Housing at risk following federal subsidy reduction

Budget reduction places 141 county residents at housing’s edge

By Darryl Swan

The South County Spotlight, Jun 3, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (7 Reader comments)

Darryl Swan / The South County Spotlight

HOUSING AT RISK – Some residents receiving HUD housing assistance living in places such as the Hidden Oaks Apartments at 2600 Gable Rd. in St. Helens face losing the subsidy starting July 1.

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Nearly 150 Columbia County residents, many living in St. Helens, are at risk of losing their homes following an announcement last week that a federal rental assistance subsidy will be significantly reduced.

It’s not the first time the subsidy has been the target of a sweeping reduction, but unlike a prior occasion there so far appears to be few emergency resources to backfill the funding loss.

On May 22, the Warrenton-based nonprofit Northwest Oregon Housing Authority mailed letters to 285 residents in Columbia, Clatsop and Tillamook counties who receive U.S. Housing and Urban Development funds, informing them that they would no longer receive assistance dollars as of July 1.

Of those, 141 live in Columbia County, in places like Hidden Oaks or Gable Parks apartments in St. Helens that accept Section 8 housing.

“I’m 62, and I’m on Social Security, and there’s no way I can pay full rent,” said one woman who receives the federal assistance and lives at the Hidden Oaks Apartments. She asked not to be identified.

The woman said she had not received a letter informing her that her rental subsidy numbered among those to be cut, though some of her neighbors had.

“Some of these people are 80 years old and don’t have a job,” she said, adding that rent at her apartment is $562 per month.

The federal subsidy is weighted per participant based on how much that person earns. In some cases, the subsidy covers more than 90 percent of the rental expense.

“I had one gentleman call me and tell me that he couldn’t afford all of the rent, and will probably be out in the street,” said Carol Snell, executive director for the Northwest Oregon Housing Authority.

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