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Q.
When will the Section 8 waiting
list reopen?
A. The Indianapolis Housing Agency
opened its Section 8 waiting list
and accepted applications from
June 22, 2004 through June 26,
2004. The waiting list is
currently closed and IHA is
not accepting applications for the
Housing Choice Voucher (HCV)
program. Applicants were
notified by mail of their status in August 2004. The
Agency is unsure of when the wait
list will reopen. However, from
past experience it will likely be
approximately 2-4 years. Click on link for 2006 lottery results for further
information.
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Q.
How does Section 8 differ from
Public Housing? How does it fit
into the IHA mission?
A. Public Housing communities are
owned and operated by Indianapolis
Housing Agency (IHA) and Public
Housing tenants rent directly from
IHA. Section 8 tenants, however,
rent from private property owners
and applicable rental assistance
is provided by IHA through its HCV
program. The rental properties may
be apartments , town homes, detached single family homes, duplexes, or even mobile
homes. Section 8 Program
participants are issued vouchers
guaranteeing the property owner
that Section 8 will pay a certain
portion of the tenant's rent. The
amount paid will differ from
tenant to tenant depending on
family size and income. The
program participant and owner
execute a lease, just as the
property owner would do with any
other renter who does not receive
assistance. However, Section 8
also executes a contract with the
owner specifying the amount
Section 8 will pay toward the
rent.
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Q.
What does it take to qualify for
Section 8?
A. Section 8 participants must
fall into the "Very Low
Income" or "Low
Income" category as defined
by the Department of Housing and
Urban Development. At present, a
family of four in Marion County
can have a total income of up to $
32,550 a year to be considered
Very Low Income, or up to $ 52,100
to be considered Low Income. These
figures (effective March 2006)
are based on the median family
income for Marion County as
designated by HUD. The participant’s
portion of the rent cannot exceed
40% (percent) of the family's
adjusted monthly income during
their initial year under lease.
Criminal History checks are
conducted on all applicants and
household members 18 years or
older. The HUD One Strike policy
prohibits admissions of applicants
for three years if any household
member was evicted from federally
assisted housing for drug related
criminal activity. The three year
period begins on the date of
eviction. In addition participants criminal history is reviewed for violent or drug-related offenses or sexual offenses
against minors, as determined by
police reports obtained through
Ida's Public Safety Department. .
Persons convicted and subject to
lifetime registration as a sex
offender with the State will not
be considered for assistance.
Section 8 does not check
applicants' rental histories but
strongly encourages property
owners to do so. A property owner
may refuse an applicant based on
his/her past history as a renter
(including credit checks and
reports of property damage or
disruptive behavior), just as with
any other rental applicant.
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Q.
How does a Section 8 participant
find places to rent?
A. All new Section 8 participants
must attend a briefing at IHA in
order to receive their vouchers.
Availability listings (an
information listing
available housing units, reported by
Landlords seeking clients to rent
their units) can be obtained at
indyhousingnow.org
or by calling (toll free)
1-877-428-8844.
The service offers searches
by location, size, type, desired
rent range, etc. The website lists affordable rentals, Section 8 rentals,
tax credit properties, and special
needs housing. Families are also
encouraged to use other means of
seeking housing throughout Marion
County. Checking newspaper ads is
one example; many apartment
complexes include "Section 8
Welcome" in the wording of
their ads.
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Q.
How are participants assured of
good quality housing?
A. We can't emphasize strongly
enough that participants should see
the property they are planning
to rent before signing anything.
We encourage them to ask neighbors
and business owners
about the area to ask for references to determine owner/landlord history, and to keep
in mind they will not be permitted to move for at least a year after using their Section 8 voucher (except for
safety reasons). The Section 8
Inspections Department performs
Housing Quality Standard
Inspections. Prior to move-in, the
inspectors must check the unit
against HUD guidelines to ensure
that it will be a safe, sanitary,
decent place to live. If
maintenance problems occur that
compromise the participant’s
safety, and the owner will not
make repairs, Section 8 payments
to the owner can be withheld until
he or she complies with HUD
requirements. If the owner fails
to comply the contract between IHA
and the owner will be terminated,
thus terminating the lease between
the participant and the owner. The
family will be allowed to seek
acceptable housing elsewhere.
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Q.
When do tenant re-examinations
occur and when can rent be
increased?
- Annual Reexaminations
are completed yearly in order
to update the program
participant’s income,
household composition, assets
and deductions. This process
must be completed 90 to 120
days prior to the expiration
of their initial lease and
contract date.
- Interim
reexaminations are completed
when the family reports a
change in income, composition
assets, or deductions outside
of the recertification period.
When a change is made to the
family's rent, the owner is
mailed an addendum to the
lease stating the rent change
and its effective date.
- Requests for Rent
Increases should
be requested 120 days prior to
the anniversary date. Rent
increases can not be requested
to be effective prior to the
initial 12 months of the
initial lease.
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Q.
When Can IHA Terminate Assistance?
A. If an owner violates the HAP
contract, IHA may suspend payments
and will investigate the situation
to determine if the contract
should be terminated. IHA will
terminate contracts that are under
abatement at the earlier of (a)
the family's move from the unit or
(b) six months after the last HAP
was made. Owners can be barred
from the program for a serious
breach of contract as determined
by HUD. The owner can terminate
tenancy for any reason permitted
under the lease or lease addendum.
Owners may terminate for serious
or repeated violations of the
terms and conditions of the lease,
violation of federal, state or
local law, criminal activity or
other good cause. An owner has the
same rights for evicting assisted
families as they do for private
market tenants; owners must first
give the family a notice stating
the reason for eviction and must
forward a copy to IHA. See
contract concerning owner's right
to evict. The family may terminate
tenancy after the first year of
the lease. Terminations by the
family during the first year are
allowed only if the owner agrees
to release the family from the
lease. The family must give the
owner and IHA notice of
termination of tenancy in
accordance with the lease prior to
moving from the unit. The owner’s
lease may not require more than 60
calendar days notice for the
family to terminate after the
first term of the lease.
Owners must immediately
notify IHA if a family no longer
occupies the assisted unit.
Housing assistance payments
made to an owner after a
participant has vacated the
assisted nit, must be returned
immediately.
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Q.
What are the responsibilities of
IHA, the family, and the property
owner?
A.
IHA's Responsibilities
- Review all
applications to determine
whether an applicant is
eligible for the program.
- Explain the rules of
the program to all of the
families who qualify.
- Issue vouchers.
- Approve the unit, the
owner.
- Make housing
assistance payments (HAP) in a
timely manner.
- Ensure that owners
and families comply with the
program rules.
- Provide families and
owners with prompt,
professional service.
- Determine rent
reasonableness.
The
Owner’s Responsibilities
- Screen families who
apply to determine if they
will be good renters.
- Comply with all
federal, state and local laws,
and not discriminate against
any family.
- Maintain the housing
unit, including making all
necessary repairs in a timely
manner.
- Comply with the terms
of the Housing Assistance
Contract with IHA.
- Collect rent and the
security deposit due from the
tenant.
- Manage your
unit/property.
The
Family's Responsibilities
- Provide IHA with
complete and accurate
information.
- Make their best
effort to find a place to live
that is suitable for them and
that qualifies for the
program.
- Cooperate in
attending all appointments
scheduled by IHA.
- Take responsibility
for the care of the unit.
- Comply with the terms
of the lease with the owner.
- Comply with the
Family Obligations of their
voucher.
- Comply with all
state, federal and local laws
for all household members and
guests.
Q.
What Housing is Eligible for Section 8?
A. Any renal unit is eligible for
leasing under Section 8 subsidy as long as it
is properly zoned, rent-reasonable, and passes
the Section 8 inspection based on HUD's
Housing Quality Standards (HQS).
Q.
Who is Eligible fore Section 8?
A. Low-income households in virtually every
locality in the United States may apply for
participation in the Section 8 Program, if
eligible. However, eligibility criteria
will be reviewed in the areas of criminal
history, citizenship, income, outstanding
debts and/or previous evictions from
subsidized housing programs.
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