ATLANTA — The Atlanta Housing Authority has issued a memo telling landlords to freeze rents for Section 8 housing, aiming to balance uncertain federal funding while maintaining access to affordable housing.
Channel 2’s Michael Doudna learned the memo, sent earlier this month, requests landlords in the Section 8 program to halt rent increases.
Another memo went out this week that allows landlords to approve rent increases on a case-by-case basis.
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But there is a limited supply of government-subsidized housing, which can make finding somewhere to live difficult.
Mother of three Tyneka Thomas says she has been trying to use her voucher, but is having a hard time finding a landlord willing to accept it.
“It’s very stressful,” she said.
And although freezing rent may sound like a positive, some worry that it could further limit supply.
“The process is simple math. You look at income and you look at expenses, and if your expenses are higher than your income, then you have to consider alternatives to keep your business operational,” Marjy Stagmeir, president of TI Asset Management, said.
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Stagmeir oversees more than 100 units on Section 8. She says that private partners often operate on slim margins, and the federal funding for affordable housing is not always a guarantee.
“Right now, we’re living in some very uncertain times,” CEO of Atlanta Housing Terri Lee said.
Lee said that the Atlanta Housing Authority cut its budget by $80 million this year in preparation for a potential loss of federal funds.
“As we look at that climate and the climate of uncertainty we’re in, we’re also trying to make sure that we make fiscally-sound decisions,” she explained.
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