Glendale housing authority adopts FY2026–27 Section 8 annual plan as leaders warn of shortfall and pledge follow-up

The Glendale Housing Authority on Wednesday adopted its fiscal year 2026–27 Public Housing Agency annual plan and a revised 2026 Section 8 administrative plan, with members voting to authorize staff to submit the documents to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Edgar Kopian, senior housing analyst for the city, told the joint special meeting that the housing authority has operated in a budget shortfall since December 2024 and has received supplemental shortfall funding from HUD. As a condition of that funding, Kopian said, HUD has restricted the authority from leasing to new applicants on the waiting list until the budgetary situation improves through attrition or additional HUD support. "Leasing activity remains paused until the budgetary situation improves," Kopian said.

Kopian said the agency’s portfolio of vouchers — including local vouchers, Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, mainstream vouchers and portability vouchers — will require roughly $54,670,000 for the upcoming fiscal year, and that staff set the median payment standard at 93% of small-area fair market rents to balance affordability with constrained resources. He also noted the authority completed 1,445 housing quality standards inspections between July 1, 2025, and Jan. 30, 2026, and maintained a quality-control program and staff training to ensure compliance.

Council members pressed staff on several program distinctions — including separate pots of funding called HOME-ARP and the city’s long-standing HOME program, the purpose and use limits of administrative fees, and whether subsidy (HAP) funds may be used for salaries. Pam Jackson, a housing-division staff member introduced to the meeting, and Kopian answered that admin fees are retained by the city to administer Section 8 programs, while HAP subsidy money is restricted and cannot be used for salaries.

The public comment period included sharp criticism of the timing and transparency of the packet. Beth Brooks, who identified herself during public comment, called the staff packet a "shotgun report" and said council members had only a few days to review a large set of materials. "This needs to be investigated," Brooks said, urging the creation of a task force to pursue alleged fraud and side payments tied to Section 8 placements.

Housing staff and department leadership responded that investigations are conducted when evidence exists and that two recent staff-misconduct allegations had been found unfounded. Kopian reiterated ongoing federal performance reviews and outside audits, noting that the authority has been certified as a HUD high-performing agency on its most recent Section 8 management assessment (SEMAP/CMAP) review.

Council members debated the risks of delaying approval. Several members said they were uncomfortable with limited review time but also unwilling to risk HUD noncompliance; staff said the annual plan deadline had a short extension and that the city could amend plans later if policy changes are required. With that understanding, a council member moved the housing authority resolution to adopt the annual and administrative plans; the housing authority then recorded a roll-call vote and adopted the resolution.

The housing authority vote record in the meeting transcript shows affirmative roll-call responses. The plan will be submitted to HUD as authorized, and staff said they will respond in writing to public commenters’ questions and attach public comments and written challenges to the submitted plan.

Next steps: staff will submit the adopted documents to HUD and said they will follow up in writing to the speakers who requested additional clarifications; the administrative plan is scheduled to take effect June 1, 2026, unless later amended through the city’s public-comment and approval process.