City Councilor Renée Grout Introduces Resolution to Improve Housing Voucher Program Efficiency and Transparency

Albuquerque, NM – Today, Albuquerque City Councilor for District 9 and Council Vice President Renée Grout introduced (R-24-109) directing the City’s Department of Health, Housing, and Homelessness (HHH) to implement several key reforms to enhance the efficiency and transparency of its Housing Voucher Programs.

Council Vice President Renée Grout, a longtime advocate for affordable housing, introduced the resolution in response to concerns about the current state of the City’s housing voucher system. The resolution aims to address issues such as a need for expanded and clarified policies and procedures, a decentralized referral system, and limited tracking of long-term outcomes.

“Our most vulnerable citizens deserve a housing voucher system that is efficient, transparent, and effective,” said Councilor Grout. “This resolution will help ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used wisely and that our residents have access to the support they need to secure stable housing.”

The resolution will be on the Council Agenda for January 6, 2025. If the resolution is approved by Council, the City’s HHH Department will be directed to develop clear policies and procedures for the administration of the City’s Housing Voucher Programs. The resolution requires HHH Department to:

• Establish a centralized referral system to streamline the application process and reduce barriers for applicants.
• Track long-term outcomes to measure the effectiveness of the programs.
• Implement a robust software system to effectively monitor voucher use, financial spending, and program outcomes in real-time.
• Set a goal to execute housing voucher contracts within 30 days of funding allocation.
• Submit an implementation plan to the City Council within 90 days and complete the reforms within one year.