KCDC Section 8 program again earns high-performer status from HUD
By Scott Bird

Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) again has earned high-performer status from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) following an assessment review.

KCDC’s high-performer status for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, falls under the Section Eight Management Assessment Program (SEMAP), the federal agency’s primary tool for evaluating Section 8 performance.

The SEMAP review considers 15 performance indicators related to rent calculation, rental rates, leasing and unit quality. KCDC earned a score of 103 percent after receiving maximum points in all categories in addition to a bonus for deconcentrating poverty.

“I am proud of the continued high performance of our Section 8 team and its focus on placing families with KCDC’s Section 8 vouchers in low-poverty areas,” KCDC Executive Director and CEO Ben Bentley said. “Studies show that area of residence can influence future educational and employment success, and this is another way that we can help improve quality of life for the residents we serve.”

The bonus acknowledges that more than 70 percent of families with children in KCDC’s Section 8 program reside in low-poverty census tracts as determined by data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American FactFinder available at the time of assessment.

KCDC administers several Section 8 housing programs that provide housing assistance to low-income families in the private rental market, including The Housing Choice Voucher Program, which includes Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH), Family Unification Program (FUP) and Homeownership programs, the Moderate Rehabilitation Program and Family Self-Sufficiency programs. KCDC receives approximately $22.6 million per year to fund up to 4,026 vouchers for Section 8 housing.

About Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation
Since 1936, KCDC has been dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of Knoxville and Knox County. KCDC’s mission is to improve and transform neighborhoods and communities by providing quality affordable housing, advancing development initiatives and fostering self-sufficiency. For more information, call 865-403-1100 or visit www.kcdc.org.

Published October 1, 2019