The Housing Authority's policy concerning eligibility for admission to public housing is presented here. Click on a section below to jump to it or scroll down to view all.

	Introduction
	Eligibility Criteria (Family Status, Income, Citizenship, Social Security Number Documentation, Signing Consent Forms)
	Suitability

Introduction
There are five eligibility requirements for admission to public housing: qualifies as a family, has an income within the income limits, meets citizenship/eligible immigrant criteria, provides documentation of Social Security numbers, and signs consent authorization documents. In addition to the eligibility criteria, families must also meet the Housing Authority's screening criteria in order to be admitted to public housing.



Eligibility Criteria

Family status

1. A family with or without children. Such a family is defined as a group of people related by blood, marriage, adoption or affinity that live together in a stable family relationship.

a. Children temporarily absent from the home due to placement in foster care are considered family members.

b. Unborn children and children in the process of being adopted are considered family members for the purpose of determining bedroom size but are not considered family members for determining income limit.

2. An elderly family, which is:

a. A family show head, spouse or sole member is a person who is at least 62 years of age;

b. Two or more persons who are at least 62 years of age living together; or

c. One or more persons who are at least 62 years of age living with one or more live-in aides.

3. A near-elderly family, which is:

a. A family whose head, spouse, or sole member is a person who is at least 50 years of age but below the age of 62;

b. Two or more persons, who are at least 50 years of age but below the age of 62, living together; or

c. One or more persons, who are at least 50 years of age but below the age of 62, living with one or more live-in aides.

4. A disabled family, which is:

a. A family whose head, spouse, or sole member is a person with disabilities;

b. Two or more persons with disabilities living together; or

c. One or more persons with disabilities living with one or more live-in aides.

5. A displaced family, which is a family in which each member, or whose sole member, has been displaced by governmental action, or whose dwelling has been extensively damaged or destroyed as a result of a disaster declared or otherwise formally recognized pursuant to Federal disaster relief laws, or who has been displaced as a result of domestic violence perpetuated against them.

6. A remaining member of a tenant family.

7. A single person who is not elderly or displaced person, a person with disabilities, or the remaining member of a tenant family.



Income eligibility

1. To be eligible for admission to developments or scattered-site units that were available for occupancy before 10/01/81, the family's annual income must be within the low-income limit set by HUD. This means the family income cannot exceed 80 percent of the median income for the area.

2. To be eligible for admission to developments that become available on or after 10/01/81, the family's annual income must be within the very low-income limit set by HUD, unless HUD grants an exception. This means that without a HUD exception, the family income cannot exceed 50 percent of the median income for the area.

3. Income limits apply only at admission and are not applicable for continued occupancy.

4. A family may not be admitted to the public housing program from another assisted housing program (e.g., tenant-based Section 8) or from a public housing program operated by another housing authority without meeting the income requirements of the Housing Authority.

5. If the Housing Authority acquires a property for federal public housing purposes, the families living there must have incomes within the low-income limit in order to be eligible to remain as public housing tenants.

6. Income limit restrictions do not apply to families transferring within our Public Housing Program.

7. See Section 10.3 hereof with regard to income targeting.



Citizenship/Eligibility Status

1. To be eligible each member of the family must be a citizen, national or a noncitizen who has eligible immigration status under one of the categories set forth in Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980 (see 42 U.S.C. 1436a(a)).

2. Family eligibility for assistance

a. A family shall not be eligible for assistance unless every member of the family residing in the unit is determined to have eligible status, with the exception noted below.

b. Despite the ineligibility of one or more family members, a mixed family may be eligible for one or three types of assistance. (See Section 13.6 for calculating rents under the noncitizen rule.)

c. A family without any eligible members and receiving assistance on June 19, 1995 may be eligible for temporary deferral of termination of assistance.

Social Security Number Documentation

To be eligible, all family members 6 years of age and older must provide a Social Security number or certify that they do not have one.

Signing Consent Forms

1. In order to be eligible, each member of the family who is at least 18 years of age, and each family head and spouse regardless of age, shall sign one or more consent forms.

2. The consent form must contain, at a minimum, the following:

a. A provision authorizing HUD or the Housing Authority to obtain from State Wage Information Collection Agencies (SWICAs) any information or materials necessary to complete or verify the application for participation or for eligibility for continued occupancy; and

b. A provision authorizing HUD or the Housing Authority to verify with previous or current employees income information pertinent to the family's eligibility for admission to public housing and/or the level of assistance.

c. A provision authorizing HUD to request income information from the IRS and the SSA for the sole purpose of verifying income information pertinent to the family's eligibility or level of benefits; and

d. A statement that the authorization to release the information requested by the consent form expires 15 months after the date the consent form is signed.

Suitability

A. Applicant families will be evaluated to determine whether, based on their recent behavior, such behavior could reasonably be expected to result in noncompliance with the public housing lease. The Housing Authority will look at past conduct as an indicator of future conduct. Emphasis will be placed on whether a family's admission could reasonably be expected to have a detrimental effect on the development environment, other tenants, Housing Authority employees, or other people residing in the immediate vicinity of the property. Otherwise eligible families will be denied admission if they fail to meet the suitability criteria.

B. The Housing Authority will consider objective and reasonable aspects of the family's background, including the following:

1. History of meeting financial obligations, especially rent;

2. Ability to maintain (or with assistance would have the ability to maintain) their housing in a decent and safe condition based on living or housekeeping habits and whether such habits could adversely affect the health, safety, or welfare of other tenants;

3. History of criminal activity by any household member involving crimes of physical violence against persons or property and any other criminal activity including drug-related criminal activity that would adversely affect the health, safety or well being of other tenants or staff or cause damage to the property;

4. History of disturbing neighbors or destruction of property;

5. Having committed fraud in connection with any Federal housing assistance program, including the intentional misrepresentation of information related to their housing application or benefits derived therefrom; and

6. History of abusing alcohol in a way that may interfere with the health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment by others.

C. The Housing Authority will ask applicants to provide information demonstrating their ability to comply with the essential elements of the lease. The Housing Authority will verify the information provided. Such verification may include but may not be limited to the following:

1. A credit check of the head, spouse and co-head;

2. A rental history check of all adult family members;

3. A criminal background check on all adult household members, including live-in aides. This check will be made through State or Local law enforcement or court records in those cases where the household member has lived in the local jurisdiction for the last three years. Where the individual has lived outside the local area, the Housing Authority may contact law enforcement agencies where the individual had lived or request a check through the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC);

4. A home visit. The home visit provides the opportunity for the family to demonstrate their ability to maintain their home in a safe and sanitary manner. This inspection considers cleanliness and care of rooms, appliances, and appurtenances. The inspection may also consider any evidence of criminal activity; and

5. A check of the State's lifetime sex offender registration program for each adult household member, including live-in aides. No individual registered with this program will be admitted to public housing.

The eligibility information on this page was excerpted from the Admissions & Continued Occupancy Policy for Public Housing for the Housing Authority of the Township of North Bergen.