Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport

Louisiana Housing Authority

Section 8 Housing Choice VoucherAdministrative Plan:

Project-Based Vouchers For Permanent Supportive Housing

Administrative Plan Adopted November 2008

1.Revisions Adopted September 2009

6. Revisions Adopted June 2012

2. Revisions Adopted July 2010

7. Revisions Adopted May 2013

3. Revisions Adopted September 2010

8. Revisions Adopted June 2013

4. Revisions Adopted December 2010

9. Revisions Adopted June 2014

5. Revisions Adopted August 2011

10. Revisions adopted October 2014

11. Revisions adopted November 2014

2355208.4 032190 FILE

Louisiana Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan

Page

INTRODUCTION1

SECTION IUnique aspects of LHA Program1

SECTION IIEQUAL OPPORTUNITY3

2.1Fair Housing3

2.2Providing Information in Languages other than English3

2.3Reasonable Accommodation3

SECTION IIIPBV-specific requirements (24 CFR 983)5

3.1General Requirements5

SECTION IVApplications and Tenant Selection15

4.1General15

4.1.1Overview and Program Goals15

4.1.2Waiting Lists15

4.1.3PSH Tenant Selection Approach15

4.1.4Overview of process16

4.1.5Nondiscrimination17

4.1.6Reasonable Accommodation17

4.1.7Confidentiality18

4.1.8Communication18

4.1.9Plan Review18

4.2Definitions18

4.2.1At Risk of Homelessness or Living in Transitional Housing for the Homeless19

4.2.2At Risk of Institutionalization20

4.2.3Chronically Homeless:20

4.2.4Disability20

4.2.5Extremely low income21

4.2.6Homeless21

4.2.7Household21

4.2.8Hurricane Displacee22

4.2.9Inappropriately Institutionalized22

4.2.10In need of permanent supportive housing22

4.2.11PCAs23

4.2.12Youth Aging Out of Care23

4.3Application Taking23

4.3.1Goal23

4.3.2Application Taking and Opening/Closing of Waiting List24

4.3.3Applications25

4.4Outreach26

4.5Determination of Eligibility for PSH26

4.5.1Income Eligibility27

4.5.2Other Eligibility Requirements28

4.5.3Applicant Letters28

4.5.4Database28

4.6Preferences29

4.6.1Specific Preferences29

4.7Verification of Preliminary Eligibility30

4.7.1Procedures30

4.7.2Verification Documents30

4.7.3Income30

4.7.4In Need of PSH31

4.7.5Verification of Preferences31

4.7.6Displacees31

4.7.7Homeless31

4.7.8Chronically Homeless31

4.7.9At Risk of Homelessness or Living in Transitional Housing for the Homeless32

4.7.10Inappropriately Institutionalized32

4.7.11At Risk of Institutionalization32

4.7.12Applicant Choices and Information Needs32

4.8LLA Review of Applicant Tenancy History33

4.8.1Example of reasonable accommodation33

4.9Referral to PSH Units34

4.9.1Set Aside Agreement with Tax Credit- Financed Developments34

4.9.2Selection of Tenant for Referral34

4.9.3Matching35

4.9.4Occupancy Standards36

4.9.5Acceptance37

4.9.6Denial38

4.9.7Other Referrals38

4.10Miscellaneous Supplemental Provisions38

4.11Informal Reviews for Applicants39

4.12Supplemental Provisions Regarding Eligibility and Verification of Family Circumstances41

4.12.1Scheduling the Section 8 PBV Eligibility Interview41

4.12.2Conducting the Section 8 PBV Eligibility Interview41

4.12.3Determining Eligibility42

4.12.4Grounds for denial of eligibility43

4.13Owner Selection of Tenants44

SECTION VAnnual and Interim Functions47

5.1Recertification of Family Eligibility47

5.2Adjusting Rent between Regular Reexaminations47

5.3Interim Changes in Family Composition49

5.4Effective Date of Rent Adjustments49

5.5Earned Income Disallowances49

SECTION VIVerifications prior to admission and during occupancy51

6.1Acceptable Methods of Verification51

6.2Enterprise Income Verifications (EIV)52

6.3Types of Verification52

SECTION VIIChanges in Family Size, Family Separations, Absences, and Moves56

7.1Changes in Family Size56

7.2Family Separations56

7.2.1Death of household member57

7.3Family Absences from the Assisted Unit57

7.4Family Moves with Continued Assistance57

SECTION VIIIEvictions and Owner Claims58

8.1Evictions and Terminations of Tenancy58

SECTION IXTerminations and Informal Hearings58

9.1Terminations59

9.2Informal Hearings for Participants60

SECTION XProgram Management61

10.1Leasing Units61

10.2Revising Utility Allowance Schedules61

10.3Revising Voucher Payment Standards61

10.4Administrative Fee Reserve61

SECTION XIQuality Assurance Program62

11.1Quality Assurance Practices62

SECTION XIIParticipant Files63

12.1Practices Regarding Participant Files63

EXHIBITS

Exhibit A: Description of Road Home Program

Exhibit B: Language Access Plan

Exhibit C: Project-Based Voucher Regulations

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2355208.4 032190 FILE

Louisiana Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan

Project-Based Vouchers for Permanent Supportive Housing

This administrative plan has been prepared by the Louisiana Housing Authority (LHA) in conformance with the requirements of 24 CFR 982.54. The Plan sets forth LHAs policies for the administration of the program in accordance with the requirements of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), hereafter referenced as HUD Requirements. Those requirements are incorporated by reference, and include applicable law (notably 42 USC 1437f(o)) and HUD regulations, notices and directives. The following regulations are particularly critical:

24 CFR 5Definition of Income, Income Limits, Rent, and Reexamination of Family Income for the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program and other Related Programs

24 CFR 982Section 8 Tenant-Based Assistance: Housing Choice Voucher Program

24 CFR 983Section 8 Project-Based Voucher Program

24 CFR 985Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP)

LHA is part of the Louisiana Housing Corporation. The State of Louisiana has been provided $20 million under the federal project-based voucher program and $50 million under the federal Shelter Plus Care program for the provision of 3,000 units of permanent supportive housing, under the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008, P.L. 110-252 (the Act). The Act provides that the State or its designee or designees may act at all respects as a public housing agency. LHA will act as a public housing agency. The legislation, contained in Chapter Six of the Act, provides as follows:

Permanent Supportive Housing

Accordingly, LHAs Section 8 program will consist entirely of project-based vouchers (PBV), to be used for permanent supportive housing (PSH). This administrative plan thus will first cover PBV provisions, followed by the tenant selection provisions including unique aspects targeting the anticipated PSH population, then finally other necessary Section 8 administrative provisions.

This appropriation and the Louisiana Road Home Permanent Supportive Housing Program are part of the States recovery program in response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Consequently, the program outlined in this Administrative Plan is designed to aid in the recovery and return of hurricane evacuees and areas severely impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. It is hoped that this program eventually will be expanded with other resources and become a statewide PSH program.

Of the 3,000 units, approximately 800 units are already committed to be set aside in projects receiving low-income housing tax credits (Tax Credits). Approximately 400 will be made available for families now housed with temporary housing subsidies. The PBV units will include Tax Credit set-aside units and units now receiving temporary housing subsidies, as well as units provided in response to solicitations issued by the Subsidy Administrator. The Road Homes Piggyback and Small Rental programs are anticipated to be sources for PBV units.

It is the policy of the LHA to comply fully with all Federal, State, and local nondiscrimination laws; the Americans With Disabilities Act; and the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regulations governing Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.

To further its commitment to full compliance with applicable civil rights laws, LHA will provide Federal/State/local information to applicants for and participants in the PBV program regarding discrimination and any recourse available to them if they believe they may be victims of discrimination. Such information will be made available with the application, and all applicable fair housing Information and Discrimination Complaint Forms will be made available at the LHA office. In addition, all written information and advertisements will contain the appropriate Equal Opportunity language and logo.

Sometimes people with disabilities may need a reasonable accommodation in order to take full advantage of the LHA housing programs and related services. When such accommodations are granted they do not confer special treatment or advantage for the person with a disability; rather, they make the program fully accessible to them in a way that would otherwise not be possible due to their disability. Because disabilities are not alway