Question 1

What are Tenant Projection Vouchers?

Accepted Answer

HUD&rsquo;s Tenant Protection Voucher (TPV) program is for Public Housing Agency (PHA) residents who are in danger of being displaced from a low-income apartment complex that had HUD assisted rents or was owned by the PHA. The program has been around in one form or another since 1996.The displacement could be caused by a variety of reasons, such as:HUD Public Housing is being torn down, sold, or converted to Housing Choice Vouchers.Privately owned housing with a Project Based Section 8 contract where HUD has decided to terminate the contract or chose to not renew, because the owners have consistently not met Housing Quality Standards.Privately owned property with a HUD subsidized mortgage is facing foreclosure.HUD terminates the contract.A Rental Assistance Program expires.A Government assisted mortgage on the property has been paid off before the due date.Section 202 Direct Loans have been paid off early.There are two types of Tenant Protection Vouchers:Enhanced VouchersEnhanced Vouchers which are given to families to enable them to stay in their apartments even if the rents are raised above Fair Market Rents, and Housing Choice Vouchers for families that must move or choose to move.With Enhanced Vouchers:The family has the right to stay in the apartment with enhanced voucher assistance, even if the rent is higher.The family can stay as long as the apartment is used as a rental unit.The lease cannot be terminated unless the family commits serious violations of the lease or for another good cause.The local PHA may determine the current apartment is too big or too small for the family and require the family to move to a smaller or larger apartment within the apartment complex, as soon as one comes available.Housing Choice VouchersIf the family chooses to move, the local PHA will issue the family a Housing Choice Voucher, which goes by the same rules as a normally issued Housing Choice Voucher.This type of Housing Choice Voucher can be used anywhere in the United States or the territories, if the family meets the local PHA&rsquo;s qualifications.The family may also request a voucher to move, prior to the end of any lease term.With specially issued Housing Choice Vouchers:The family must move because their apartment is being demolished.The family&rsquo;s apartment is mandatorily being converted to the Housing Choice Voucher program.

Question 2

Are housing offices open during a federal holiday?

Accepted Answer

Housing authority offices operating on behalf of HUD are closed during federal holidays, but privately managed housing offices may or may not be open. You can contact a privately managed housing office to find out its operations during a federal holiday.

In 2020, each federal holiday will be observed on the following dates:

Wednesday, January 1: New Year’s Day
Monday, January 20: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, February 17: Washington’s Birthday
Monday, May 25: Memorial Day
Friday, July 3: Independence Day
Monday, September 7: Labor Day
Monday, October 12: Columbus Day
Wednesday, November 11: Veterans Day
Thursday, November 26: Thanksgiving Day
Friday, December 25: Christmas Day

These offices also may or may not be open for Election Day, but since it is not a federal holiday, the decision is up to each housing office. This is in regards to both HUD and privately managed offices. In 2020, Election Day is on Tuesday, November 3.

The dates of federal holidays were verified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/are-housing-offices-open-during-a-federal-holiday

Question 3

How can I find out the area the housing authority serves (jurisdiction)?

Accepted Answer

The area the housing authority serves is commonly known as the jurisdiction.

The housing authority's jurisdiction can usually be found on its Annual Plan, on Affordable Housing Online, and sometimes on the housing authority's website. You can also call the housing authority and ask a representative to confirm their jurisdiction.

Each housing authority serves a specific, city (or cities), county (or counties), or the entire state. The area served is its jurisdiction. Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher holders participating in that housing authority's program may only use their voucher within its jurisdiction.

This information can be found on the top of all housing authority pages on Affordable Housing Online. Under the "About Housing Authority" section, you will see the line "The Housing Authority serves..." Those areas are the housing authority's jurisdiction. You can confirm this information with the housing authority.

Many housing authority websites display this information, whether it's on the home page, "About Us" page, or Section 8 program. If the jurisdiction cannot be found, search for the Annual Plan document. This document will state the jurisdiction, and may be found on any of the web pages mentioned above. If this information cannot be found online, contact the housing authority.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/How-Can-I-Find-Out-The-Area-The-HA-Serves

Question 4

What is an income limit?

Accepted Answer

The income limit for an affordable housing program is the maximum amount of income a household can earn to qualify to receive assistance.

The specific figure is based on the city or county's Area Median Income (AMI), and is adjusted depending on how many persons live in the household (including children). Income qualification is generally separated into three main tiers: Low Income (80% AMI), Very Low Income (50% AMI), and Extremely Low Income (30% AMI). However, the number of tiers used and percentage of AMI used for qualification varies by each housing program. The required income limits for a waiting list may be found online on a public notice for a waiting list opening, or the housing authority or apartment community's website. If income limit information cannot be found, contact the appropriate housing authority or apartment community. Scroll up to the search bar on the top of this page to find contact information.

A household's income is calculated by its gross income, which is the total income received before making subtractions for taxes and other deductions. When applying for any HUD affordable housing program, there are certain means of income that do not have to be reported. Required income inclusions and exclusions for HUD programs can be found here.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/what-does-an-income-limit-mean

Question 5

Are housing authorities government agencies?

Accepted Answer

Not really; Housing Authorities are independent, not-for-profit public corporations. However, Housing Authorities get their funding from Housing and Urban Development (HUD) which is a federal government agency (and also other local sources).

The Housing Authority board members are picked by local government, but the Housing Authority must follow the rules and procedures set for them by HUD. They also are audited by HUD, and complaints about a Housing Authority made to HUD will be investigated and send an answer and in some cases, a plan to remedy any problems, back to HUD.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/are-housing-authorities-government-agencies

Question 6

Are housing authorities non-profit?

Accepted Answer

Public Housing Authorities or Agencies are not-for-profits, charted under their state’s laws.

PHAs have solid ties with HUD, state and local governments, but they are considered as independent agencies that work to provide housing for low-income families, elderly citizens, veterans, and persons with disabilities.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/are-housing-authorities-non-profit

Question 7

Is a resident of the housing authority allowed to serve on its board of directors?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in fact, having at least one resident on the housing authority's board is required by law, with a few exceptions.

According to CFR 24, Subtitle B, Chapter IX, Part 964, Subpart E; there are a few scenarios in which a housing authority is not required to have a resident on its board of directors (sometime also referred to as the board of commissioners):

If the housing authority is located in a state that requires the members of its board to work full time with salary pay.
If the housing authority does not have a governing board.

A housing authority may also be exempt from this requirement if it has less than 300 Public Housing units, but only if it meets one of the following conditions:

The housing authority has published a notice to the resident advisory board to inform residents of the opportunity, and there was no response by a resident in 30 days. This notice must be published yearly.
The housing authority only offers the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, and not the Public Housing program.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/Is-a-resident-of-the-housing-authority-allowed-to-serve-on-its-board-of-directors

Question 8

When inspecting the house, what do the inspectors have a right to check? Do they have a right to look in your cupboards, refrigerators or even your stove or oven? Or is that an invasion of privacy?

Accepted Answer

When an inspector comes to assess your unit, they are making sure the house is in good physical condition. Inspectors look at the structure of the unit, whether there is mold or other contaminants, and if there are insects or other animals invading the unit. What an inspector checks has to be related to these factors. They will not open your purse, cupboards, or other personal items, unless it has something to do with the above factors.

Contact the housing authority that manages your unit for further clarification on what may or may not be inspected. You can search our website for housing authority contact information.

Question 9

What are the requirements to be a Section 8 landlord? Are housing quality standards uniform throughout the country?

Accepted Answer

This page on HUD's website is a good place to start to learn about being a landlord. The housing quality standards for the Section 8 program are uniform across the country however, since they are interpreted and enforced by thousands of different housing authorities and inspectors, there are large discrepancies in standards from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. To view HUD's standard quality standards, go here. You should be prepared for different interpretation by different housing authorities and even different inspectors within the same housing authority.

Link to this FAQ: https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-help/What-Are-The-Requirements-To-Be-A-Section-8-Landlord

Frequently Asked Housing Authority Questions