Housing organizations prepare for potential increase in demand from COVID-19 layoffs

Millions of Americans have temporarily or permanently lost their jobs or had their hours reduced as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 

In areas with high housing costs, such as Ventura County, many workers were hanging on to their housing by a thread even before losing income because of the virus. But long waitlists for Section 8 vouchers and affordable housing in the county mean those who find themselves in need of help with housing might face a long wait. 

"With the coronavirus and housing, part of what has really surfaced is just how many people live paycheck to paycheck," said Denise Wise, CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura. "With something like this, where people get laid off or furloughed and they're not on a housing program, they get behind very, very quickly." 

While local and statewide halts on evictions for coronavirus-related nonpayment of rent have prevented the unemployed from losing their housing, some experts predict a potential surge in evictions and homelessness after emergency protections end. 

Waitlists for housing are years-long

The hotline 211 Ventura County, which links residents to local resources, has seen an uptick in calls for housing help during the pandemic. The number of callers who report being at-risk of homelessness also rose slightly over the past few months compared to January and February, before the pandemic. 

But there are few affordable housing options available for those who find themselves suddenly in need of housing help during the pandemic. The Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura, which serves Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and the unincorporated parts of the county, closed its waitlist for Section 8 housing choice vouchers in 2016 with nearly 400 families on the waitlist. 

Housing choice vouchers are federally funded and allow low-income families to use the voucher toward any housing they choose, although traditionally it has been difficult for tenants to find landlords who will accept Section 8 vouchers. The county housing authority also manages low-rent public housing but currently is only accepting applications for four-bedroom units in Ojai and Thousand Oaks. As of June 24, 271 people were on the waitlist for low-rent public housing for families, and 434 people were on the waitlist for low-rent public housing for seniors. 

"It's unfortunate because we don't deal in immediate housing or emergency housing at all, and unfortunately right now what people need is immediate assistance," said Michael Nigh, executive director of the Area Housing Authority of Ventura County. 

Nigh said that the amount of calls and emails the housing authority receives from people looking for housing help has gone "way up" during the pandemic. 

"Before the pandemic, demand was very high versus supply. We don't have enough resources to help everyone who needs help in the county. And in our opinion is it is just going to get even tougher with more people that need it," he said. 

While people wait for a voucher or a low-income housing unit, Nigh said, most probably live in overcrowded housing situations with family or friends, although the housing authority doesn't keep statistics on where people live before getting assistance. 

Related: Affordable housing development with 69 units moves forward in Santa Paula

Demand less than expected in some areas

In Ventura, the city housing authority's waitlists are still open, although there are 10,000 people waiting for Section 8 vouchers and around 7,000 waiting for public housing. Currently, the Section 8 waitlist is on people who signed up in 2008. 

For people signing up during the pandemic, "The expectation is that they unfortunately have to wait," said Wise. 

According to Wise, demand hasn't increased as much as the housing authority initially anticipated due to COVID-19.

"The demand has not stopped, it's still there, it just has not jumped as high as we anticipated with COVID," said Wise. "We anticipated a higher jump. We did have a small surge but other than that we haven't seen the 5 or 10 percent jump we were anticipating."

This could be because people don't want to move during the outbreak or because homeless individuals who might have otherwise been looking for housing help stayed in motels for a few months under Project Roomkey, a state initiative that aimed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 among the state's vulnerable homeless population by providing shelter in motel rooms. 

What's next?:As motel program ends, county residents experiencing homelessness plan

However, Wise also notes Project Roomkey as an example of the need for affordable housing. 

"Project Roomkey is organized to work with the most vulnerable homeless population, and that program ended this week. The question becomes, we have all thee participants in motels, but where do they go from there? That highlights the huge need for affordable housing," she said. 

She also worries that people may fall behind on their rent during the pandemic and find themselves owing thousands of dollars once the eviction moratorium lifts, driving more need for housing assistance. 

Affordable housing developer Cabrillo Economic Development Corp. hasn't seen an increase in demand for units since the pandemic began, according to Luz Soto, director of property management and resident services.

"I expect that to change once the moratorium is lifted and people are not able to pay the rent," she said.

She says the steady demand could be partially because rental offices have been closed since mid-March, so potential applicants can't just walk in and apply like they used to do. People can still submit applications by mail, email or by putting them in drop-boxes at rental offices. 

In anticipation of a potential increase, Cabrillo is updating its waitlists to make sure all of the applicants on the list are still interested in housing. 

On what could be done to alleviate the county's ongoing high demand for housing assistance, Soto said housing organizations have been "singing the same song for many, many years."

"There is definitely high demand and a shortage of affordable units, and I'd like to see an increase in developers' ability to get funded for affordable housing, and also more Section 8 vouchers for families that are on that waitlist forever," she said. 

Erin Rode covers housing, real estate and development for The Star. Reach her at erin.rode@vcstar.com or 805-437-0312.