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LMH
awards additional Tenant-Based Housing Choice Vouchers to
Successful Program Partners
TOLEDO, April 2, 2021: Lucas
Metropolitan Housing (LMH) has awarded additional tenant-based
housing choice vouchers to two program partners who have
continued to maximize their program utilization above the LMH-required
standard of 95%.
LMH designed, developed, and
implemented a 90-Day Partner Performance Plan in mid-2020 to
refresh our relationships with our current Housing Choice
Voucher Program partners. As part of this plan, LMH reengaged in
strategic conversations with all twelve (12) permanent
supportive housing partners and implemented a collaborative
approach to provide them further assistance in identifying and
removing barriers to performance and progress.
“We know that, when taking steps
to ensure that our partners are successful, LMH also becomes
successful by reporting to the Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) the expected voucher utilization levels across
the Agency’s Housing Choice Voucher portfolio. More importantly,
LMH continues to build strong and expansive partnerships to
supplement the housing solutions we provide with the supportive
services that our clients need,” said LMH President and Chief
Executive Officer, Joaquin Cintron Vega.
Partners who utilized all or some
of their assigned vouchers at or above 95% can request
additional vouchers. Once LMH determines that the partner
qualifies for additional vouchers, the vouchers may be awarded.
This has recently been the case for the Toledo Lucas County
Homelessness Board’s (TLCHB) Housing First program, which was
awarded an additional thirty (30) vouchers, and for the Hospital
Council of Northwest Ohio (HCNO) Infant Mortality program, which
was awarded an additional forty (40) vouchers.
“Both programs have made
tremendous upward strides in utilization this last year, so we
sort of look at this as a way of saying thank you for the great
job they’re doing serving our families,” said Shanetta Moye,
Vice President of the Housing Choice Voucher Program. “We want
all of our partners to know that we are 100% invested in
ensuring their programs’ success.”
“We’re grateful to LMH for
awarding these vouchers, which have become a key tool in our
community’s efforts to ensure African American and other
families have healthy infants who reach their first of many
birthdays,” said Jan Ruma, Vice President of Hospital Council of
Northwest Ohio (HCNO), which operates the Northwest Ohio
Pathways HUB care coordination system. “Safe and affordable
housing is critical to both a healthy pregnancy and a thriving
family.”
“The Toledo Lucas County
Homelessness Board is grateful for LMH’s continued support of
our No Barriers Housing initiative and proud to partner
alongside them in our efforts,” said Rachel Gagnon, Executive
Director of the Toledo Lucas County Homeless Board. “By
committing more resources to this important program, we are able
to offer more individuals the foundation necessary for life
improvement, thereby creating a more stable community.”
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