WHAT IS THE GUAM HOUSING AND
URBAN RENEWAL AUTHORITY?
The Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority
(GHURA)* is a lot more than just a housing agency. It’s
mission and goal encompass almost every person in our
island community, ** whether they are young, homeless,
at risk youth, disabled, low to moderate-income families,
single mothers trying to become self sufficient, or
manamko (elderly), GHURA has a positive impact on their
lives.
As stated in Public Law 6-135, GHURA’s
purpose is to “… promote the health, safety
and welfare of Guam’s people by the elimination
of slum and blight conditions, by the orderly redevelopment
and renewal of communities, by proper planning of community
development and by provision of safe, decent and sanitary
dwellings for low to moderate-income families, through
all available federal and local governmental programs
and through encouragement of Guam’s private enterprises
to participate in the common task of improving our island
community, while upholding family values.”
GHURA’s Board of Commissioners provide
overall policy direction to the department, while day-to-day
operations are overseen by an Executive Director, Deputy
Director and 12 managers. Currently, 98 employees ensure
that the department not only accomplishes its mission,
but also keeps up-to-date on new and improved techniques
of ‘getting the job done right.’
GHURA personnel also act as a contact for
the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
and American’s With Disabilities Act.
* GHURA is a unique agency within the Government
of Guam because we receive 100 percent of our funding
through the United States Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD).
** All the grants and programs discussed on this website
are meant to benefit the residents of Guam, as per United
States Federal Regulations. If you need assistance and
do not live in Guam, please contact your local mayor’s
office to find out the agency closest to you that handles
the following programs: Public Housing, Housing Choice
Voucher (Section 8), Community Development Block Grant,
HOME Investment Partnership Program Grant and Emergency
Shelter Grant.
The following are some frequently asked
questions concerning our Authority’s Programs:
PUBLIC HOUSING
1. WHAT IS PUBLIC HOUSING?
Public housing is an affordable rental-housing program
for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons
with disabilities. Public housing comes in all sizes
and types, from two-bedroom to five-bedroom single-family
houses and one-bedroom units for the elderly.
2. WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Public housing is limited to low-income families and
individuals. The lower income limits are at 80% and
very low-income limits are at 50% of the median income
for Guam. GHURA’s Housing Services Division can
tell you the income levels for Guam by family size,
or you can also find the income limits here on the Internet.
[Link to Public Housing Income Limits] GHURA determines
your eligibility based on: Annual gross income;
whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability,
or as a family; and
U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status.
3. HOW DO I APPLY?
If you are interested in applying for public housing,
contact the GHURA Housing Services Division at (671)
477-9851 or pick up an application at the GHURA Main
Office located at 117 Bien Venida Avenue, Sinajana,
Guam.
HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS (SECTION 8)
1. WHAT IS THE HOUSING
CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM?
The Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) is a program
that provides vouchers and certificates to eligible
very low-income families, the elderly, and persons with
disabilities. The vouchers and certificates are a form
of monetary rental assistance that helps very low-income
families rent affordable housing of their choice from
landlords on Guam. The U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) administers Federal aid to GHURA
to provide rental assistance for very low-income residents
to make renting housing in the community affordable.
2. GHURA determines your eligibility based
on: Annual gross income; whether you qualify as elderly,
a person with a disability, or as a family; and U.S.
citizenship or eligible immigration status.
3. HOW DO I APPLY?
If you are interested in applying for Section 8 rental
assistance, contact the GHURA Housing Services Division
at (671) 477-9851 or pick up an application at the GHURA
Main Office located at 117 Bien Venida Avenue, Sinajana,
Guam.
GUMA TRANKILIDAT
1. WHAT IS GUMA
TRANKILIDAT?
Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority’s Guam
Elderly Project, "Guma’ Trankilidat,"
is financed through the Farmers Home Administration,
Section 515 New Construction. Guma’ Trankilidat
provides housing to very low-income elderly and persons
with a disabilities. The project contains 49 one-bedroom
units. Section 8 rental assistance is provided residents
of Guma Trankilidat. For more information about the
Section 8 program visit GHURA’s Section 8 program
web page.
2. WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Guma Trankilidat is limited to very low-income families
whose head of household, spouse or sole member is elderly
or a person with a disability. The very low-income limits
are at 50% of the median income for Guam under the Section
8 program. GHURA’s Housing Services Division can
tell you the income levels for Guam by family size,
or you can also find the income limits here on the Internet.
[Link to Section 8 income limits.]
3. HOW DO I APPLY?
If you are interested in applying for Section 8 rental
assistance, contact the GHURA Housing Services Division
at (671) 477-9851 or pick up an application at the GHURA
Main Office located at 117 Bien Venida Avenue, Sinajana,
Guam.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING
AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) GRANTS
WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
BLOCK GRANT?
The Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) is a grant provided by the U.S. Department
and Urban Development. GHURA administers the grant for
the island of Guam for use in revitalizing neighborhoods,
providing affordable housing, expanding economic opportunities,
and improving community facilities and services.
WHAT IS THE HOME INVESTMENT
PARTNERSHIP GRANT (HOME)?
HOME grants fund a wide range
of activities that build, buy, and/or rehabilitate affordable
housing for rent or home ownership or provide direct
rental assistance to low-income people. HOME is designed
exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income
households. The program's flexibility allows States
and local governments to use HOME funds for grants,
direct loans, loan guarantees or other forms of credit
enhancement, or rental assistance or security deposits.
Emergency Service Grant
Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) are provided
by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
GHURA administers ESG for Guam. ESG funds are used to
improve the quality and number of emergency homeless
shelters. ESG provides a foundation for homeless people
to begin moving to independent living.
WHAT IS GUAM’S
CONTINUUM OF CARE SYSTEM?
On Guam, the Continuum of Care system is made
up primarily of an ad hoc committee of homeless providers,
mainstream service providers and community stakeholders.
The system has evolved through community experiences,
economic trends and community awareness of a growing
and diverse homeless population in our island. Throughout
the ninety’s, ongoing dialogue among non-profit
organizations, government, and other public and private
agencies concerning homeless issues have centered around
the need to invest in a population seen as "at-risk",
along with existing homeless families and individuals
in the community.
|
