In Public Housing, applicants are housed in properties owned by the housing authority, whereas in HCV, participants are housed in units owned by individual landlords, private sector agencies, corporations, and non-profit organizations. Both housing programs are designed to assist participants in finding safe, decent, and affordable housing.

Public Housing is rental property that is owned, managed, and leased by a housing authority. The Housing Authority owns and manages apartments in 4 communities which are leased to low-income people on an income-based rental rate.

HCV Program rental property is owned and managed by private landlords who list their property with a housing authority/housing agency who, in turn, refer prospective tenants to their property. The housing authority/housing agency also subsidizes part of the tenant's rent to the landlord.

To be eligible for public housing, your income must be less than 80% of the area median income provided to the PHA by HUD. Final determination of income is reviewed once all third-party verifications have been received. The income limits can be found on this link or in the chart provided. HUD’s income guidelines change each year.

Public housing is limited to low-income families and individuals. The housing authority 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 housing authority will check your background through a series of standard screening tests designed to protect the safety of our current residents and property.  At minimum, we screen 1) criminal history in the past five years; 2) credit as it relates to your rental history, including evictions; and 3) references from past landlords. Based on this screening, the housing authority will deny admission to any applicant whose habits and practices may be expected to have a detrimental effect on other residents or on the public housing environment.

No, felonies do not automatically make applicants ineligible. Low-Income Public Housing applicants will be screened for tenant suitability. We review criminal activity related to drug, disturbance and/or violent activity documented through police reports, landlord references and convictions. This will include credit, landlord reference, and criminal background checks. (Criminal background checks are requested for all residents 18 years or older as part of the application process.) Sex offenders under lifetime registration requirements are disqualified under federal law.

You will be sent a letter that explains the reason for the denial and will also notify you of your right to an "informal hearing." You can access the grievance procedures here.

Examples:

Applicants are removed from the waiting list if they fail to respond to forms or requests for documentation by the deadline and for voluntary removal. Maintaining an updated applicant file, including an accurate mailing address and phone number is the applicant’s responsibility.

If your email address has changed, notify us by emailing the Housing Authority or in writing to the management office.

If you were removed for failing to respond to requests for documentation, you may typically appeal this removal by completing and delivering the requested documentation within ten days of your removal.

In order to update any information on your application, you must submit changes, in writing, to the housing authority Office. Applicants active on the waiting list must inform the housing authority of any changes to the application within 10 business days of the change. To report changes, complete the Notification of Change form. This form can be found here.

Failure to keep information updated could result in the removal of the application from the waiting list. Please note that the housing authority sends out requests to your current address on file. If the mail is returned to us as “undeliverable” or “unable to forward”, you may be removed from the Waiting List.

Once you are approved and offered a unit, you do not have to take the first unit offered.  However, if you decline the offer, your application date and time will be revised to the date you decline the unit offered.  You will be given up to three (3) offers.  Once the final offer is declined, your application will be dropped.  

Rent is calculated according to Federal Regulations, limiting payment to 30% of adjusted household income.

Your rent will be a 30% of your income or a "flat rental" amount. You can choose which you want. Paying a portion of your income is usually less than the flat rent.