MHA Marion Housing Authority
601 S. Adams St.
Marion, Indiana 46953
(765) 664-5194
Fax: (765) 668-3045
www.marionha.com
  
Public Housing Program

 

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. Public housing comes in all sizes and types, from scattered single family houses to high-rise apartments for elderly families.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Public housing is limited to low-income families and individuals. MHA 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, MHA will check your references to make sure you and your family will be good tenants. MHA will deny admission to any applicant whose habits and practices may be expected to have a detrimental effect on other tenants or on the project's environment.
MHA uses income limits developed by HUD. HUD sets the lower income limits at 80% and very low income limits at 50% of the median income.

HOW DO I APPLY?

If you are interested in applying for public housing, contact MHA.

HOW DOES THE APPLICATION PROCESS WORK?

The application must be written. Either you or the MHA representative will fill it out. MHA usually needs to collect the following information 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 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 MHA will need to verify your income and deductions, and to verify the family composition; and
  7. MHA also may visit you in your home to interview you and your family members to see how you manage the upkeep of you current home.
After obtaining this information, the MHA representative should describe the public housing program and its requirements, and answer any questions you might have.

WILL I NEED TO PRODUCE ANY DOCUMENTATION?

Yes, the MHA representative will request whatever documentation is needed (e.g., birth certificates, tax returns) to verify the information given on your application. MHA will also rely on direct verification from your employer, etc. You will be asked to sign a form to authorize release of pertinent information to MHA.

WHEN WILL I BE NOTIFIED?

An HA has to provide written notification. If MHA determines that you are eligible, your name will be put on a waiting list. Once your name is reached on the waiting list, MHA will contact you. If it is determined that you are ineligible, MHA 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 MHA. A security deposit is also required. You and the MHA representative should go over the lease together. This will give you a better understanding of your responsibilities as a tenant and MHA's responsibilities as a landlord.

ARE THERE ANY SELECTION PREFERENCES?

Sometimes there are. Giving preference to specific groups of families enables MHA 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 MHA, long waiting periods are common. In fact, MHA may close its waiting list when there are more families on the list than can be assisted in the near future. MHA has the discretion to establish preferences to reflect needs in our community. These preferences will be included in MHAs 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 MHA 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 MHA representative 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 $25 minimum rent or higher amount (up to $50).
 WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE HA?

MHA 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:
    1. Assure compliance with leases. The lease must be signed by both parties;
    2. Set other charges (e.g., security deposit, excess utility consumption, and damages to unit);
    3. Perform periodic reexaminations of the family's income at least once every 12 months;
    4. 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;
    5. Terminate leases when necessary; and
    6. Maintain the development in a decent, safe, and sanitary condition.
  2. Sometimes MHA provides 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, MHA 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.