Owner Update “Question of The Month”

Q: What types of families get assistance on the rental Voucher Program?

A. First, any families assisted must be “very low income,” meaning that they have income that is 50% of the area median income for their family size. For a single individual, this very low income ceiling is $18,150. For a family of four, it’s $25,900.

Currently, TMHA is directly assisting 569 families with rent. There is constant turnover of assisted families, with families leaving the voucher program every month, and new families coming under lease. In 2005 TMHA has actively assisted 675 families.

Current Bedroom Size (BR) breakdowns being assisted now are as follows:

0BR’s-6    1BR’s-224    2BR’s-239    3BR’s-85    4BR’s-13    5BR’s-2

Some statistics about the families currently assisted on TMHA’s Voucher Program:

Categories of Assisted Families
Elderly/Disabled Families (head/spouse disabled) 52%
Families with Children 43%
Non Elderly/Disabled Families with no Children 5%

Income Sources: (Families may fall into multiple categories)
Families Receiving Social Security or SSI 73%
Families with Employment Income 39%
Families Receiving Welfare Assistance (Ohio Works First—OWF) 8%

Families with employment income can enter TMHA’s Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program. By working, these families can save money through an Escrow Savings Account which will help them become economically self sufficient when they leave the program.

Waiting List: TMHA maintains a waiting list for families who have requested (and are income eligible for) rental assistance. These families are served as families receiving assistance leave the program, thereby freeing up the funding to serve new families. The current number of families on the waiting list is 372.



Q: How many Owners participate with the rental Voucher Program?

A: Currently TMHA has active contracts with 250 owners. Housing subsidies of approximately $140,000 per month are remitted to owners. Since 95% of TMHA owners are located in Tuscarawas County, this funding not only aids local families, but benefits are local economy.

TMHA considers private owners a vital part of the Housing Voucher Program. You voluntarily enter into a contractual agreement with TMHA to provide, decent, safe and sanitary housing for program families. You maintain the rental housing to TMHA’s inspection standards, and otherwise comply with the landlord’s obligations of Ohio Revised Code.

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