said the federally funded program caters to families of lower income bracket that are not able to afford owning a home.
According to Flores, the Section 8 program is one of the largest programs represented in HUD’s annual budget.
HUD provides roughly $3 million to the CNMI’s economy on an annual basis to help people pay rent.
“These are far short of what the needs are… We met with the board and the board has expressed the need to do more with what federal funds that are available. We hope to be able to do that as our funding will permit,” Flores said.
