Housing authority rents to increase significantly

The Ville Platte Housing Authority Board discussed HUD requirements regarding the raising of flat rent charges 80 percent in four phases.
During the board meeting Thursday, May 22, board members were provided information about the rent increases. Before the rent increases are applied, there will be a 30-day comment period after a written notice is provided to tenants. Then the housing authority will schedule a public hearing.
The increases will involve one- to four-bedroom units. In the first phase, the rent for a one-bedroom apartment will increase from the current $173 monthly rate to $236. The increase for a one-bedroom unit will increase to $319 in the second phase and to $430 a month in the third phase.
A four-bedroom unit will increase from the current $325 monthly rent to $439 in the first phase, $592 in the second phase and $693 in the third phase.
The increases are mandated by the 2014 Appropriations Act. Although the increases apply to flat rental rates, “Even families that choose income based rents, most likely will see significant rent increases,” according to information provided by an official with the Louisiana Housing Council.
Grant Soileau, the executive director of the Ville Platte Housing Authority, said the increases are due to federal budget cuts. In a HUD news release dated March 4 of this year, the agency’s budget was described as having “new savings proposals and some very difficult choices we would not have made in a better fiscal environment.”
The agency’s budget constraints also are reflected in the 2014 Capital Fund announced during the housing authority meeting. The local housing authority will receive $245,971 from HUD, down from amounts of more than $300,000 HUD has awarded to the local housing authority in previous years.
In other business during the housing authority meeting:
•The board passed a resolution approving of James Ben, housing authority maintenance supervisor, to hire a full-time maintenance employee. The housing authority now has three full-time and six part-time maintenance employees. The new position is now being advertised and the new employee is expected to be hired about mid-June.
•Board members decided to start meeting every other month. The last board meeting was three months ago.
•The board approved of a one-year Capital Fund plan for 2014 that involves installing central heating and air conditioning in units one through 70.
•Soileau reported to the board there are two vacant units that are expected to be occupied by early June.