5.0 Selecting families from the waiting list

5.1 Waiting List Admissions and Special Admissions

The Housing Authority may admit an applicant for participation in the program either as a special admission or as a waiting list admission.

If HUD awards funding that is targeted for families with specific characteristics or families living in specific units, the Housing Authority of Washington County will use the assistance for those families.

5.2 Preferences

Consistent with the Housing Authority of Washington County Agency Plan, the Housing Authority of Washington County will select families based on their total preference points based on the following local housing needs and priorities.

A. Victims of Domestic Violence: The PHA will offer a local preference to families that have been subjected to or victimized by a member of the family or household within the past six months. The PHA will require evidence that the family has been displaced as a result of fleeing violence in the home. Families are also eligible for this preference if there is proof that the family is currently living in a situation where they are being subjected to or victimized by violence in the home. See the standards for award of this preference below - 70 points

B. Working: To households where at least one family member has been working at least 20 hours per week for the past six months or has otherwise demonstrated a pattern of employment or who are active participants in accredited educational and training programs designed to prepare the individual for the job market

OR

C. Elderly: To Elderly families (a family whose head or spouse or whose sole member is at least sixty-two years of age, or disabled as defined in this section, or handicapped as defined in this section; including two or more elderly, disabled or handicapped persons living together, or one or more such persons living with another person who is determined to be essential to his or her care and well-being) -- 60 points.

D. To families living in substandard housing as defined below

OR

E. To families paying more than 50% of income for housing expenses - 30 points

F. To families where the head or spouse is a veteran -- 10 points.

G. To families who are residents of Washington County, but who live outside of the city limits of Hagerstown, and who have an address to which first class mail can be delivered, or who work in Washington County – 20 points.¹

OR

To families who are residents of the State of Maryland, but who live outside of Washington County, but including persons residing within the limits of Hagerstown, Maryland - 5 points

The Housing Authority of Washington County will not deny a local preference, nor otherwise exclude or penalize a family in admission to the program, solely because the family resides in public housing.

Domestic Violence:

Domestic Violence is defined as actual or threatened physical violence directed against the applicant or the applicant's family by a spouse or other household member who lives in the unit with the family.

The actual or threatened violence must have occurred within the past 180 days or be of a continuing nature.

An applicant who lives in a violent neighborhood or is fearful of other violence outside the household is not considered involuntarily displaced.

To qualify for this preference, the abuser must still reside in the unit from which the victim was displaced. The applicant must certify that the abuser will not reside with the applicant unless the PHA gives prior written approval.

The PHA will approve the return of the abuser to the household under the following conditions:

A counselor, therapist or other appropriate professional recommends in writing that the individual be allowed to reside with the family.

If the abuser returns to the family without approval of the PHA, the PHA will deny or terminate assistance for breach of the certification.

At the family's request, the PHA will take precautions to ensure that the new location of the family is concealed in cases of domestic abuse.

Substandard Housing:

Applicants who live in substandard housing are families whose dwelling meets one or more of the following criteria provided that the family did not cause the condition:

1. Is dilapidated, as cited by officials of a code enforcement office and does not provide safe, adequate shelter; has one or more critical defects or a combination of defects requiring considerable repair; endangers the health, safety, and well-being of family.

2. Does not have operable indoor plumbing.

3. Does not have usable flush toilet in the unit for the exclusive use of the family.

4. Does not have usable bathtub or shower in unit for exclusive family use.

5. Does not have adequate, safe electrical service.

6. Does not have an adequate, safe source of heat.

7. Should, but does not, have a kitchen. (Single Room Occupancy [SRO] Housing is not substandard solely because it does not contain sanitary and/or food preparation facilities in the unit).

8. Has been declared unfit for habitation by a government agency.

9. Is overcrowded according to HQS.

Persons who reside as part of a family unit shall not be considered a separate family unit for substandard housing definition preference purposes.

Applicants living in Public Housing or publicly assisted housing shall not be denied this preference if unit meets the criteria for the substandard preference.

10. An applicant who is a "Homeless Family" is considered to be living in substandard housing. Homeless Families include those who

Lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence; AND

Have a primary nighttime residence that is a supervised public or private shelter providing temporary accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters and transitional housing), or an institution providing temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or a public or private place not ordinarily used as a sleeping accommodation for human beings.

Homeless families may maintain their place on the waiting list while completing a transitional housing program.

Families who are residing with friends or relatives on a temporary basis will be included in the homeless definition.