COVID-19 Update and Response
The health and safety of applicants, participants, landlords and our staff are of the highest priority of the Richland County Housing Authority, and is always the utmost important to us. As such, we are taking the concerns associated with Coronavirus (COVID-19) very seriously and are closely monitoring this rapid evolving situation.
We are following advice and guidance from the United States Housing and Urban Development field office of Milwaukee, HUD Congressional, and the Financial Management Center to ensure our obligations and reporting requirements are in continued compliance during this time. It is my top priority to ensure the Richland County Housing Authority continues to administer the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program with little disruptions, but there will be some temporary changes:
- The Richland County Housing Authority will be closed to the public and will be available by phone at 608-647-3214, fax at 608-647-8455, and email at rcha@richlandhousing.org only. If emailing, DO NOT include any sensitive information (social security numbers, etc.), as our email is not encrypted. Any inquiries about the program, landlord communication or participants reporting changes must contact our office for assistance. Participants with a scheduled annual recertification will be completed by phone and the required documents being accepted by email or fax.
- All biennial HQS inspections are postponed for 30 days and we will reevaluate at that time to determine the next course of action. All new admission inspections will be evaluated on a case by case basis to assess the risk level for our staff. Participants with concerns or reporting any change in condition of their unit is to report it to our office for further guidance.
- With the recent mandate from Governor Evers to close schools, the Richland County Housing Authority wants to remind participants who have a loss of income, due to the requirement to stay home, to report this immediately. The Richland County Housing Authority understands the financial strain this causes families affected and encourage landlords to communicate with our office before perusing actions for rent obligations to prevent the displacement of families which significantly increases the risk of homelessness and overcrowding.
If you any further questions or concerns, please contact our office. Thank you for your continued understanding and cooperation in this matter.
Sincerely,
Floyd Bartow Jr.
Executive Director