Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

Transcription

1 Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Staff training on updates & changes to the administrative plan Training PPT Created & Presented by: Rekha Nair, Data Analyst Date: Friday, May 1, 2015

2 Section Final determination and notification of eligibility submitted documents New Subsection Requires that the LA provide acknowledgement that documents have been received by the LA by completing a Document Receipt Form

3 Section Definition of Groups of Persons that may qualify as family Definition of FAMILY : a group of people related by blood, marriage, adoption or affinity that lives together in a stable family relationship Children temporarily absent from the home due to foster care placement are considered to be participant members Unborn child/children in the process of being adopted are considered as participant members to determine bedroom size, not income limits (continued)

4 What is an ELDERLY FAMILY? A family whose head, spouse or sole member is at least 62 years of age Two or more persons who are at least 62 years of age living together One or more persons who are at least 62 years of age living with one or more live-in aides

5 Section Family Guests Guests cannot reside in the unit for more than 60 days or 15 consecutive days in a calendar year

6 Section 6.01 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Assistance to families claiming discrimination We will provide information to applicants and participants of our program regarding discrimination and any recourse available to them if they feel they are victims of discrimination Fair Housing = enforces and establishes policies that make sure all Americans have equal access to the housing of their choice The fair housing logo and language will be placed on all CVR documents All fair housing related documents are included in the initial and move packets

7 Section 8.0- Disapproval of Owner The LA will deny participation by an owner at the direction of HUD or for any of the reasons listed in the administrative plan This information is included in the Landlord Responsibilities in the move packet

8 Section 9.01 Terminating for Alcohol Abuse or Criminal Drug Activity As listed in the family obligations, alcohol/drug related criminal activities may lead to termination of assistance

9 Section 9.02 Termination of Assistance to Sex Offenders Participant or family member who was admitted to the program after June 25, 2001 and are subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender will be terminated (PIH Notice issued on June 11, 2012) Sex offender registration MUST be checked at all recertifications (continued)

10 Section 9.02 Termination of Assistance to Sex Offenders If the participant (HOH) is listed as a sex offender, then the file must go to your supervisor for termination If it is another adult member in the household, we can inform the HOH to remove the member. If the HOH does not cooperate, then the file goes for termination

11 Section 11.0 Family Absence from the Dwelling Unit No adult member of the family can be absent from the unit for more than 30 days unless authorized by the PHA with a prior written permission request from the family Authorized absences may not exceed 180 days Any family absent from the unit for more than 30 days without authorization will be terminated Authorized absences include prolonged hospitalization, absences beyond the control of the family (other family member illness, death in the family, etc.) and other absences deemed necessary by the LA

12 Section Confinement to Nursing Home or Hospital If a family member is permanently confined to a hospital or nursing home, the LA will eliminate the income and medical deduction of the person upon proper notification from the family If a reduction in bedroom size or payment standard is necessary, the new payment standard will be effective at the next annual reexamination or during the move to another unit by the family (whichever comes first)

13 Section Payment Standards and Reasonable Accommodation Reasonable Accommodation = authorization to grant exception payment standards between 90% and 110% of the Fair Market Rent to provide reasonable accommodation for a family with disabilities Tenant must submit a reasonable accommodation request in writing along with proof that substantiates the persons disability which will then be reviewed by CVR (Lorna/Felicia)

14 Section 19.0 Participant Payments for Amounts Owed to PHA (Repayments) The term of a repayment agreement is between one to thirty six months depending on the discretion of the PHA. Extensions beyond 36 months will not be granted Failure to enter into a repayment agreement or defaults on existing repayment agreements can lead to termination All repayments must be sent to the Bank of America lock box made payable to Housing Trust Fund Corp. (Tenants should no longer be mailing their payments to the Section 8 office)

15 Section 19.0 Repayments (continued) Any participant who is terminated with a remaining repayment balance will be entered into the EIV Debts owed to PHA module

16 Section Interim Recertification All interim requests received (regardless of the amount) must be processed The threshold of the tenant portion increasing by $50 or more has been removed on processing IR s

17 Section Effective Date Change for Interim Recertification If a participant submits required documentation of the decrease in income within 10 business days of the date the change occurred, the change in participant share will be effective the first of the month following the date the income change occurred.

18 Section Zero Income Families FOR WESTCHESTER : Zero Income meetings will be done every 90 days (Once in three months) rather than the monthly meetings currently held If a participant misses his/her appointment, then they will be given a second & final appointment for the following month after the missed appointment FOR BRONX: Zero income packets should be mailed out once in 90 days. After two attempts, if no response from tenant then submit file for termination

19 Section Housing Quality Standards Biennial inspections (Under review, cannot be rolled out at this time)

20 Section Section 8 Home Ownership LA will use current minimum wage and current minimum disability incomes for all eligibility decisions

21 Section Home Inspections Unit must pass HQS prior to issuing the first payment towards the mortgage

22 Section Determination of Home Ownership Assistance Levels There is no partial monthly assistance payments in the home ownership program HAP payments are to be made directly to the lender or the family If any HAP payments are being made directly to the family and the family becomes delinquent in payments, the LA may make future payments directly to the lender

23 Section Mortgage Financing & Down Payments Clarifies signatures required on deed and mortgage documents

24 Section Portability Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) regulations provide a portability feature after an initial lease up of one year

25 Section Length & Continuation of Assistance The maximum length of time a non-elderly. Nondisabled family may receive home ownership assistance is 15 years if the mortgage has a term of at least 20 years There is a 10 year time limit for home ownership voucher assistance for mortgages less than 20 years There are no limits for elderly and disabled families

26 Section Home Ownership Option 10-Year Asset Exclusion The home purchased under the HCV program is exempt from being counted as an asset for the first 10 years after the closing date

27 Section Termination As per CFR , Section 8 Home Ownership Assistance may be denied or terminated based on CFR24 Sections , , and for Mortgage Default.

28 Section File Documents for Audit Trail This section lists the file documents that should be used in each HCV Home Ownership file to maintain a clear audit trail for each Section 8 home owner

29 Section Annual Recertification Documents Required in Home Ownership Files Proof of : Income and family composition Home Owners insurance policy or declaration page Mortgage is current Taxes are current (example: school, property, etc.) Utilities are current If condo or coop, payment of operating charges/maintenance fees are current

30 Section Re-enrollment in the Home Ownership Program Reinstates the re-enrollment policy for home ownership program

31 Section & HAP Contract Amendments (Unit Substitution/Addition) PBV Unit Allocation- specific units are assigned to the PBV HAPC during the duration of the HAPC HCR may consider unit substitutions only where there are reasonable accommodation requests Unit substitutions must be located within the same project, have the same number of bedrooms and meet HQS requirements CVR must submit request in writing to HCR and the HAPC amendment will only be considered during the three-year period following the execution date of the project s contract

32 Section Selection of Families from the Waiting List for Project-Based Units Site based waiting lists are maintained for each development CVR selects applicants from the site based waiting list when a PBV vacant unit becomes available CVR is responsible for referring eligible families to the owners from the specific site based waiting list(s) Owner is responsible for screening applicant for suitability

33 Section HQS Inspections ALL PBV sites must meet Housing Quality Standards (HQS) All new/turnover units must comply with HQS CVR must inspect at least 20% of the contract units in each project CVR currently inspect 100% of all PBV units at all sites Turnover unit inspections may not be counted towards meeting the required 20%

34 Section New Section Title: Overhoused, Under-housed and Accessible Units Families residing at a PBV site must occupy an appropriately sized unit as defined in the section 10.0 of the Admin Plan (subsidy standards) If the family is not in an appropriate sized unit, the family will be required to move to the correct unit size The family will be given a reasonable time frame to move (not to exceed 180 days from the date the family is notified) CVR may grant extensions if needed for reasons beyond the family s control If family does not accept the offer for continued assistance in the appropriate sized unit and does not move out of the PBV unit within a reasonable time CVR will terminate the HAP payments for the wrong sized unit

35 Section Supportive Service Requirements When a PBV site exceeds the 25% cap of units under HAPC, HUD requires the site to offer Supportive Services to existing and new tenants Supportive Services are similar to the Family Self- Sufficiency Program The Supportive services are offered as a way to learn new skills, enhance existing talents and improve their quality of life

36 Section Supportive Service Requirements (continued) Sites with supportive services/fss are: Levister (services under the Family Self Sufficiency Program) Twin Parks (Services offered under CVR s SSP) Canaan House (Services offered form Hope Community) All of the above sites are closely monitored by CVR regardless of Service Provider

37 Section Determination & Redetermination of Rent Upon the owners written request HCR will re-determine the rent The PBV rent request can only be reviewed at the anniversary of the HAP Contract The rent must be reasonable The units must meet all applicable Housing Quality Standards The contract rents at PBV sites may not exceed 110% of the FMR s All rent increase requests for any PBV site must be directed to CVR Director

38 Section Enhanced Voucher Assistance If the family is eligible for Enhanced Voucher, there is no HAP payment because the family s TTP is equal to or greater than the gross rent The LA must inform the family that if there is an increase/decrease in rent within 5 years of the initial eligibility determination, the family can inform the change to the LA It is the family s responsibility to notify the LA of the change

39 Conclusion