Parish honors former longtime Library Board member at meeting
– A landlord who has rented property to Section 8 clients in the past spoke to the St. Martin Parish Council at its meeting on Sept. 2 concerning the way she and a client who was trying to rent property from her were treated by the parish’s Section 8 housing head, and the lack of oversight that she believes the Section 8 housing unit receives in the parish.
Both the parish president and St. Martin Parish Housing Department Director Jennifer Tyler, who oversees the Section 8 program for the parish, denied the allegations.
Darlene Dundas, who owns more than 10 properties in the St. Martinville area and has owned properties here since 2013, said that a woman was attempting to move from Abbeville to St. Martinville because the area she previously lived in was too dangerous for her four children and had applied for and received a Section 8 voucher.
Dundas said that the parish Section 8 office did not approve rental of her property for the woman, and the woman later was told that her voucher was no longer valid.
“I have been having some problems with the Section 8 housing department for the parish,” she said. “I have spoken to several people trying to get some clarity and there is no clarity, so I felt compelled today to be here so that all of the council members will hear my cry, my plea, for some type of oversight.”
But Parish President Pete Delcambre, speaking after looking into the issue, said that Dundas has not been active in the parish Section 8 program since 2022 and that though she said she had filed a complaint with the state office in New Orleans, as of Wednesday the New Orleans office had not seen any such complaint, nor from the potential tenant.
Delcambre added that if a landlord has not been active in the parish Section 8 program for one year they must reapply to be included in the program, and said Dundas had not done that.
A Section 8 voucher is a federal assistance program that helps low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities pay for housing in the private rental market.
Tenants pay about 30 to 40 percent of their income for rent and utilities under the program, and the local public housing agency pays the remaining balance to the landlord, with funds coming from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The parish PHA manages waiting lists, applications and voucher distribution in St. Martin Parish, with St. Martinville also having its own Section 8 housing department.
Section 8
Delcambre spoke after the meeting on the issue after his attempts to explain that were cut off by Dundas, who said that landlords only apply for Section 8 housing contracts after a tenant has applied for a voucher and agreed with a landlord to rent a property.
Delcambre provided the parish Section 8 HUD certification for local PHA plans that lists requirements and procedures which must be followed by approved Section 8 participants.
“The PHA will maintain lists of available housing submitted by owners in all neighborhoods within the Housing Authority’s jurisdiction to ensure greater mobility and housing choices to very low-income households,” a portion of Section 1-11 reads. “The lists of [owners/units] will be [provided at the front desk/mailed on request] and provided at briefings. The list will be updated monthly.
“After a year of non-participation, a landlord must update and complete all new forms and participate in a landlord briefing.”
Delcambre said that without reapplication the landlord loses participation status with the Section 8 Overseer.
“Mrs. Dundas’ last interaction with the SMPG Section 8 program was March 2022, therefore making March of 2023 as the trigger date of reapplication,” he said in an email. “To date no reapplication with the SM Parish Section 8 program has occurred. Thus, making any and all claims to denial of any current application null and void. To date no reapplication by Mrs. Dundas has occurred, making any and all claims to any current voucher application null and void with no validation.”
Dundas said she felt that after having problems with the parish Section 8 housing authority a few years ago she was blacklisted.
Dundas said that when the tenant who was trying to rent her house this year applied with the St. Martin Section 8 authority, she was told she needed to find another house and said that Section 8 director Jennifer Tyler said she and the landlord do not get along and that Dundas’ house doesn’t qualify for Section 8 housing.
Dundas said she sent a message to the state office about the situation, but soon after the tenant called saying she had received a letter stating that her voucher was no longer valid and would have to go on a waiting list until 2027.
Dundas added that her houses are all rented now and she doesn’t need Section 8 housing contracts but that some people do rent to Section 8 tenants and the department needs (Chris
oversight.
Delcambre attempted to explain the policies and administrative plan that the parish follows in an abridged version and an unabridged version, saying that the last time she was in the program was in 2022.
He then said that the parish housing policies state that after a year of non-participation, landlords must update their forms to participate in Section 8 housing.
Dundas interrupted and said Delcambre was incorrect and that only after a tenant receives a voucher and chooses a property to rent is the landlord sent the forms to fill out.
But because Dundas said she has a lawyer ready to address the issue and witnesses lined up, Delcambre said he would not continue speaking at the meeting about the issue until talking with the parish legal counsel.
Delcambre said he would look into the issue but could not talk to or even look for the name of the tenant who had the issues Dundas mentioned, because of federal and state privacy laws.
Honoring others
The parish president presented a proclamation on behalf of the parish council to Kelli Cantu of Chez Hope naming October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in St. Martin Parish.
Chez Hope is a family violence crisis center and domestic violence organization that serves St. Martin, St. Mary, Iberia and Assumption parishes.
The council also passed a resolution, read by Councilwoman Carla JeanBatiste, recognizing the late Freda Harrison for her years of dedication and service to the St. Martin Parish Library Board of Control, on which she served since 1980.
Harrison’s daughter, Anyia Chretien, and sonin- law, Jason Chretien, were on hand to receive a copy of the resolution.
SECTION 8 HOUSING – Darlene Dundas, who owns several rental properties in the St. Martinville area, talks to the St. Martin Parish Council about what she said was unfair treatment from the parish Section 8 housing authority and what she feels is a lack of oversight for the department head from the parish administration. (Chris Landry)
PROCLAMATION SIGNED – Kelli Cantu of Chez Hope, an organization providing help to people and families suffering from domestic violence in four parishes, was presented a proclamation naming October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in St. Martin Parish. Parish President Pete Delcambre, right, signed the proclamation on behalf of parish government and the St. Martin Parish Council. Landry)
