Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA): Affordable Housing Programs

The Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) administers affordable housing, community development, and redevelopment programs across the City and County of Sacramento. As a joint powers authority established under California Government Code §6500 et seq., SHRA operates at the intersection of federal housing mandates and local policy priorities, allocating hundreds of millions of dollars in federal and local funds annually. Understanding how SHRA programs work — who qualifies, how units are financed, and what falls outside the agency's authority — is essential for residents, landlords, developers, and advocates navigating Sacramento's housing landscape.

Definition and scope

SHRA was created in 1973 as a joint powers authority (SHRA About Page) jointly governed by the Sacramento City Council and the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. The agency serves as the lead public housing authority and community development entity for both jurisdictions, operating under a single administrative structure rather than duplicate city and county bureaucracies.

The agency's core mandate covers four functional areas:

  1. Public Housing — direct ownership and management of publicly subsidized rental units
  2. Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program — the federal Section 8 rental assistance program administered on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
  3. Affordable Housing Finance — tax credit allocation support, gap financing, and land disposition for privately developed affordable projects
  4. Community Development — Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) fund distribution as required under 24 CFR Part 570 and 24 CFR Part 92 respectively

SHRA's geographic scope covers the incorporated City of Sacramento and unincorporated Sacramento County. Cities within Sacramento County that operate their own housing authorities — including Elk Grove, Roseville, and Folsom — fall outside SHRA's direct program coverage. Residents in those jurisdictions should consult their respective city governments (see Elk Grove Government, Roseville Government, Folsom Government) for locally administered housing assistance.

This page does not address state-level programs administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) or the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC), except where those programs intersect with SHRA financing structures.

How it works

SHRA's two largest programs by household impact are the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program and its affordable housing development pipeline.

Housing Choice Vouchers operate through a federal subsidy model. HUD allocates vouchers to SHRA based on Congressional appropriations. SHRA issues vouchers to income-qualified households, who then locate private-market housing. SHRA pays the landlord the difference between 30% of the household's adjusted monthly income and the applicable payment standard, which SHRA sets annually based on HUD's published Fair Market Rents for the Sacramento–Roseville–Arden Arcade metropolitan area. As of SHRA's most recent Annual Plan filing (SHRA Housing Authority Plans), the agency administers approximately 14,000 active vouchers.

Affordable housing finance follows a layered capital stack model. A typical affordable development supported by SHRA combines:

  1. Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) — equity raised through TCAC-certified allocations
  2. HOME or CDBG loans from SHRA — typically structured as residual-receipts soft loans
  3. Construction and permanent debt from private lenders
  4. Occasionally, land contributed by SHRA from its owned property inventory

SHRA's Sacramento Housing Policy context matters here: the agency operates within the framework set by the City and County's General Plans and zoning codes, meaning project feasibility depends on entitlements that are governed by the Sacramento City Planning Commission and Sacramento Zoning Code, not by SHRA itself.

Common scenarios

Scenario 1 — Renter seeking voucher assistance. A household earning below 50% of Area Median Income (AMI) applies to SHRA's HCV waitlist. When the waitlist is open (SHRA periodically suspends intake due to demand exceeding available vouchers), applicants complete an eligibility screening covering income, household composition, and criminal background criteria established under HUD guidance at 24 CFR Part 982. Once issued a voucher, the household has a minimum 60-day search period to locate a qualifying unit.

Scenario 2 — Developer seeking affordable housing financing. A nonprofit developer proposes a 60-unit affordable senior housing project in unincorporated Sacramento County. SHRA reviews the project against its annual Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), scores applications on criteria including depth of affordability, leverage ratio, and readiness to proceed, and may issue a commitment of HOME or CDBG funds. The developer simultaneously pursues LIHTC allocation from TCAC. SHRA's loan typically closes in conjunction with the tax credit equity closing.

Scenario 3 — Homeowner seeking rehabilitation assistance. Lower-income homeowners in the City of Sacramento may qualify for owner-occupied rehabilitation loans or grants administered by SHRA using CDBG funds. Eligibility is typically set at or below 80% of AMI. Eligible improvements include roof replacement, accessibility modifications, and health-and-safety corrections. This program does not extend to properties in incorporated cities outside SHRA's joint powers territory.

Decision boundaries

Understanding which program applies — and which agency has authority — requires distinguishing along three axes:

SHRA vs. California HCD. SHRA administers federal entitlement funds (CDBG, HOME, HCV) at the local level. California HCD administers state programs including the Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) and No Place Like Home. A developer may receive funds from both agencies on the same project, but the applications, underwriting standards, and regulatory agreements are separate instruments governed by separate legal frameworks.

City of Sacramento vs. Sacramento County within SHRA. While SHRA serves both jurisdictions under a single administration, CDBG and HOME allocations are made separately — the City receives its own entitlement grant from HUD as an entitlement community, and the County receives a separate allocation. SHRA administers both, but expenditure must conform to each jurisdiction's Consolidated Plan (HUD Consolidated Plan requirements, 24 CFR Part 91) and cannot be commingled across jurisdictional boundaries without specific HUD approval.

Affordable housing finance vs. public housing. SHRA's public housing portfolio consists of units SHRA owns and manages directly, with rents set at 30% of household income under 42 U.S.C. §1437a. Affordable housing developed with LIHTC or HOME funds is privately owned, with income and rent restrictions enforced through recorded regulatory agreements — not public housing rules. Tenants in LIHTC units hold private leases and are not public housing residents, a distinction that affects grievance rights, eviction procedures, and eligibility for federal preferences.

The broader context for these programs — including Sacramento's history of urban renewal and displacement that shapes current SHRA priorities — is covered in Sacramento Urban Renewal History. For an overview of how SHRA fits within the full structure of Sacramento metro governance, the /index provides a navigational framework across all covered jurisdictions and agencies.

References

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