Family Public Housing
Eligibility
Non income based screening factors:
Criminal or Drug-related activity
Rental history
Housekeeping
Credit Check
Social Security Number Check
Tenant name and address
Other public information available to PHA
Whether domestic violence was a factor in poor rental history
Selection and Assignment
A Ready Pool of Applicants is created by bedroom size, preference and time of application,projected demand for tenants, turn-over rates of current public housing, housing conditions in the City of Harrisburg and immediate surrounding areas and anticipated vacancy
HHA selects a minimum of four eligible applicants first in sequence form the wait list for each predicted vacant unit.
Once selected the applicants are screened to ensure the de-concentration of families with serious social problems
Screening criteria can be found in: The Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy
Preferences
HHA does not plan to exceed the federal targeting requirements by targeting more than 40% of all new admissions to public housing to families at or below 30% of the median area income.
Transfers will take precedence over new admissions in the following circumstances
Emergencies
Medical justification
Administrative reasons determined by HHA
To protect residents from hate crimes and reprisals
To provide units with accessibility features
To achieve deconcentration
For Victims of Domestic Violence
Admission Preferences
Involuntary Displacement
1. Disaster , Government Action, Action of Housing Owner, Inaccessibility, Property Disposition
2. Victims of domestic violence
3. Homelessness
4. Working families and those unable to work because of age or disability
5. Veterans and veterans’ families
6. Residents who live and/or work in the jurisdiction
1-5 are given equal preference, while 6 comes second to 1-5
Those of equal preference are selected by date and time of application
Unit assignment
Applicants are given 2 vacant unit choices before they are removed from the waiting list.
Occupancy
Rules of occupancy can be found in:
The HHA’s resident lease
The HHA’s continued Occupancy Policy
The HHA’s briefing seminars or written materials
Family composition rules:
Residents must notify the HHA of changes in family composition at
Annual reexaminations and lease renewal
Any time family composition changes
Anytime the family requests for revision
Notification includes:
A report in writing
Within 14 days of the change
Rent Determination
Income based rent policies
The HHA will employ discretionary rent-setting policies for income based rent in public housing
Minimum rent= $50.00
NO ceiling rent
The HHA does plan to charge rents at a fixed amount or percentage less than 30% of adjusted income
Residents may choose between flat rent or 30% income based rent
Discretionary deductions and/or exclusion policies
For the earned income of a previously unemployed household member
For increases in earned income
Fixed amount between annual re-certifications
Tenant paid alimony
Tenant paid child support
Actual amount needed to purchase uniforms, tools, equipment, not otherwise reimbursed
Cost of child care for older children when adults work nights
Un-reimbursed tuition, books, supplies and fees
Rent Re-determinations
A tenant is required to report changes in income or family composition to the HHA within 14 days of a change in income
Setting Flat Rents
The following sources help the HHA set the market based flat rents:
The section 8 rent reasonableness study of comparable housing
Surveys of rents listed in the local news paper
Surveys of similar unassisted units in the neighborhood.
