The Lakewood Township Residential Assistance Program (LTRAP), once again achieved a perfect 100% score on HUD’s Section Eight Management Assessment Program, (SEMAP). On Thursday, LTRAP received notice from HUD that it again scored 100% for 2015, a perfect score of 135 out of 135 possible points. Since the inception of the SEMAP rating system 15 years ago, LTRAP has consistently been ranked by HUD in the “high” performance category, routinely scoring 100%.

SEMAP is the tool HUD uses to measure, rate, and rank the performance of housing providers administering the Section 8 housing choice voucher program. Higher SEMAP scores indicate more effective financial management, a smoother waiting list process, and higher quality physical conditions of assisted properties. The average SEMAP Score for housing agencies in New Jersey is 77.39%, while LTRAP has maintained a 100% SEMAP score over the past five (5) years.

Founded and led by Rabbi Meir Hertz since its inception in 1977, LTRAP is administered by the Lakewood Tenants Organization (LTO), a New Jersey not-for-profit organization. Last month, LTRAP marked 39 years of serving the affordable housing needs of Lakewood’s residents. LTRAP is sponsored locally by the Township of Lakewood. However, one hundred (100%) percent of its $16 Million annual budget is derived from HUD. There are a total of 109 Section 8 programs in New Jersey: 80 are administered by governmental housing authorities, and 29 by housing agencies. LTRAP is by far the largest private (non-governmental) agency providing affordable housing in the state. As this SEMAP score shows, it is also one of the very best in the nation—public or private.

 LTRAP currently administers a total of 1,150 Section 8 Rental Assistance Program vouchers, providing $1.3 Million in Section 8 rent subsidies monthly. All LTRAP subsidized-units are leased to income-eligible senior or disabled households, and families. All are occupying safe, decent and sanitary dwelling units in the private rental market, owned by more than 800 participating landlords.

 LTRAP re-opened its Waiting List last year due to the removal of the federally-mandated Sequester budget restrictions. The Waiting List, which had been closed since December 2004, re-opened in November 2015. A total of 9,683 applications were submitted online. From these applications a total of 3,000 applications were selected by a lottery performed by an outside software company. Currently, the Housing Choice Voucher Program is fully leased so no one from the new Waiting List has been assisted yet. As is the case in most jurisdictions throughout the country, the LTRAP Waiting List is organized so as to provide local residents with a preference over non-residents.

 LTRAP’s fiscal operations are audited annually by an Independent Public Accountant (IPA Auditor), selected in a Request for Proposals (RFP) competitive process. The fiscal audits for at least the past 30 years were consistently clean. The only finding ever made in all this time was in 2007 when LTRAP assisted more families than HUD authorized, despite the fact that financially, LTRAP was able to do so, and did not exceed its budgetary authority. Copies of all the LTRAP annual Audit Reports are forwarded to the Lakewood Treasurer for inclusion in Lakewood’s Single Audit Report, as required.

Now nearing the end of its fourth decade of meeting the affordable housing needs of Lakewood’s neediest residents, LTRAP hopes to build on its accomplishments, and plans to reach and assist as many families as possible, effectively and efficiently.

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