WHAT IS PUBLIC HOUSING?
Public housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. WRHA oversees 104 Public Housing units including thirty-eight (38) 1 bedroom Elderly/Disabled units and sixty-six (66) 2–5-bedroom family units.  The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers Federal aid to local housing agencies (HAs) that manage the housing for low-income residents at rents they can afford. HUD furnishes technical and professional assistance in planning, developing, and managing these developments.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Public housing is limited to low-income families and individuals. An HA determines your eligibility based on: 1) annual gross income; 2) whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability, or as a family; and 3) U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status. If you are eligible, the Authority will check your references to make sure you and your family will be good tenants. The Authority will deny admission to any applicant whose habits and practices may be expected to have a detrimental effect on other tenants or in the public housing communities.

HAs use income limits developed by HUD. HUD sets the lower income limits at 80% and very low income limits at 50% of the median income for the county Income limits vary from area to area so you may be eligible at one HA but not at another. The HA serving your community can provide you with the income levels for your area and family size, or you can also find the income limits here on the internet.

HOW DOES THE APPLICATION PROCESS WORK?
The application must be processed online. The applicant must fill out the application completely. The following information will be collected after the completed application is received to determine eligibility:

(1) Names of all persons who would be living in the unit, their sex, date of birth, and relationship to the family head;

(2) Your present address and telephone number;

(3) Family characteristics (e.g., veteran) or circumstances (e.g., living in substandard housing) that might qualify the family for tenant selection preferences;

(4) Names and addresses of your current and previous landlords for information about your family's suitability as a tenant;

(5) An estimate of your family's gross anticipated income for the next twelve months and the sources of that income;

(6) The names and addresses of employers, banks, and any other information the Authority would need to verify your income and deductions, and to verify the family composition; and

(7) The PHA also may visit you in your home to interview you and your family members to see how you manage the upkeep of your current home.

After obtaining this information, the Authority’s staff will email or mail a letter providing information on the public housing program and its requirements.

WILL I NEED TO PRODUCE ANY DOCUMENTATION?
Upon completion of the online application, you will receive a letter by email (if an email address is provided) or mail, this letter will include instructions to drop off or mail verifications to the office.  All documentations are needed (e.g., birth certificates, tax returns) to verify the information given on your application for all household members. The Authority will also rely on an employment letter including the hours and wages of the employment and/or paystubs from your employer, etc.

WHEN WILL I BE NOTIFIED?
The Authority will provide written notification if the application is determined eligible.  The applicants name will be put on the waiting list, unless the Authority is able to assist you immediately. Once your name is reached on the waiting list, the Authority will contact you. If it is determined that you are ineligible, the Authority must say why and, if you wish, you can request an informal hearing.

WILL I HAVE TO SIGN A LEASE?
If you are offered a house or apartment and accept it, you will have to sign a lease with the Authority. You will have to give the Authority a security deposit. All household adults and the Authority’s staff will go over the lease together. This will give you a better understanding of your responsibilities as a tenant and the Authority's responsibilities as a landlord.

ARE THERE ANY SELECTION PREFERENCES?
The preferences are of equal weight and an applicant may qualify under any of the categories.  Families that do not qualify for one of these preferences will be categorized as “no local preference” applicants.

1. Preferences: Local preference based on need.

There is one local preference in effect based on need for housing.  An Applicant will qualify for this preference if he/she qualifies in one or more of the following categories:

a. Involuntarily Displaced (i.e., homeless); or

b. Living in Substandard Housing (i.e., uninhabitable); or

c. Paying more than 50 Percent of Income for Housing; or

d. Veteran or spouse of a Veteran; or

e. Elderly and disabled families; or

f. Victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking.

Giving preference to specific groups of families enables the Authority to direct their limited housing resources to the families with the greatest housing needs. Since the demand for housing assistance often exceeds the limited resources available to HUD and the local HAs, long waiting periods are common.

The Authority has the discretion to establish preferences to reflect needs in its own community. These preferences are included in the Authority’s written policy manual.

HOW IS RENT DETERMINED?
Your rent, which is referred to as the Total Tenant Payment (TTP) in this program, would be based on your family's anticipated gross annual income less deductions, if any. HUD regulations allow the Authority to exclude from annual income the following allowances: $480 for each dependent; $400 for any elderly family, or a person with a disability; and some medical deductions for families headed by an elderly person or a person with disabilities. Based on your application, the Authority’s staff will determine if any of the allowable deductions should be subtracted from your annual income. Annual income is the anticipated total income from all sources received from the family head and spouse, and each additional member of the family 18 years of age or older.

The formula used in determining the TTP is the highest of the following, rounded to the nearest dollar:

(1) 30 percent of the monthly adjusted income. (Monthly Adjusted Income is annual income less deductions allowed by the regulations);

(2) 10 percent of monthly income;

(3) welfare rent, if applicable; or

(4) a $50 minimum rent is set by the Authority.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE AUTHORITY?
The Authority is responsible for the management and operation of its local public housing program. They may also operate other types of housing programs.

(1) On-going functions: (a) Assure compliance with leases. The lease must be signed by both parties; (b) Set other charges (e.g., security deposit, excess utility consumption, and damages to unit); (c) Perform periodic reexaminations of the family's income at least once every 12 months; (d) Transfer families from one unit to another, in order to correct over/under crowding, repair or renovate a dwelling, or because of a resident's request to be transferred; (e) Terminate leases when necessary; and (f) maintain the development in a decent, safe, and sanitary condition.

(2) Sometimes the Authority provide other services, that might include such things as: homeownership opportunities for qualified families; employment training opportunities, and other special training and employment programs for residents; and support programs for the elderly.

HOW LONG CAN I STAY IN PUBLIC HOUSING?
In general, you may stay in public housing as long as you comply with the lease.

If, at reexamination your family's income is sufficient to obtain housing on the private market, the Authority may determine whether your family should stay in public housing. You will not be required to move unless there is affordable housing available for you on the private market.