Moving
1. What if I change my mind about moving; can I stay where I am?
2. I did what you said but the landlord is holding me responsible for payment of some of the back rent; can my landlord do this?
3. I found a place I like and turned in papers but later I wanted someone added to my household. My Housing Specialist says I have to wait until my paperwork is completed on my new unit to add the new person, why?
4. How much time do I have to find new housing?
5. I know someone who took longer than 120 days and they were not disabled; how come they got more time?
6. What happens if I run out of time?
7. I know some who lost their Section 8 and was denied a hearing; why?
8. What will my portion of the rent be?
Section 8 Household
1. How do I remove someone from my household?
2. How do I add someone to my household?
3. Will my subsidy size – number of bedrooms -be increased when I add someone to my household?
4. When is my anniversary date?
5. Why do I have to recertify four months is advance?
6. Why do I have to turn in my application before I come to my appointment?
7. What are the requirements for reporting income
8. When I report a change of income, when will my rent be adjusted
9. What is the difference between the Section 8 Voucher Rental Assistance Program and Public Housing?
10. When I report a change of income, when will my rent be adjusted
11. What are some of the benefits for Section 8 participation
12. What do I do if I have been notified that my unit is in foreclosure?
13. May I move if my unit is in foreclosure?
Shelter Plus Care Program and Project-Based
1. What is the difference between a HCV voucher and S+C certificate?
2. What is the difference between the gross rent, the payment standard and the amount I can spend on rent?
3. Why can’t I pay more rent than the 30% of my income in order to have more space? (S+C question)
4. Can I move out of Monroe County or out of state as an Shelter Plus Care participant?
5. What is the difference between Project Based Assistance and the Housing Choice Voucher?
6. Can I have pets as a Shelter Plus Care client?
7. Will RHA pay for moving or security deposits?
8. If my spouse or significant other and I separate and I’m not head of household, can I have a voucher or certificate?
9. If I decide to quit my job or choose to work fewer hours, why won’t RHA pay my entire rent?
10. Is there a limit to the number of people I may add to my household?
Moving
1. What if I change my mind about moving; can I stay where I am?
A: It depends:
If you and your landlord signed a “Dissolution of Lease” which terminated your contract and you both are willing to sign a reinstatement agreement; it may be possible for you to stay in place.
If you terminated your lease at the end of your contract you may stay in place BUT your land lord would have to sign new paperwork; just like you were moving in. The unit would have to pass inspection and a new contract would have to be executed.
2. I did what you said but the landlord is holding me responsible for payment of some of the back rent; can my landlord do this?
A: It depends:
If you terminated by a “Dissolution of Lease” and both you and your landlord sign a reinstatement agreement, the landlord would be paid and the lease and HUD contract would continue under the original terms. In this situation we would pay the landlord.
If you terminated at the end of your lease, then the unit must pass inspection before we can execute a new HUD contract and pay the Landlord. You would be liable for any rent between the time you terminated the old contract and the time a new contract took effect.
3. I found a place I like and turned in papers but later I wanted someone added to my household. My Housing Specialist says I have to wait until my paperwork is completed on my new unit to add the new person, why?
A: Once papers are in and we are in the process of making a HUD contract with your new landlord we do not make changes in income or household composition unless it would benefit you in obtaining a property that you otherwise could not afford. However, we do alert your regular Housing Specialist that a change is necessary and he/she will do the change once you are housed.
4. How much time do I have to find new housing?
A: You are initially given 60 days to find new housing but we can extend your time up to a maximum of 120 days. If you are disabled, you may be granted extension up to a maximum of 150 days.
5. I know someone who took longer than 120 days and they were not disabled; how come they got more time?
A: The clock stops once you have turned in papers on a new unit and will not restart unless the unit cannot pass inspection or you change your mind and request a 2nd set of papers to look elsewhere. HUD allows us to do this so that a person is given their full allotted time to look.
6. What happens if I run out of time?
A: Your voucher will expire and you will no longer be eligible for a Section 8 subsidy. That is why it is extremely important that you are prepared going into the moving process. Reviewing the “When Moving Be Aware” before starting the moving process will help you consider some of the pitfalls of the moving process and could serve as a check list.
7. I know some who lost their Section 8 and was denied a hearing; why?
A: . According to HUD directives you must be under a HUD contract to be a participant and only participants of the program are permitted hearings. Once you have terminated your HUD contract with your landlord and are in the moving process you are no longer considered a Section 8 participant and therefore no longer entitled to a hearing.
8. What will my portion of the rent be?
A: You will be required to pay 30% of your adjusted gross income, if the gross rent for the unit is at or below the current Payment Standard. If the gross rent of unit is more than the current Payment Standard, HUD caps your share of the rent at 40% of your adjusted gross income. Rents for tenants receiving Public Assistance are capped at the shelter allowance determined by the county.
Section 8 Household FAQ
1. How do I remove someone from my household?
The head of household must complete the Notification of Family Member Move-Out form and submit it along with proof of the new address for the person who is leaving. Examples of acceptable proof of address can be one of the following:
• Copy of a lease for the new address
• Copy of a utility bill for the new address
• Post Office change of address postcard
• Social Security letter showing a change of address
• Copy of legal divorce or separation papers in the case of a married couple when a spouse leaves the unit
• Copy of legal custody or guardianship papers
• DSS Notice of Decision for a new Public Assistance case other than Food Stamps or Medicaid.
2. How do I add someone to my household?
It is a program regulation and part of your Family Obligations to request PHA written approval to add any other person as an occupant of your unit. You must complete and return a Request for Addition to Household form along with all the required documentation noted on the form BEFORE permitting anyone to move into your unit. If the addition to your household is an unrelated minor, guardianship/custody papers will be required. If the addition to your household is an adult, 18 years of age or older, signed consent forms and criminal record information will be required.
3. Will my subsidy size – number of bedrooms -be increased when I add someone to my household?
Your subsidy size/number of bedrooms will be reevaluated at your next annual re-exam.
Subsidy size is based on family composition.
4. When is my anniversary date?
Answer: Your anniversary date is determined by the month that a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Contract is executed with your landlord for the unit that you choose to occupy. For example, if the HAP contract is effective anytime during the month of June, your anniversary date will be June. If you move to a new unit and the HAP contract is executed in September, your anniversary date will change to September.
5. Why do I have to recertify four months is advance?
Actually, the recertification process starts six months prior to your anniversary date which allows sufficient time for the unit to pass inspection and for you and your landlord to comply with HUD and RHA policies and regulations. RHA’s policy is to have all annual re-exams completed one month prior to the anniversary date. For example, for a July anniversary date:
February – Recertification lists are assembled.
March 1st – Recertification packets and landlord letters are mailed.
April – Program participants are scheduled for interviews. Inspection letters are mailed.
May – Follow up letters are mailed to participants and inspection appointments are scheduled.
June – All recertifications are to be completed by the first of the month. Reinspections are scheduled.
July – HAP payments are held for units that have not passed inspection.
August 1st– Contracts are terminated if the unit has not passed inspection.
6. Why do I have to turn in my application before I come to my appointment?
Your application and required documentation is reviewed by a clerk first to help the appointment go faster and easier for both you and the housing specialist. The clerk will help you to correctly complete the application, answer general questions, and gather all necessary signatures. The clerk will also remind you to send in missing required documentation. This process is called packaging. Having the preliminary work done before your appointment allows the housing specialist time to analyze your information to properly determine your subsidy size and housing assistance payment. You then have the opportunity to discuss your situation with your housing specialists, review calculations and ask questions.
7. What are the requirements for reporting income?
Participants of the Housing Choice Voucher program are required to report any changes of income for any family member within 30 days of occurrence. Failure to report may be considered Program Abuse which could result in repayment or contract termination. Reported changes are reviewed to determine if there will be any change to the family’s share of the rent. Cost of living increases for Social Security benefits (SS, SSI, SSD) do not have to be reported.
8. When I report a change of income, when will my rent be adjusted?
Answer: There are a number of factors to be considered before a change of income is made. Income changes could cause your share of the rent to increase, decrease or remain the same. The date, type of change, amount of change, reason for the change and documentation you provide must all be considered before a determination can be made. Generally, your request for a change will be processed within 30 days providing all the supporting documentation is received. Approved requests for an increase in assistance received before the 15th of the month will be effective for the first of the next month. Approved requests for an increase in assistance received after the 15th of the month will be effective for the first of the second full month. Income changes reported within 30 days of occurrence resulting in an increase to the family’s share of the rent will be effective the first of the third month.
An income change reported after 30 days of occurrence resulting in an increase to the family’s share of the rent will be effective the first of the month after reporting. This may also cause a repayment.
9. What is the difference between the Section 8 Voucher Rental Assistance Program and Public Housing?
Answer: The Section 8 Voucher Program provides rental assistance to eligible individuals and families who find their own unit in the private rental housing market. The rented units are owned by a private landlord. Participants generally pay 30% of income as rent and may be allowed to pay up to 40%. The difference between the tenant’s portion and the contract rent is paid directly to the landlord. Eligible participants may transfer their voucher to other parts of the country including Puerto Rico.
Public Housing consists of properties that RHA owns and manages. RHA is the landlord. The rental assistance is tied to the unit. The rental assistance ends once you move out of Public Housing. Tenants pay 30% of income as rent. Some properties are designated for senior and or disabled populations. Some sites offer resident councils, social services and community activities. Public housing also has programs such as employment and job training, child-care, after school programs, elderly assistance and case management.
10. Will RHA pay security deposits and moving expenses?
No. These are the responsibility of the program participant.
11. What are some of the benefits for Section 8 participation?
• Housing Assistance payments are mailed directly to the owner or owner/agent.
• Risks of rent default are reduced because the tenant’s portion of rent is based on income.
• RHA enforces the family obligations portion of the Section 8 Program.
• A program participant may be terminated from the Section 8 Program for violating the terms of the lease.
• RHA maintains an available apartment listing to assist program participants in searching for housing. Vacancy loss may decrease as a result of this free advertising.
• The owner/landlord is responsible for screening applicants. This allows full discretion in tenant selection.
• Owner/landlords are given the names and address of units previously occupied by prospective tenants, thus helping in the screening and selection process.
• Initial and annual HQS inspections assist the owner with identifying areas requiring repair and help to maintain the overall quality of the unit and neighborhood housing stock.
12. What do I do if I have been notified that my unit is in foreclosure?
Answer: Usually, your first notification is when you receive the foreclosure papers. The papers will include the name and phone number of an attorney. Call the attorney to find out when the process started and to get an estimate of how long it will be before the foreclosure will be completed, normally six to nine months. You can track the foreclosure process by calling the attorney periodically.
Call your housing specialist immediately to inform her of your situation and the status of the foreclosure. The landlord is entitled to the rent as long as he owns the property. Continue to pay your portion of the rent, RHA will continue to make housing assistance payments, and you may remain in the unit until the foreclosure process is completed. At anytime during the foreclosure process, if the landlord makes whole his arrears, the process stops and your tenancy will continue.
13. May I move if my unit is in foreclosure?
Answer: If you are in the first year of your lease, you must wait until the foreclosure is completed and your housing specialist has received the proof. If you have been under contract for more than a year and have signed a new one year lease, the landlord must be willing to break the lease to allow you to move. If you have been under contract for more than a year and you have not signed a new lease, you may give the landlord a proper 30 day notice to move. In all cases, DO NOT move without complying with RHA regulations and procedures. Contact your housing specialist who will guide you through the process.
Shelter Plus Care Program and Project-Based FAQ
1. What is the difference between a HCV voucher and S+C certificate?
A Housing Choice Voucher is a voucher issued to an eligible applicant from the waiting list and which allows the client to live anywhere within the United States. The Shelter Plus Care certificate is a certificate, funded by grant monies and is made available to homeless and disabled clients only. Shelter Plus Care clients are required to maintain treatment programs and case management as well as Family Obligations.
2. What is the difference between the gross rent, the payment standard and the amount I can spend on rent?
The gross rent is the contract rent charged by the landlord plus the utilities as determined by RHA. The payment standard is the set amount of rent allowed by HUD for units of certain bedroom sizes. The amount of rent permitted to be paid by the client and RHA including the utilities (gross rent) cannot exceed the amount of the payment standard. Thus, the client will be paying 30% of his/her income as the rent share.
3. Why can’t I pay more rent than the 30% of my income in order to have more space? (S+C question)
This is not permitted by HUD and RHA regulations.
4. Can I move out of Monroe County or out of state as an Shelter Plus Care participant?
Shelter Plus Care clients are in a certificate based program limited to Monroe County. Monroe County has one of the largest Shelter Plus Care Programs in the State; however, many counties and states do not offer the Shelter Plus Care.
5. What is the difference between Project Based Assistance and the Housing Choice Voucher?
In Project Based Assistance HUD issues a specified number of units in a complex as lower rent units. The subsidy is attached to the unit, not the tenant. After one year the tenant may receive a Housing Choice Voucher provided he/she is in good standing and meets eligibility requirements for Section 8.
6. Why is there a limit on the amount of rent that RHA will pay?
RHA is funded by HUD and federal tax dollars and is held to the payment standard assigned by HUD.
7. Can I have pets as a Shelter Plus Care client?
The landlord and the lease determine whether or not the tenant may have a pet on the premises
8. Will RHA pay for moving or security deposits?
RHA pays no security deposits or moving assistance. The Shelter Plus Care Program offers a security deposit agreement to the landlord up to a full month’s rent provided that he/she has not accepted a security deposit or landlord/tenant agreement from another source.
9. If my spouse or significant other and I separate and I’m not head of household, can I have a voucher or certificate?
No. Only the head of household would retain a voucher if the family separates.
10. Is there a limit to the number of people I may add to my household?
No; however, there is a limit with regard to the number of persons permitted on the voucher; therefore, the client may be forced to pay for the additional bedrooms required.
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