Dos & Don'ts, Q & A, Recent Court Rulings, HUD Audits, In the News

Terminating Subsidy for Resident Who Becomes Incarcerated

March 25, 2009    

Q Can a current resident, who is the only member of the household, receive Section 8/202 subsidy if she is sent to prison?

Federal Court Rejects Applicants' Disparate Impact Claim

March 25, 2009    

Facts: Seventeen Hasidic Jews who had applied for or lived in public housing operated by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) challenged NYCHA's Tenant Selection and Assignment Plan (TSAP) as discriminatory in its treatment of Hasidic applicants at three public housing...

HUD Extends Disaster Voucher Program

March 25, 2009    

On Feb. 11, 2009, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced that the Department will extend the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP), which had been set to expire on Feb. 28, 2009. HUD and FEMA will provide additional assistance as needed until Aug. 31, 2009, to people displaced by Hurricanes...

Claiming Son as Live-in Aide

March 25, 2009    

Q A resident has been living in our Section 8 building for over 20 years. She now wants to claim her son as her live-in aide. Can she do this? What do I need to do?

HUD Issues VAWA-Compliant Form, Lease Addendum

March 25, 2009    

The Insider's February 2009 feature, “Comply with VAWA Before Seeking Resident's Eviction,” p. 1, discussed how the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) protects domestic violence victims from being evicted solely on the basis of an incident relating to domestic violence...

"Continuing" Fair Housing Violations Not Barred by Statute of Limitations

February 26, 2009    

Facts: Five fair housing organizations sued the builders and owners of 82 multifamily apartment complexes, alleging that the builders constructed the complexes in a manner that denied access to disabled persons, in violation of the Fair Housing Amendments Act. The builders and owners...

Renters Are a Growing Segment of U.S. Households

February 26, 2009    

According to an analysis of Census data by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the proportion of renters among U.S. households has increased steadily in recent months.

In the fourth quarter of 2008, there were an estimated 632,000 more renter households in the U.S. than during the...

Coordinating Move-out/Move-in Dates

February 26, 2009    

Q Suppose an incoming resident wants to sign a lease for a unit at our site beginning March 1, and the prior site is moving the resident out on February 29. But the incoming resident wants “to sign in” at our site on February 26 to take...

Cost Problem for Grandparent-Headed Households

February 26, 2009    

A 2008 HUD report to Congress on intergenerational housing needs found that about 50 percent of very low-income, grandparent-headed, renter households paid more than half their income...

Include Unemployment Compensation in Resident's Income

February 26, 2009    

HUD considers unemployment compensation to be income, so be sure to include it in your income calculations when certifying and recertifying residents. Even if a resident doesn't know how long he'll be out of work and collecting benefits, according to Handbook 4350.3, an owner must...

Counting SSI Payment: Before or After Wage Deduction?

February 1, 2009    

Q An applicant for a unit at our assisted site is employed but also collects SSI. Because of her wages, the SSI payment is reduced. SSI lists the maximum allowable payment as $637, but then deducts $249.50 because of her wages, making her net monthly...

Excluding Minors from SROs Promotes Legitimate Interest

February 1, 2009    

Facts: A New York City resident who occupied two single room occupancy (SRO) units with her minor children challenged a local ordinance prohibiting children under 16 from occupying SROs, arguing that the restriction violates the Fair Housing Act. She sued the City of New York on the...