What is the function of a Public Housing Authority (PHA)?

The primary function of a Public Housing Authority (PHA) is to administer federal housing assistance programs locally. PHAs are responsible for overseeing various programs aimed at providing affordable housing options to low- and moderate-income families. This includes managing the distribution of funds from federal programs such as the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) and the Public Housing program.

By operating at the local level, PHAs can effectively address the specific housing needs of their communities, ensuring that residents have access to safe and affordable living conditions. They also play a key role in the application and qualification processes for housing assistance, maintaining the properties, and ensuring that they meet federal regulations and standards.

The other options do not accurately reflect the core responsibilities of PHAs. Monitoring environmental conditions in public housing is typically part of broader governmental or environmental oversight, financial aid to private developers does not fall within the typical responsibilities of a PHA, and managing commercial real estate properties is generally outside the scope of public housing authorities, which focus primarily on residential housing assistance.