Recertification Policies & Procedures

Do I need an appointment to see my housing specialist?
YES. If you plan to see your Housing Specialist on days that are not open to the public, you will need to contact your Housing Specialist to set up an appointment. The days that are open to the public when reporting a change in your family composition/income are:

Tuesday 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Thursday 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Who is my Housing Specialist?
If your last name begins with the letter:

 
What Do I Bring when I have a change of income?
If you have a letter concerning your change of income, bring that letter in with you when you see your Housing Specialist. If you do not have anything in writing to verify the change of income, come in anyway and the Housing Specialist can obtain a written statement from the Employer, Welfare Department, Social Security Office, or whatever agency or company is sending you the income.

What does family income mean?
Family income means any and all income received within the household. Income which is received from 1) head of household, 2) Spouse, 3) each family member living in the house who is at least 18 years of age.

Who is responsible to report family income?
You Are. If the income has changed that either you, your spouse, another adult within your household or your child who lives with you and is 18 years of age receives, it is the responsibility of the head of household to make sure the person who has the change reports it to their Housing Specialist.

Isn’t it enough to report my income just once per year?
Definitely not! Whenever there is any kind of change in the income, which is different from what has been reported last, it must be reported in person immediately, not over the phone or by mail.

As long as you report the change in your household within ten (10) days of the change you will not be in jeopardy of accumulating a debt with LMHA.

What does over-income mean?
If your income exceeds the very low-income guidelines you are considered over-income. The income guidelines at this time are:

1 person  –  21,600
2 persons – 24,700
3 persons – 27,800
4 persons – 30,850
5 persons – 33,350
6 persons – 35,800

What if my income exceeds the limit am I removed from the Housing Choice Voucher Program?
Not necessarily. If at any time that it is discovered that you are over-income, your HCVP voucher will be held for you to use again within a six-month period if your income once gain falls below the limit. It is up to you to report if this occurs. Meantime, you will be responsible to pay the rent in full directly to the landlord.
But, if during the six months you vacate the unit where you were receiving the HCVP subsidy, your HCVP voucher will be cancelled.

Can I move from my unit at any time?
You must assure that you are not breaking a contract with your current landlord. You are committed to reside in a unit for a minimum of one year. After the one year expires, you are free to move under the following conditions:

1. There is no debt owed LMHA
2. There is no debt owed to your current landlord
3. There are no program/lease violations that have occurred within the past 6 months
4. You must first attend a rehousing class
5. You must give proper thirty (30) day notice to your landlord and LMHA of your intent to move