HUD High Performer

The Housing Authority City of Decatur, GA has received a SEMAP HIGH PERFORMER status in: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019

About the Public Housing Assessment System

The Public Housing Assessment System, or PHAS, is the system that HUD uses to assess a PHA's performance in managing its low-rent public housing programs. HUD uses a centralized system to collect individual subsystem scores using various sub-indicators and produces a composite PHAS score representing PHA's performance management. PHAS uses a 100-point scoring system based on four categories of indicators:

• PASS (Physical Assessment Subsystem) - 40 points
  
  
• FASS (Financial Assessment Subsystem) - 25 points
  
  
• MASS (Management Assessment Subsystem) - 25 points
  
  
• CFP (Capital Fund Program) - 10 points

Scores are generated for each development, or Asset Management Project (AMP). AMP scores are weighted by how many units are in the AMP and then combined into the agency-wide score. The total score is used to determine the PHA's designation under PHAS. Scores below 60 result in a troubled designation. Scores of 90 points or above result in a high performer designation. Scores below 90 but above 60 are designated as a standard performer. If your PHA scores below 60 in any one indicator, you will be designated as a substandard performer.  HUD/REAC (Real Estate Assessment Center) publishes the PHAS scores after any appeals by the PHA are addressed. A letter is sent to the PHA with the score for the Fiscal Year evaluated.

DHA has converted all of its former public housing to project based rental assistance under the Rental Assistance Demonstration Program of HUD.  As a result, HUD reviews each site through a Management Occupancy Review (MOR) and a Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) Inspection.  No further PHAS scores are issued. 

About the Section Eight Management Assessment Program (SEMAP)

The Section Eight Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) measures the performance of the public housing agencies (PHAs) that administer the housing choice voucher program in 14 key areas.  SEMAP will help HUD target monitoring and assistance to PHA programs that need the most improvement. 

The 14 indicators of performance show whether PHAs help eligible families to afford decent rental units at a reasonable subsidy cost as intended by Federal housing legislation.

The 14 key indicators of PHA performance are:

• Proper selection of applicants from the housing choice voucher waiting list
• Sound determination of reasonable rent for each unit leased
• Establishment of payment standards within the required range of the HUD fair market rent
• Accurate verification of family income
• Timely annual reexaminations of family income
• Correct calculation of the tenant share of the rent and the housing assistance payment
• Maintenance of a current schedule of allowances for tenant utility costs
• Ensure units comply with the housing quality standards before families enter into leases and PHAs enter into housing assistance contracts
• Timely annual housing quality inspections
• Performing of quality control inspections to ensure housing quality
• Ensure that landlords and tenants promptly correct housing quality deficiencies
• Ensure that all available housing choice vouchers are used
• Expand housing choice outside areas of poverty or minority concentration
• Enroll families in the family self-sufficiency (FSS) program as required and help FSS families achieve increases in employment income.

SEMAP is used to remotely measure PHA performance and administration of the housing choice voucher program. SEMAP uses HUD's national database of tenant information and information from audits conducted annually by independent auditors. HUD will annually assign each PHA a rating on each of the 14 indicators and an overall performance rating of high, standard, or troubled. Metropolitan PHAs will also be able to earn bonus points for their achievements in encouraging assisted families to choose housing in low poverty areas. 

Either of these cases requires corrective action. HUD will conduct on-site reviews of PHAs rated troubled to assess the magnitude and seriousness of the problems. The PHA must implement a thorough corrective action plan that HUD will monitor, to ensure improvement in program management.  Regulations are found at 24 CFR 985.