Public Housing Fact Sheet
Public Housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and person with disabilities. Public housing is available to all sizes and types throughout the country and range from scattered sight single family units to elderly high-rises. The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides funding to local housing agencies (HA) to manage the housing for low-income residents at rents they can afford.
Public Housing is limited to low-income families and individuals. Eligibility is based on: 1) annual gross incomes; 2) whether applicant is elderly, a person with a disability, or as a family; and 3) U. S. Citizenship immigration status. When applying for housing the housing agency will check your references to be sure you and your family will be good tenants. HAs will deny admission to applicants whose habits and practices may be expected to have a detrimental effect on other tenants or on the project’s environment.
HAs use income limits developed by HUD. Income limits very from area to area.
A preliminary application is provided with this site and if you appear to be eligible an application will be sent to you that will include: 1) Names of all persons who will be living in the unit, their sex, date of birth and relationship to the family head; 2) a present address and contact information; 3) names and addresses of your current and previous landlords for references about your family’s suitability as a tenant; 4) an estimate of your family’s anticipated income for the next twelve months and source of income and 5) names and addresses of employers, bank and any other information that would verify income composition.
Prior to being placed on a waiting list the family will have to provide social security cards, birth certificates or/and document showing eligible immigration status.
The formula for determining tenant rent is determined by the highest of the following: 1) Using 30% of adjusted income (gross family income less allowable HUD deductions); 2) 10 percent of gross monthly income or 3) minimum rent as determined by the HA.
The HA is responsible for the management and operation of its local programs. The functions include 1) Assuring lease compliance; 2) collect rent, security deposits and other charges assessed to tenants; 3) do periodic inspections of the units; 3) maintain the property in decent, safe and sanitary conditions and 4) terminate the lease with a tenant if the need arises.
There is no term on how long a family can reside in housing units. Once 30% of incomes exceeds a comparable market rent for a community the tenant is offered a flat rent for the unit in which they reside.