RULES AND REGULATIONS

All issues not addressed in this document related to tenants and participants are governed by HUD Handbook 7420.7, along with applicable Federal regulations, HUD memos and notices, and guidelines or other applicable law.

E. REFERENCE

ARHA’s Section 8 office will be referred to throughout this plan as “Section 8 Office” .

CHAPTER 2 ABOUT THE AUTHORITY A. ORGANIZATIONAL SETUP

The Section 8 Office is responsible for administering the Section 8 Rental Assistance

Programs. This usually begins with responding to HUD's Notice of Fund Availability (NOFA), through identifying owners and families eligible to participate in the program, to termination of participation by owners and families.

The organization has three main areas: Intake, Recertification and Inspections.

The Section 8 operations are specialized and staff are assigned to perform such duties as Intake, outreach to owners and families, eligibility, leasing/contracting, inspections, and income verification including reexamination and computation of tenant rent.

The Section 8 Office is organized into three units: Intake, Recertification, and Inspections.

Staff in the Section 8 Office consists of the following:

1. Housing Program Supervisor:

This position has the primary function of ensuring quality policy development and program management of the programs administered by the Section 8 Rent Assistance Office in compliance with Federal, State and local law and HUD requirements.

This position involves overseeing staff functions and dealing indirectly with tenants or directly with tenants when there are problems to be resolved. The Housing Program Supervisor will assist the Director of Housing Operations, the Executive Director and the ARHA Board of Commissioners in contacts with elected officials, special interest groups, and property owners. The Housing Program Supervisor will also be the Informal Hearing Officer in most situations.

The Housing Program Supervisor oversees Intake, Recertification and Inspections. This supervisor participates in developing and monitoring the financial management activities under control of this office, including the budget.

The Housing Program Supervisor conducts long and short-ranged planning functions, develops, implements, and maintains quality and responsive Customer Service.

2. The Intake Function:

Under the direction of the Housing Prgram Supervisor, the intake responsibilities include handling

preapplications and distribution of applicant’s cases to the Placement Officers.

The Housing Program Supervisor ensures the efficient quality operation of the Section 8 Rental Assistance Program by overseeing all intake and initial leasing duties associated with

The Waiting List Assistant handles all waiting list functions . The Section 8 Waiting List was closed effective July, 1997.. After the total number of applicants becomes lower than 500, the list may be re-opened for one month to obtain new applicants. Section 8 applicants were

placed on the waiting list in chronological order by date; time, residency and non-residency for all applications dated January 1, 1999.

However, these dates are subject to income targeting requirements.

All applications dated on or after January 1, 1999 will be chosen by date, time, residency, number of preferences and income targeting first . Then the next group with applications dated on or after January 1 , 1999 who are non residents, will be chosen by date, time, number of preferences and income targeting next.

The Placement Officer interviews applicants, receives and verifies documentation, which supports the information contained in the client's application, and determines initial eligibility.

The Placement Officer will establish contacts with local private sources, Federal/State/local

government agencies, and maintain contact with certified families to assist in finding rentals and performing follow-up income verifications.

The Placement Officer will conduct Briefings with tenants and landlords, and assist in monitoring the housing market.

The Placement Officer will assist families/landlords in filling out official forms and give eligible families helpful hints in what to look for in a safe, sanitary, and decent home.

The Placement Officer performs the role of a principal advisor and investigator for the Voucher holder to achieve lease-up and continued certification.

The Placement officer is responsible for Voucher Briefings. The position is also responsible for Portability.

The Placement Officer is responsible for determining rent reasonableness.

The Placement Officer handles HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS) applicants for initial lease-up and on-going functions.

3. The Inspection Function:

This unit of the office is responsible for conducting all inspections. The Inspection staff ensures that all inspection activities are carried out in a timely and accurate manner.

The Section 8 Inspectors in this unit work directly with landlords in inspecting housing to determine whether it meets program requirements and whether the family can be assisted at that location.

The Inspector provides input on suitable exceptions to Housing Quality Standards (HQS) that meet HUD requirements.

The Inspector performs initial, annual, complaint and special inspections, as well as the move-out

inspections for damage claim purposes when required. The Inspector also completes all HOPWA inspections.

4. The Recertification Function:

Recertification activities involve families from their first annual anniversary date through termination. The responsibilities generally do not include unit inspections associated with annual inspections. Annual recertification and annual contract rent increases are handled during recertification, as well as conducting the lease-up functions for families moving to other units within the program.

The Placement Officer performs the tasks outlined in this function.

Resolution of disputes between tenants and owners is another key responsibility of the Placement Officer.

The Placement Officer will establish contacts with local private sources, Federal/State/local government agencies, and maintain contact with certified families to assist them in finding rentals and perform follow-up income verifications.

The Placement Officer will conduct Briefings with tenants and landlords, while assisting with owner outreach and monitoring the housing market.

The Placement Officer will assist families/landlords in filling out official forms and counsel eligible families in what to look for in a safe, sanitary and decent home.

The Placement Officer performs the role of a principal advisor for the Voucher holder for continued certification and rental assistance for rent increases, and old participants moving into new units. The Placement Officer conducts rent reasonableness.

The Placement Officer administers the Family Self Sufficiency Program (FSS), and Housing Opportunity for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA).

5. Financial:

The Finance Department and staff handle financial activities.

B. DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAMS OFFERED