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20 <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Hamilton, seconded by Commissioner Fowler, to <br /> approve Orange County SRTS Plan. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 7. Reports <br /> a. Update on the Impact of New FY 2024-25 Emergency Housing Assistance Guidelines <br /> The Board received an update on the impact of new Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) <br /> guidelines during the first quarter of fiscal year. <br /> BACKGROUND: The Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) program made several eligibility <br /> and policy changes for Fiscal Year 2024-2025. EHA can assist 12 households per month with a <br /> payment of up to $4,500 if the following requirements are met: <br /> • Earn <_ 30%Area Median Income (AMI) <br /> • Experience a "Life-Changing Event" (LCE) within the last three (3) months which affects <br /> the ability to pay rent, OR receive a court summons for an eviction. <br /> Additionally, applicants are required to complete a written plan for income stability and making <br /> rental payments in the future. <br /> Program Data <br /> The average number of applications per month increased from 47 before the changes to 63 after <br /> the changes. However, the higher average was caused by a large, one-time spike in applications <br /> in July. Otherwise, the average number of applications has stayed relatively consistent throughout <br /> the past year, as seen in the accompanying chart: <br /> New Applications 2023-2024 <br /> P P <br /> Given that the number of applications dropped significantly in August and September,the increase <br /> in July is likely related to other factors such as summer holiday and school closures, rather than <br /> the change in policy. The number of pending applications has fluctuated throughout the three (3) <br /> months, but is typically in the range of 20-40. <br /> The average total amount spent per month since the policy change is$48,396.69, with an average <br /> of$4,033.06 per household assisted. The average amount households receive is lower than the <br />