TO: Chair and Housing Authority Commissioners
THROUGH: Steve Powers, Executive Director
FROM: Andrew Wilch, Housing Administrator
SUBJECT:
title
Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy
Ward(s): All Wards
Commissioners(s): All Commissioners
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
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ISSUE:
Shall the Authority adopt Resolution No. 2207 revising the Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy for Public Housing?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Adopt Resolution No. 2207 revising the Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy for Public Housing.
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
Salem Housing Authority (SHA) maintains an Admission and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) governing the eligibility and continued participation of applicants and participants for the Public Housing program. SHA updates the ACOP as needed to incorporate regulatory changes, improve program responsiveness to local needs, and add or remove properties from SHA's Public Housing portfolio.
The Public Housing ACOP has been revised to be compliant with all HUD Public Housing regulatory requirements and address revisions for eligibility, denial, termination, and eviction. Violations and waiting periods have been revised or added to be consistent throughout all of SHA’s plans/policies.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
HUD requires the Housing Authority Commission consent to revisions to the Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy. The proposed plans incorporate regulatory and/or policy changes to improve program responsiveness to local needs.
In Chapter 3, on page 50, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Self-Petitioner policy has been established per HUD requirements, allowing eligible non-citizen victims of covered crimes to indicate a satisfactory immigration status when applying for assistance or continued assistance.
In Chapter 3, on page 61, criminal history selection criteria has been revised to comply as clearly as possible with HUD’s Office of General Counsel guidance from April, 2016. Criminal activity subject to denial or termination has been categorized as drug-related, violent, or threatening to the health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment by other residents, persons residing in the immediate vicinity, or SHA staff.
In Chapter 12, on page 245, the required HUD emergency transfer plan has been implemented, giving victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking a right to and a process for requesting an emergency transfer.
The last revision to the Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy was effective July 11, 2016. The proposed revisions would be effective May 15, 2017.
Andrew Wilch
Housing Administrator
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 2207 Adopting Revisions to the Public Housing ACOP
2. Public Housing ACOP, effective May 15, 2017
04/10/2017