Federal Housing Program Eligibility
The LHA will screen applicants for eligibility when a residential unit becomes available.
In order to be eligible for the Federal Public Housing, applicants must meet many criteria including but not limited to:
- HUD’s definition of family
- Income Limits
- Immigration Status
- Criminal History
Family
A family includes, but is not limited to, regardless of marital status, actual or perceived sexual orientation, or gender identity, the following:
1) A single person, who may be an elderly person, displaced person, disabled person, near-elderly person, or any other single person;
2) A group of persons residing together, and such group includes, but is not limited to:
a) A family with or without children. A child temporarily absent from the home due to placement in foster care must be considered in determining family composition and size. A family that consists of a pregnant woman only, and no other persons, must be treated as a two-person family.
b) An elderly family, which is defined as a family whose head, co-head, spouse, or sole member is at least 62 years of age. It may include two or more persons, each of whom are at least 62, living together; or one or more persons who are at least 62 living with one or more live-in aides.
c) A near-elderly family, which is defined as a family whose head, co-head, spouse, or sole member is at least 50 years of age but below the age of 62; or two or more persons, each of whom are between the ages of 50 and 62, living together; or one or more persons who are between the ages of 50 and 62 living with one or more live-in aides.
d) A disabled family, which means a family whose head, co-head, spouse, or sole member, is a person with disabilities; or two or more persons with disabilities living together; or one or more persons with disabilities living with one or more live-in aides.
A person with disabilities means a person who:
(1) Has a disability as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 423(d)(1);
(2) Has a physical, mental or emotional impairment that is expected to be of long-continued and indefinite duration, substantially impedes his or her ability to live independently, and is of such a nature that ability to live independently could be improved by more suitable housing conditions; or
(3) Has a developmental disability as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 15002(8) (formerly codified in 42 U.S.C. § 6001).
e) A displaced family, which is a family in which each member or the sole member is a person displaced by governmental action, or whose dwelling has been extensively damaged or destroyed as a result of a disaster declared or otherwise formally recognized under Federal disaster relief laws.
f) A remaining member of a tenant family, which is a family member of an assisted tenant family who remains in the unit when other members of the family have left the unit.
Income Limits
Income limits are published annually by HUD and are generally effective on the date of publication. The family’s income must be within the income limits of LHA’s jurisdiction at time of admission. Income limits only apply at the time of admission and are not a factor in ongoing program eligibility.
| 1 Person | 2 People | 3 People | 4 People | 5 People | 6 People | 7 People | 8 People | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very Low (50%) Income Limits | $55,950 | $63,950 | $71,950 | $79,900 | $83,300 | $92,700 | $99,100 | $105,500 |
Immigration Status
To be eligible for HCVP each member of the family must be a citizen, national, or a non-citizen 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)).
Families in which at least one member is a U.S. citizen or has eligible immigration status may also be eligible for pro-rated assistance. A family in which some family members have eligible immigration status, and some do not contend eligible immigration status, is called a mixed family. Mixed families receive prorated assistance based on the percentage of family members who qualify for assistance.
Each eligible household member (or the parent/guardian for household members under age 18) must sign a declaration of their status and provide supporting documentation. Family members who do not sign a declaration of their status or provide the required supporting documentation will be considered ineligible noncitizens.
LHA will not provide assistance to a family before the verification of at least one family member. Documentation must be submitted by the time of the eligibility determination.
Criminal History
The LHA conducts criminal background checks on all applicants. Criminal Offender Record Information (CORl) checks will only be conducted as authorized by the DCJIS and MGL c. 6, §. 172. All applicants will be notified that a CORl check will be conducted. All CORI obtained from the DCJIS is confidential. Unless otherwise provided by law, a criminal record will not automatically disqualify an applicant. Rather, determinations of suitability based on background checks will be made consistent with LHA policy and any applicable laws or regulations.
