To receive housing assistance, applicants and tenants who are 18 years of age and each household head, spouse, or co-head regardless of age must provide the owner or management agent (O/A) certain information specified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
To make sure that the assistance is used properly, Federal laws require that the information you provide be verified. This information is verified in two ways:
O/As will verify the information provide applicants and tenants by checking with the records kept by certain public agencies (e.g., Social Security Administration (SSA), State agency that keeps wage and unemployment compensation claim information, and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) database that stores wage, new hires, and unemployment compensation). Applicants and tenants give consent to the release of this information by signing form HUD-9887.
The O/A must verify the information that is used to determine applicant eligibility and the amount of rent that will be paid. Consent is given to the release of this information by signing the form HUD-9887, the form HUD-9887-A, and the individual verification and consent forms that apply to housing assistance program. Federal laws limit the kinds of information the O/A can receive about applicants or tenants. The amount of income received helps to determine the amount of rent that will be paid. The O/A will verify all of the sources of income that is reported. There are certain allowances that reduce the income used in determining tenant rents.
Tenant Consent
Before accessing the employment or income data contained in EIV for a tenant, the O/A must make sure there is a current form HUD-9887, Notice and Consent for the Release of Information, signed, dated by the tenant and in the file. This form must be signed and dated by each adult member of a household regardless of whether he or she has income. The head of household, spouse, co-head and each household member who is at 18 years of age must sign and date the form at move-in and at each annual recertification.
HUD-9887-A requires the O/A to give each household a copy of the Fact Sheet, and forms HUD-9887, HUD-9887-A along with appropriate individual consent forms. The package every applicant and tenant will receive will include the following documents:
HUD-9887-A Fact Sheet: Describes the requirement to verify information provided by individuals who apply for housing assistance. This fact sheet also describes consumer protections under the verification process.
Form HUD-9887: Allows the release of information between government agencies.
Form HUD-9887-A: Describes the requirement of third party verification along with consumer protections.
Individual verification consents
These “Consents” are used to verify the relevant information provided by applicants/tenants to determine their eligibility and level of benefits.
These forms do not have an infinite validity date; therefore, there is a process in place to manage the signatures and dates of the forms. Since these consents are valid for only 15 months, the 9887, 9887-A, and individual consent forms must be signed at the beginning of the following:
Initial certification
Annual Recertification
Interim Recertification is necessary
When a tenant turns 18, years old they must make an appointment to complete all the necessary paper required by all applicants, 18 and older
This form authorizes HUD and the O/A to use data obtained through computer matching with another agency for verifying the individual’s income used for establishing the eligibility and level of benefits under HUD’s assisted housing programs. The form also authorizes HUD and the O/A to seek wage, new hire (W-4) and unemployment claim information from current or former employers in order to verify information obtained through computer matching.
Note: The Existing Tenant Report is pulled before move in. So, it is important to have a signed and dated 9887 / 9887-A form for every applicant 18 years of age and older before running this available report because of the requirement on the “Welcome” screen.
Consequences for Not Signing the Consent Forms:
If applicant fails to sign the form HUD-9887, the form HUD-9887-A, or the individual verification forms, it must result in the assistance being denied (for applicants) or the assistance being terminated (for tenants).
If an applicant is denied assistance for this reason, the O/A must notify the household of the reason for the rejection and give an opportunity to appeal the decision.
If a tenant’s assistance is terminated for this reason, the O/A must follow the procedures set out in the Lease. This includes the opportunity for the tenant to meet with the O/A.
Attachments;
History______________________________________________________________
Gabrielle Harris composed this Policy/Procedure on 02/09/2011 03:55:55 PM.