Section 8 Administrative Plan Richard E. Homenick, Executive Director Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority 375 Broadway, Schenectady, New York 12305 Revised: April 1, 2015 Brian Adams, Director of Assisted Housing – (518) 386-7025 SECTION 8 ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY .............................................................................................. 1 1.1 FAIR HOUSING ............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION ..................................................................................... 1 1.3 COMMUNICATION .......................................................................................................... 1 1.4 QUESTIONS TO ASK IN GRANTING THE ACCOMMODATION ............................................... 2 1.5 SERVICES FOR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING APPLICANTS AND PARTICIPANTS ........................ 3 1.6 FAMILY/OWNER OUTREACH ......................................................................................... 3 1.7 RIGHT TO PRIVACY ..................................................................................................... 4 1.8 REQUIRED POSTINGS ................................................................................................... 4 2.0 OBLIGATIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHENECTADY MUNICIPAL HOUSING AUTHORITY, SECTION 8 OWNER/LANDLORD, AND FAMILIES .............. 5 2.1 SCHENECTADY MUNICIPAL HOUSING AUTHORITY RESPONSIBILITIES .................................. 5 2.2 OWNER RESPONSIBILITY .............................................................................................. 6 2.3 OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTICIPANT .............................................................................. 7 3.0 ELIGIBILITY FOR ADMISSION.................................................................................. 10 3.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 10 3.2 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ................................................................................................. 10 4.0 MANAGING THE WAITING LIST ............................................................................... 15 4.1 OPENING AND CLOSING THE WAITING LIST ..................................................................15 4.2 TAKING APPLICATIONS ................................................................................................15 4.3 ORGANIZATION OF THE WAITING LIST ..........................................................................16 4.4 FAMILIES NEARING THE TOP OF THE WAITING LIST ......................................................16 4.5 MISSED APPOINTMENTS ..............................................................................................16 4.6 PURGING THE WAITING LIST .......................................................................................17 4.7 REMOVAL OF APPLICANTS FROM THE WAITING LIST .....................................................17 4.8 GROUNDS FOR DENIAL ...............................................................................................17 4.9 NOTIFICATION OF NEGATIVE ACTIONS ..........................................................................18 4.10 INFORMAL REVIEW .....................................................................................................19 5.0 SELECTING FAMILIES FROM THE WAITING LIST .................................................. 19 5.1 WAITING LIST ADMISSIONS AND SPECIAL ADMISSIONS ...................................................19 5.2 PREFERENCES ...........................................................................................................19 5.3 SELECTION FROM THE WAITING LIST .......................................................................... 20 6.0 ASSIGNMENT OF BEDROOM SIZES (SUBSIDY STANDARDS) .............................. 21 6.1 BRIEFING .................................................................................................................. 22 6.2 PACKET .................................................................................................................... 23 6.3 ISSUANCE OF VOUCHER; REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF TENANCY ................................. 24 6.4 TERM OF THE VOUCHER ........................................................................................... 25 6.5 APPROVAL TO LEASE A UNIT ..................................................................................... 25 6.6 SCHENECTADY MUNICIPAL HOUSING AUTHORITY DISAPPROVAL OF OWNER .................... 26 6.7 INELIGIBLE/ELIGIBLE HOUSING ................................................................................... 27 6.8 SECURITY DEPOSIT ................................................................................................... 27 7.0 MOVES WITH CONTINUED ASSISTANCE ............................................................... 29 7.1 WHEN A FAMILY MAY MOVE ...................................................................................... 29 7.2 PROCEDURES REGARDING FAMILY MOVES .................................................................. 29 8.0 PORTABILITY ............................................................................................................ 31 8.1 GENERAL POLICIES OF THE SCHENECTADY MUNICIPAL HOUSING AUTHORITY ..................31 8.2 INCOME ELIGIBILITY ....................................................................................................31 8.3 PORTABILITY: ADMINISTRATION BY RECEIVING HOUSING AUTHORITY ...............................31 8.4 PORTABILITY PROCEDURES ........................................................................................ 32 9.0 DETERMINATION OF FAMILY INCOME ................................................................... 34 9.1 INCOME, EXCLUSIONS FROM INCOME, DEDUCTIONS FROM INCOME ................................ 34 9.2 INCOME .................................................................................................................... 34 9.3 EXCLUSIONS FROM INCOME ....................................................................................... 36 9.4 DEDUCTIONS FROM ANNUAL INCOME .......................................................................... 38 10.0 VERIFICATION ........................................................................................................... 40 10.1 ACCEPTABLE METHODS OF VERIFICATION ................................................................... 40 10.2 TYPES OF VERIFICATION ............................................................................................ 42 10.3 VERIFICATION OF CITIZENSHIP OR ELIGIBLE NONCITIZEN STATUS .................................. 44 10.4 VERIFICATION OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS ............................................................ 45 10.5 TIMING OF VERIFICATION ........................................................................................... 46 10.6 FREQUENCY OF OBTAINING VERIFICATION ................................................................... 46 11.0 RENT AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENT ...................................................... 47 11.1 GENERAL.................................................................................................................. 47 11.2 RENT REASONABLENESS ............................................................................................ 47 11.3 COMPARABILITY......................................................................................................... 47 11.4 MAXIMUM SUBSIDY ................................................................................................... 47 11.4.1 SETTING THE PAYMENT STANDARD ......................................................................... 48 11.4.2 SELECTING THE CORRECT PAYMENT STANDARD FOR A FAMILY .............................. 49 11.4.3 AREA EXCEPTION RENTS ....................................................................................... 49 11.5 ASSISTANCE AND RENT FORMULAS ............................................................................ 50 11.6 UTILITY ALLOWANCE .................................................................................................. 54 11.7 DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENT ...................................................... 55 11.8 CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP ........................................................................................... 55 12.0 INSPECTION POLICIES, HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS, AND DAMAGE CLAIMS 55 12.1 TYPES OF INSPECTIONS............................................................................................. 56 12.2 OWNER AND FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY ......................................................................... 56 12.3 HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS (HQS) 24 CFR 982.401 ............................................. 57 12.4 TIME FRAMES AND CORRECTIONS OF HQS FAIL ITEMS ................................................ 66 12.5 EMERGENCY FAIL ITEMS ............................................................................................ 67 12.6 ABATEMENT .............................................................................................................. 67 13.0 OWNER CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES, UNPAID RENT, AND VACANCY LOSS AND PARTICIPANT'S INSUING RESPONSIBILITIES ........................................................ 69 13.1 OWNER CLAIMS FOR PRE-OCTOBER 2, 1995, UNITS ................................................... 69 13.2 PARTICIPANT