Spring 2013
RentSense Information for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Participants
Need repairs? Work With Your Landlord A leaky faucet. A broken light switch. A loose door hinge. Something in your home is bound to need repairs at some point. But before you reach for your toolbox, reach for the phone. Talking with your landlord and taking a few preventative measures will help keep your home — and your relationship — in good shape. If something in your home needs to be fixed between your annual Housing Quality Standards inspections, the first step is to call your landlord or property management company. Let them know about the problem then follow up by putting your concerns in writing and mailing them to your landlord. Make sure to keep a copy for your records. After you’ve taken those initial steps, give your landlord time to respond before you contact your IHFA housing specialist. Don’t hide any maintenance issues that come up. If you don’t let your landlord know about needed repairs you could be held responsible for any further damage. Here are some other helpful tips for working with your landlord: n Be
proactive and take good care of your home so maintenance problems don’t arise.
n Contact
your landlord at the first sign that something needs fixed. It’s better to address minor problems before they develop into major ones.
n If
you’ve caused damage to your home, don’t make the repairs yourself without the written approval of your landlord. Make sure you have a clear idea of what your landlord expects to be done.
n Document
the work you do and keep receipts if necessary.
Report Changes Now and Prevent Problems in the Future Good communication is the key to making your participation in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program successful. As a program participant, your portion of the rent is based on the number of people in your family, your income, and income allowances, which could include out-of-pocket child-care or medical expenses if you’re disabled or elderly. If those things change, it’s your responsibility to talk with your Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA) housing specialist.
I have a seasonal job. Do I need to report an income change after the job ends? Because of the nature of their jobs, some people work on and off throughout the year — like a construction worker, for example. Others don’t work year-round, but have established a pattern of working at the same times of the year, like teachers. If you fall into one of these categories, then IHFA may be annualizing your earnings. That means that your income is “stretched out” over 12 months. If that’s the case, a reduction in your income after a seasonal job ends wouldn’t mean a change in your portion of the rent, but you still need to report it. If you’re unsure how your income is being calculated, ask your IHFA housing specialist.
How do I report an income change? You have 10 days to inform your IHFA housing specialist — in writing — of any change in income. He or she will quickly let you know if more information is needed from you.
What should I do if I want to move someone into my unit? What if someone leaves? You need to get written permission from your landlord and IHFA before someone moves into your home. When someone leaves your home, you have 10 days to notify IHFA and your landlord in writing. In both cases, you should contact your IHFA housing specialist.
Understanding the responsibilities of renting.
What could happen if I don’t report a change in income or household makeup? Consequences for not reporting a change can range from having to repay money to losing assistance altogether. Also, you could run into problems if you try to apply for rental assistance in the future. All housing authorities are required to report to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s national Debts-Owed database that records information about families that leave the HCV Program on bad terms or that owe money to a housing authority. So, before you leave the HCV Program, make sure you’ve paid anything you owe to IHFA and have responded to any notices of adverse actions. Housing authorities have to check that system when a new family applies for rental assistance. Your IHFA housing specialist will review this information with you every year and explain your rights regarding how and when the information is reported to HUD and how to dispute the information before it is reported.
Need more information? If you need to find out who your housing specialist is or have other questions, contact an IHFA branch office near you. Coeur d’Alene . . . . . . . 208.762.5113 Idaho Falls . . . . . . . . . 208.522.6002 Lewiston . . . . . . . . . . 208.743.0251 Twin Falls . . . . . . . . . . 208.734.8531
www.idahohousing.com
ProgramSense What You Need to Know About Criminal History Background Checks
Criminal history background checks help keep your neighborhood safe for you and your children.
RentSense Published annually by the Idaho Housing and Finance Association. Comments are welcome. Please contact IHFA Rental Assistance at 800.219.2286. Visit our website at www.idahohousing.com
Eligibility for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV) depends on a number of factors, including a person’s income, family, citizenship/ immigration, and student status. Eligibility also depends on your criminal history. Idaho Housing and Finance Association, like all housing authorities, conducts criminal background checks on any adult who applies to the Section 8 HCV Program or any adult who is added to a household. The criteria for these checks are mandated by IHFA policies and HUD regulations, which prohibit providing assistance to anyone, regardless of age, who is subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender program.
IHFA checks sex offender registries maintained by the Idaho State Police and the U.S. Department of Justice to determine if someone is listed in the state where the housing is located or in other states where members of the household have lived. IHFA also reviews the Idaho Court Repository website to see if the person has had any violent or drug-related criminal activity in the three years before the application was submitted. However, not all the offenses found in those records result in the denial or termination of assistance. Minor infractions or other offenses that are not drug-related or violent, such as burglary and theft, usually aren’t grounds to deny assistance.
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