Public Housing Agency Plan Law and Legal Definition
The Public Housing Agency Plan is a plan that informs the HUD, residents, and the public of the Public Housing Agencies’ (PHA) goal for serving the needs of low-income and very low-income families. The plan also includes the PHA’s strategy for addressing those needs. The PHA Plan process was established by section 5A of the United States Housing Act of 1937.
PHA plan may be either five year plans or annual plans. Such plans contain details of tenant-based assistance and public housing programs.
The Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA), Title VII, Small Public Housing Authorities Paperwork Reduction Act exempted qualified PHAs from the annual plan requirement.
The following is an example of a federal statute on public housing agency plans:
<42 USCS § 1437c-1. Public housing agency plans
(a) 5-Year plan.
(1) In general. Subject to paragraph (3), not less than once every 5 fiscal years, each public housing agency shall submit to the Secretary a plan that includes, with respect to the 5 fiscal years immediately following the date on which the plan is submitted--
(A) a statement of the mission of the public housing agency for serving the needs of low-income and very low-income families in the jurisdiction of the public housing agency during such fiscal years; and
(B) a statement of the goals and objectives of the public housing agency that will enable the public housing agency to serve the needs identified pursuant to subparagraph (A) during those fiscal years.
(2) Statement of goals. The 5-year plan shall include a statement by any public housing agency of the goals, objectives, policies, or programs that will enable the housing authority to serve the needs of child and adult victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
(3) Initial plan. The initial 5-year plan submitted by a public housing agency under this subsection shall be submitted for the 5-year period beginning on October 1, 1999, or the first fiscal year thereafter for which the public housing agency initially receives assistance under this Act.
(b) Annual plan.
(1) In general. Effective beginning upon October 1, 1999, each public housing agency shall submit to the Secretary an annual public housing agency plan under this subsection for each fiscal year for which the public housing agency receives assistance under section 8(o) or 9 [42 USCS § 1437f(o) or 1437g].
(2) Updates. For each fiscal year after the initial submission of an annual plan under this subsection by a public housing agency, the public housing agency may comply with requirements for submission of a plan under this subsection by submitting an update of the plan for the fiscal year.
(3) Exemption of certain phas from filing requirement.
(A) In general. Notwithstanding paragraph (1) or any other provision of this Act--
(i) the requirement under paragraph (1) shall not apply to any qualified public housing agency; and
(ii) except as provided in subsection (e)(4)(B), any reference in this section or any other provision of law to a "public housing agency" shall not be considered to refer to any qualified public housing agency, to the extent such reference applies to the requirement to submit an annual public housing agency plan under this subsection.
(B) Civil rights certification. Notwithstanding that qualified public housing agencies are exempt under subparagraph (A) from the requirement under this section to prepare and submit an annual public housing plan, each qualified public housing agency shall, on an annual basis, make the certification described in paragraph (16) of subsection (d), except that for purposes of such qualified public housing agencies, such paragraph shall be applied by substituting "the public housing program of the agency" for "the public housing agency plan".
