CARMEL TOWERS CONVERSION Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Whyisthisconversiontakingplace? OnJune23,2011,HUDinformed440ElizabethAvenueCorporation,theOwnerofCarmelTowersthat itsRentalAssistancePayment(RAP)ContractwouldexpireonJuly1,2011duetoitscontinuouslowReal EstateAssessmentCenter(REAC)physicalinspectionscores.CarmelTowersdoesnotmeetthephysical conditionstandardsforHUDhousingthatisdecentsafeandsanitaryandingoodrepair. Approximatelyhowmanyfamilieswillbeofferedvouchers? Approximately200familieswillbeofferedvouchers.Alltenantsinthebuildingwillbeofferedvouchers. WhatwillhappentothetenantsinCarmelTowers? ThetenantscurrentlyresidinginCarmelTowerswillhavetheirrentalsubsidyconvertedintoatenant basedsubsidyadministeredthroughtheHousingChoiceVoucherProgram. WhatagencyshouldIcalltoanswerquestionsaboutthisconversion? TheHUDNewarkFieldOfficeRegionIIcanbereachedat9736227900byphoneorOneNewark Center,13thFloor,Newark,NJ07102bymail. WhatnumbershouldIcalltoanswerquestionsabouttheHousingChoiceVoucherProgram? CallscanbedirectedtotheNHAsCarmelTowersInformationLineat(973)2736506.Thoseapplicants inneedofareasonableaccommodationcanbedirectedtothesameextensionandshouldbespecific abouttheirparticularneeds. WhatwillconversionprocesstotheHCVPconsistofforthetenants? TheConversionwillconsistofafive(5)stepprocess: Step1:TheHCVPwillmailalltenantsinCarmelTowersintroductorylettersspecifyingadateandtime for them to attend an Information Session. The HCVP will mail an eligibility application and criminal backgroundreleaseformsalongwiththisletterforapplicantstocompleteandbringwiththemtothe session. Step2:TheHCVPwillconductacriminalbackgroundcheckonallhouseholdmembers18andover.If household members do not pass the criminal background check they will be notified that they are ineligiblefortheHCVP.TheymayrequestanInformalReviewofthematteratthattime.Thetenants thatdopassthebackgroundcheckwillbescheduledforasecondappointment.

Step 3: At the second appointment the voucher will be issued along with a Request for Tenancy Approval packet that tenants are to give to their prospective owners to complete. At this time, applicantswillalsobeaskedtosubmitanymissingdocuments. Step 4: The lease up process. This process includes the tenant finding a unit, the owner returning required documents, the unit passing inspection, and a lease being executed between the owner and tenant,andaHousingAssistancePayment(HAP)Contractbeingexecutedbetweentheownerandthe NHA. Step5:ApplicantsbecomeHCVPParticipants. Willsecuritydepositsbeoffered? TheNHAisnotsupplyingsecuritydepositstothetenantsofCarmelTowers. HowdoestheHCVPwork? TheHousingChoiceVoucherProgramisthefederalgovernmentsmajorprogramforassistingverylow incomefamilies,theelderly,andthedisabledtoafforddecent,safe,andsanitaryhousingintheprivate market.Sincehousingassistanceisprovidedonbehalfofthefamilyorindividual,participantsareable tofindtheirownhousing,includingsinglefamilyhomes,townhousesandapartments. The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program. Afamilythatisissuedahousingvoucherisresponsibleforfindingasuitablehousingunitofthefamilys choicewheretheowneragreestorentundertheprogram.Thisunitmayincludethefamilyspresent residence. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety, as determined by the NewarkHousingAuthority(NHA). Ahousingsubsidyispaidtotheownerdirectlyby theNHAonbehalfoftheparticipating family.The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the owner and the amount subsidizedbytheprogram. WhataretherolesoftheNHAandHUD?Whatroledoestheparticipantplay? OncetheNHAapprovesaneligiblefamilyshousingunit,thefamilyandtheownersignaleaseand,at thesametime,theownerandtheNHAsignahousingassistancepaymentscontractthatrunsforthe sametermasthelease.Thismeansthateveryoneparticipant,ownerandNHAhasobligationsand responsibilitiesunderthevoucherprogram. Participants Obligations: When a family selects a housing unit, and the NHA approves the unit and lease,thefamilysignsaleasewiththeownerforatleastoneyear.Theparticipantmayberequiredto payasecuritydeposittotheowner.Afterthefirstyeartheownermayinitiateanewleaseorallowthe familytoremainintheunitonamonthtomonthlease. When the family is settled in a new home, the family is expected to comply with the lease and the programrequirements,payitsshareofrentontime,maintaintheunitingoodconditionandnotifythe NHAofanychangesinincomeorfamilycomposition.

CarmelTowersConversionFAQs

 OwnersObligations:Theroleofthepropertyownerinthevoucherprogramistoprovidedecent,sage and sanitary housing to a tenant at a reasonable rent. The dwelling unit must pass the programs housingqualitystandards(HQS)andbemaintaineduptothosestandardsaslongastheownerreceives housingassistancepayments.Inaddition,theownerisexpectedtoprovidetheservicesagreedtoas partoftheleasesignedwiththetenantandthecontractsignedwiththeNHA. NHAsObligations:TheNHAadministersthevoucherprogramlocally.TheNHAprovidesafamilywith thehousingassistancethatenablesthefamilytoseekoutsuitablehousingandtheNHAentersintoa contractwiththeownertoprovidehousingassistancepaymentsonbehalfofthefamily.Iftheowner fails to meet the owners obligations under the lease, the NHA has the right to terminate assistance payments.TheNHAmustreexaminethefamilysincomeandcompositionatleastannuallyandmust inspecteachunitatleastannuallytoensurethatitmeetsminimumhousingqualitystandards. HUDsrole:Tocoverthecostoftheprogram,HUDprovidesfundsthatallowPublicHousingAgencies (PHAs)tomakeassistancepaymentsonbehalfofthefamilies.HUDalsopaysthePHAafeeforthecosts of administering the program. When additional funds become available to assist new families, HUD invites PHAs to submit applications for funds for additional housing vouchers. Applications are then reviewed and funds awarded to the selected PHAs on a competitive basis. HUD monitors PHA administrationoftheprogramtoensureprogramrulesareproperlyfollowed. HowarerentsdeterminedintheHousingChoiceVoucherProgram? The NHA determines a payment standard that is the amount generally needed to rent a moderately priced dwelling unit in the local housing market and that is used to calculate the amount of housing assistanceafamilywillreceive.However,thepaymentstandarddoesnotlimitanddoesnotaffectthe amountofrentanownermaycharge.Afamilywhichreceivesahousingvouchercanselectaunitwith arentthatisbeloworabovethepaymentstandard.Thefamilymustpay30%ofitsmonthlyadjusted grossincomeforrentandutilities,andiftheunitrentisgreaterthanthepaymentstandardthefamilyis requiredtopaytheadditionalamount.Wheneverafamilymovestoanewunitwheretherentexceeds thepaymentstandard,thefamilymaynotpaymorethan40%ofitsadjustedmonthlyincomeforrent. WhatrentalunitswillqualifyfortheHousingChoiceVoucherProgram? All units must pass Housing Quality Standards (HQS) in order to be subsidized. The HQS inspection ensuresthattheunitismaintainedindecent,safe,andsanitarycondition. CananownerrefusetorenttomebecauseIhaveaHousingChoiceVoucher? Ownersarenotpermittedtorefusetoparticipatebecauseofillegaldiscriminationbased,forinstance, onafamilysrace,ethnicityordisability,buttheyarepermittedtoscreenapplicantsforsuchcriteriaas income,rentpaymenthistory,leasecomplianceandcriminalbackground.Therenttoownermustalso be reasonable, which means the owner may not, for example, charge a voucher family more for the sameunitthanafamilywhoisrentingasimilarunitwithoutavoucher.Participationintheprogramis voluntary.Ifyoudesiretoleaseandmovetoaunit,itmustmeettheprogramcriteria.Ifyoumeetthe backgroundrequirements,theunitpassestheHQSinspectionandtheownerrefusestoparticipate,you mayneedtoseeklegalrepresentation.

CarmelTowersConversionFAQs

WherecanIlookforarentalunitonceIreceivemyvoucher? HousingChoiceVouchersareportable,meaningthattheycanbetakenanywhereintheUnitedStates wherethereisahousingauthoritytoadministertheprogram.FamiliesissuedavoucherbytheNewark Housing Authority are not required to stay in Newark, in Essex County or even in the State of New Jersey. IfyouuseyourVouchertomoveoutofthejurisdictionoftheNewarkHousingAuthority,thepayment standardthatwillapplytoyourapartmentorhousewillbethestandardineffectinthelocalitythatyou choosetomoveto.Forexample,rentsarehigherinNewYorkandlowerinMississippiincomparisonto rentsinNewark.Yourshareoftherentwilldependonyourincomeinthelocationwhereyouwantto move. HowmuchtimedoIhavetosearchforaunit? Youhavesixty(60)daysfromthedateyourvoucherisissuedtolocateaunit.Extensions,nottoexceed amaximumadditionalperiodof60days,arepermissibleatthesolediscretionoftheNewarkHousing Authority. CanIqualifyforaHousingChoiceVoucherifIoweanoutstandingbalancetoNewarkHousing Authority No applicant or member of the applicant family can owe money to NHA or other Public Housing Authority.IfthefamilyisalreadyonaRepaymentAgreement,allpaymentsmustbecurrent. WhatifIhaveacriminalrecord?WillIstillqualify? Dependingonthenatureofyourcriminalrecord(whenthecrimeoccurred,whowasinvolved,natureof the crime)youmayormaynotbeeligibleforaHousingChoiceVoucher.Criminalbackgroundchecks willbeconductedforalladultmembersoftheapplicantfamily.AdmissiontoNHAsHCVProgramwill be denied for the following reasons: 1) Any household member has ever been convicted of the manufactureorproductionofmethamphetamine,2)anyhouseholdmemberhasbeenevictedfordrug relatedorviolentcriminalactivitywithinthepastthreeyearsfromafederallyassistedhousingprogram, 3) any household member is subject to a lifetime registration requirement under State sexoffender registrationprograminthestatewherethehousingislocated,4)NHAhasreasonablecausetobelieve that a household members use of illegal drugs or alcohol abuse may threaten the health, safety, or peacefulenjoymentofthepremisesbyotherresidentsorpersonsresidingintheimmediatevicinity,or if 5) NHA has reasonable cause to believe that a household member has engaged, within the past 3 years, in any other criminal activity that may threaten the health or safety of the owner, property managementstaff,orNHAemployeeoritscontractorsoragents.Inaddition,nomemberofthefamily must have committed fraud, bribery, or any other corruption in connection with a federal housing assistanceprogram.

CarmelTowersConversionFAQs