BETHLEHEM VILLAGE TENANT SELECTION PROCEDURE

It is the policy of this site to promote equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity, and affirmative fair housing marketing.  In carrying out this Tenant Selection Plan, there will be no discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, familial status, marital status, disability, or other basis prohibited by local, state or federal law in any aspect of tenant selection or matters related to continued occupancy.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Bethlehem Village will verify that all prospective residents meet eligibility requirements governing Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 and Section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959.

• Age requirement – the head of the household, co-head, or spouse is at least 62 years of age. Non-elderly handicapped applicants are eligible only for an accessible unit and if the applicant requires the accessibility features of the unit. An applicant applying for a handicap apartment must include one of the following documentation with their application:
  • A copy of their disability Benefits letter from the Social Security Office
  • Written confirmation from a physician that they would benefit from the use of a handicap apartment.
• Citizenship requirement – Assistance in subsidized housing is restricted to U.S. citizens or nationals and noncitizens who have eligible immigration status as determined by HUD.(HUD 4350.3 3-12I)
• Disclosure of Social Security Number – Documentation of Social Security Numbers  is required of all family members. No application to Bethlehem Village will be accepted without providing a social security number for all household members.
• An applicant who is a student, is under 24 years of age, is not a veteran, is unmarried and does not have a dependent child, both the applicant and the applicant’s parents must meet the applicable income limits, except as stated in HUD’s Guidance on the Student Eligibility Rule. A copy of these HUD eligibility rules are available upon requrest.

INCOME LIMITS

• Bethlehem Village may only accept applications from those meeting the very low and extremely low income limits determined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Any applicant exceeding the HUD Income-limits at the time of application will be rejected.
• Bethlehem Village will make at least 40 percent of the assisted units that become available in each fiscal year available to families whose income is determined to be an extremely low-income at the time of admission.
• Exact income limits are subject to change as mandated by HUD.
• EIV – Enterprise Income Verification – Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system will be done as part of any new applicant screening criteria.  EIV is a web-based computer system that contains employment and income information of individuals who participate in HUD rental assistance programs. 

      The information obtained from EIV will be for the following:

• Confirm your name, date of birth and Social Security Number with SSA.
• Verify your reported income sources and amounts
• Confirm your participation in only one HUD rental assistance program

                 Existing Tenant Search -  prior to move-in, the EIV search will be used to see if each applicant and applicant household member is receiving assistance at another location. 

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

1. Application is received and if eligible the applicant is placed on the waiting list in the order it was received by date and time. Applications may be mailed to the Village or presented in person.
2. Applicants requesting an accessible unit will be placed on the accessible unit list.
3. Admission is denied to a household for the following reasons:
   • Any household containing a member(s) who has been evicted in the past three years from a federally assisted site for drug-related criminal activity There are two exceptions to this provision:
   • The evicted household member has successfully completed an approved, supervised drug rehabilitation program; or
   • The circumstances to the eviction no longer exist (e.g. the household member no longer resides with the applicant household).
   • A household in which any member is currently engaged in illegal use of drugs or which the owner has reasonable cause to believe that a member’s illegal use or pattern of illegal use of a drug may interfere with the health, safety, and right to peaceful enjoyment of the property by the residents. The use of marijuana, (medical and/or recreational) is considered to be the use of an illegal drug. The use of marijuana, (medical and/or recreational) is considered to be the use of an illegal drug.
   • Any household member who is subject to a state sex offender lifetime registration requirement.
   • Any household member if there is reasonable cause to believe that member’s behavior, from abuse or pattern of abuse of alcohol, may interfere with the health, safety, and right to peaceful enjoyment by other residents. The screening standards will be based on behavior, not the condition of alcoholism or alcohol abuse.
   • Any household member if there is reasonable cause to believe that the member’s behavior may threaten the health, safety, and right to peaceful enjoyment of the property by other residents or the health, and safety of the owner, employees, contractors, subcontractors or agents of the owner.
   • Any household member who has committed fraud in connection with any Federal Housing Assistance program.                                                                                           
4. If not eligible, the applicant will be notified by mail. The reason for rejection will be detailed and an opportunity for appeal will be given. A written appeal must be received in the  management office within 14 days from the date of rejection. Appeals will heard by the  Management Agent of St. Joseph Housing Corporation. If the applicant is in need of reasonable accommodations to attend this appeal meeting, these accommodations will be provided. If the applicant wishes to appeal the Management Agent’s decision, information on how they may contact the local HUD office will be provided.
5. Applicants that are rejected may re-apply only if twelve months have passed since the application was rejected, and the household circumstances have changed so as to remove the original reason(s) for which the application was rejected.
6. Applicants will be removed from the waiting list if mail sent to the applicants address is returned as undeliverable.
7. To remain current on the waiting list, the perspective tenant must contact the Bethlehem Village Office by letter or phone every six months. At that time change in address phone, income and health should be documented. If an applicant has not contacted the Bethlehem Village Office for a period of 1 year, the Village Management will send a written letter to applicant’s address requesting that the applicant contact the Village to affirm interest in remaining on the wait list. If the applicant does not respond to the 1 year notification letter, within 21 days from which the letter was mailed, the applicant will be removed from the waiting list. Applicants are responsible to notify Management any time that the information on their application changes.
8. As an applicant nears the top of the waiting list they will be notified of their position on the list and asked to make an appointment for an interview at which time information will be updated and the third party verification process begun.                                       
9. All applicants and live-in aids will be subject to a criminal background screening.
10. Reference from present and previous landlords for a minimum of three (3) years prior to application will be considered.  An applicant may be rejected if these reports document  the following :        
    • consistent failure to make rental payments
    • responsibility for disturbing the safety, security and right of peaceful enjoyment of other tenants
    • instances of criminal activity, such as illegal gambling, prostitution, or manufacture, sale, or use of illegal drugs
    • damage to property beyond normal wear and tear
    • poor housekeeping – exhibited by

a) habits which could be detrimental to the development of other residents such as poor care of appliances, plumbing fixtures, etc.
b)  poor health habits
c)  evidence of negligent care of the property
d)  physical abuse of the facilities
e)  any evidence of conduct, which can be detrimental to the property
NOTE:  poor quality or shabby furnishings are not a basis for rejection

• threats of violence to the landlord or neighbors
• allowing persons not on the lease to reside on the premises or any other serious violations of the lease.

SELECTING FROM THE WAITING LIST

1. As vacancies arise every other Applicant who is determined Extremely Low Income is contacted. This is in compliance with HUD’s requirement that at least 40% of Extremely Low Income Applicants be admitted during a fiscal year.
2. If an applicant chooses not to accept the apartment they will keep their place on the wait list but will not be contacted again for the period of 1 year. If they refuse a second time, they will be moved to the bottom of the list.
3. If the applicant refuses an apartment a third time, he/she will be removed from the waiting list and must wait for a period of one year before applying again.
4. An applicant under the age of 62, who has provided with their application medical certification of their eligibility for an accessible unit, will be placed on the waiting list of an accessible unit. Upon reaching the eligible age of 62, if the applicant wishes to leave the accessible unit list and request a one-bedroom apartment they will be required to submit a new application and will be placed a the bottom of the waiting list for a non-handicap apartment.

OCCUPANCY STANDARDS

One Bedroom unit – no more than two people.

Efficiency unit – no more than one person

UNIT TRANSFERS

A resident requesting a unit change for medical reasons must provide the name and address of a healthcare provider from whom management can request verification of the medical condition and the need for a unit transfer.

A resident with a disability must provide the name and address of a healthcare provider from whom management can request verification that the resident is disabled and needs an accessible unit to accommodate the disability.

If management receives adequate verification from the doctor or healthcare provider the resident will move to the next accessible or vacant unit.
In house residents will be offered priority to accessible units for disability and/or medical reasons.

A resident requiring a unit change due to a change in family size/composition is eligible to occupy the next vacant unit when it becomes available. 

Except for the above reasons, all unit transfer requests will be denied.

COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973 AND THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, ETC.

Bethlehem Village will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation or national origin. Bethlehem Village will operate in full compliance with the requirements of HUD’s Equal Access Rule.

Bethlehem Village will make reasonable adjustments to rules, policies, and structures in order to enable an applicant with a disability to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the unit and common areas.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT and JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REAUTHORIZATION ACT of 2005 for SECTION 8 HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENT PROGRAMS.

The VAWA provides legal protections to victims of domestic violence, dating violence or stalking.  These protections prohibit the eviction or termination of assistance from individuals being assisted under a project-based Section 8 program if the asserted grounds for such action is an instance of domestic violence, dating violence or stalking. More information and procedures to apply for this protection are available from the Management Office.

OPENING AND CLOSING WAITING LIST

The waiting list may be closed if Bethlehem Village determines that the expected time from application to move in is greater than seven years.  Management will advise potential applicants of the closure and will also publish a notice stating the reasons in the local newspapers.

When management agrees to accept applications again, the notice of this action will appear in the local papers. This notice will present the rules for applying and the order in which applications will be processed.

Move-in

After an applicant signs their HUD Lease, they are expected to occupy their apartment within 30 days of the lease signing. After 30 days, the resident must be in communication with the Manager to determine when they will move into the apartment. Not moving into the Village within the 30 day period after signing may jeopardize their residency at Bethlehem Village. Establishing residency will mean that Bethlehem Village is their only mailing address and they neither own nor rent another property where they live.

When management agrees to accept applications again, the notice of this action will appear in the local papers. This notice will present the rules for applying and the order in which applications will be processed.

SMOKING

Bethlehem Village is a totally smoke free property.  Smoking and the use of tobacco products is prohibited in all buildings and apartments as well as anywhere on Village property. Tobacco Products are defines as cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco and any form of electronic cigarettes. Residents are responsible for all guests and visitors regarding the Village Smoking Policy.   

  August 2017