Further improvements will still be needed to ensure the city is fulfilling it’s “obligation to the landlords” to run the program efficiently.
Officials discussed boosting rental subsidy amounts so that property owners can get more out of their participation. The city has already made an increase — from a cap of 100% to 110% of market rate — but it’s not a simple fix.
If the funding comes through federal sources, Tucson needs to trudge through a potentially arduous approval process. The increases will also limit the number of families who can actually receive the assistance across the city.
“I will tell you, even going up to 110% is already impacting the number of families we can serve,” Morales said. “So, we have seen a decrease in the number we can serve.”
Officials are also looking at ways to streamline the process so landlords aren’t stuck spending time trying to comply with program rules. Other future changes could include a bump in security deposit amounts to reduce the risk posed by tenants who may damage their apartments.
Still, it’s unlikely the financial concerns among property owners will be calmed immediately given the city’s previous failures. Local landlord advocacy groups – who voiced concern over the ordinance ahead of the vote – said their involvement in the process will be critical as the details are hammered out.