Oregon HOME Tenant-Based Assistance

Oregon Housing and Community Services contracts with various public service agencies to provide the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBA) program at the local level. Public service agencies include: housing authorities, community action agencies, and local partnership programs, which typically consist of a partnership between a local housing authority and a community action agency.

The Tenant-Based Rental Assistance program offers rental assistance to very-low-income tenants for the payment of housing costs and a refundable security deposits. The assistance is granted in six-month or one-year renewable periods. A rental assistance agreement is executed between the public service agency, the tenant, and the landlord. Payments are made directly from the public service agency to the landlord on behalf of the tenant. Up to 20 percent of the annual HOME Program grant is allocated to tenant-based rental assistance activities.

To qualify, a household consisting of an individual or group of individuals must be very low income, i.e., cannot have a total gross household income from all sources that exceeds 50 percent of the area median income for that household size. Rental payment standards are based on the HUD fair market rents (FMR) or the area-wide exception rent approved by HUD. The minimum tenant contribution for housing costs is $10.

An eligible tenant can receive rental assistance for a unit of their own choosing, provided the unit meets basic program requirements. The rental unit must meet the housing quality standards. The rental assistance can follow the household in the event the household moves to another unit.

Self-sufficiency is a requirement for participation in the HOME TBA Program. A self-sufficiency plan is developed and agreed upon by the tenant and the public service agency based on an assessment of the household's needs. Rental assistance will be terminated if the public service agency determines that the tenant is in noncompliance with the self-sufficiency plan.

The HOME Program grant requires a 25 percent match of non-federal funds. Public service agencies are responsible for the documentation and the reporting of match expenditures to OHCS. These expenditures may include direct housing cost or supportive services for self-sufficiency activities provided to HOME TBA participants during the term of assistance.