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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLINC Tenant Selection Plan1 | P a g e Leading Into New Communities, Inc. (LINC) Tenant Selection Plan This Tenant Selection Criteria shall be used for the housing units located at 909 South 4th Street and 911 South 4th Street in the City of Wilmington, North Carolina initial rental and ongoing tenancy. The policy of LINC INC and its agents is one of equal opportunity and non-discrimination in accordance with all Civil Rights Legislation, Fair Housing Act and Amendment and Affirmative Fair Housing. No applicant will be denied on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, handicap status or national origin. Applicants must meet all Tenant Selection Criteria to gain admission to the subject property. The following categories of criteria will be utilized to determine the eligibility of all applicants. Verification of eligibility is required. HUD determines Area Median Income (AMI) annually. Applicants whose rental application is rejected will be notified by email or by USPS within seven (7) days of being determined ineligible in accordance with the Tenant Selection Plan. Target Population: The Equal Opportunity/Fair Housing logo shall be used in all advertisements seeking tenants. LINC agrees to not discriminate against or deny occupancy to any tenant or prospective tenant by reason of their receipt of, or eligibility for, housing assistance under any federal, state, or local housing assistance program; and not to discriminate against or deny occupancy to any tenant or prospective tenant by reason that the tenant has a minor child or children who will be residing with them. LINC supports individuals returning from incarceration or histories of justice-involvement with reintegration into the community and this population shall be prioritized. 2 | P a g e Affirmative Marketing LINC will market the property to low-to-moderate-income applicants, including traditionally marginalized populations that may not otherwise apply for the property. LINC will market the property on social media, radio and print media, and community stores, recreation centers, and places of worship as the housing will serve a diverse cross-section of the population in Wilmington, North Carolina. LINC’s affirmative marketing emphasizes that housing is available to qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, familial status, or disability. This property is designed to give priority consideration to people with previous legal backgrounds. Income 100% of the units will be affordable to households with income at or below 80% of the median area income of the Wilmington NC HUD Metro FMR Area published annually. The applicant(s)’ income is based on income at the time that their application is received. Application LINC’s advertising will comply with Fair Housing Regulations. All persons interested in the property may request an application. Any application must be completed in full by the applicant and submitted in person, through email or USPS. The LINC application will be used and does contain requests for all information necessary for determining eligibility. Any and all requests for additional documentation to determine eligibility will be in writing to the applicant. The application contains a release form which must be signed by all applicants 18 years or older. This release authorizes LINC and its agents to verify all items, such as landlord reference check and income verification to determine eligibility. LINC or its agents maintain a waiting list for vacancies. Placement on the waiting list does not denote final tenant selection. Any applicant who exceeds 80% AMI based on application information will be notified in writing of ineligibility. Applicants placed on the waiting list must contact LINC every six months to request to remain on the waiting list and will need to update their telephone number, email address, and current address also. The waiting list is never closed and is updated annually. All completed applications are logged on the waiting list by date and time received and are selected in this order when units become available. Any applicant may request information on current status by writing or calling the owner/developer or the designated management agent. An applicant’s reliance on State or Federal housing vouchers will not be grounds to deny an application. State or Federal housing vouchers are accepted provided the voucher plus the tenant paid rent portion of the rent meets the current rent charged for the unit. Selection & Acceptance All applicants must be certified for eligibility, including income verification and background checks, by LINC or the designated management agent, even if they have other program subsidies. The policy of LINC is to consider all income and assets in accordance with state 3 | P a g e and federal guidelines. All applicants must provide positive identifications of all persons who will be part of the household. HOME funds have been awarded to this property; therefore, all applicants must meet HOME eligibility requirements first. Full time students are not eligible, unless the applicant meets one of the HUD approved exemptions. Income Documents: In conjunction with the rental application, applicants will complete a HOME Program Eligibility Release Form, Calculating Part 5 Income Worksheet, and support documentation. Appropriate support documentation includes but is not limited to the following: ● 3 months of pay stubs, third-party verification, ● bank statements (checking and/or savings), ● investment statements (money market and retirement accounts, and/or ● certified copies of tax returns. Annual income includes all amounts that are not specifically excluded by regulation. Exhibit 5-1, Income Inclusions and Exclusions, provides the complete list of income inclusions and exclusions published in the regulations and Federal Register notices. The applicant’s current circumstances will be used to anticipate income. LINC or the designated management agent calculates projected annual income by annualizing current income. Annual income also includes amounts derived (during the 12-month period) from assets to which any member of the family has access. Some circumstances present more than the usual challenges to estimating anticipated income. Examples of challenging situations include a family that has sporadic work or seasonal income or a tenant who is self-employed. In all instances, LINC and/or their designated management agent will make a reasonable judgment as to the most reliable approach to estimating what the tenant will receive during the year. Once the application is completed including a HOME Program Eligibility Release Form, Calculating Part 5 Income Worksheet, and support documentation, income information will be entered into the HUD Part 5 Income Calculator online tool to verify income eligibility. Applicants will be notified by email as to whether or not their income is determined to be at or below 80% AMI. Failure to provide support documentation as requested will result in ineligibility. In such cases, applicants will be notified in writing. Screening Criteria: Credit History: Any application may be rejected for any (1) of the following items: 4 | P a g e 1. Any one (1) judgment/collection filed within the last 3 years that has not been remedied or satisfied. Exceptions: Past due medical bills, education loans, burial expenses, mortgage debt and/or tax bills, non-payment of rent due to foreclosure, cell phone or cable bills will not be considered in credit eligibility. 2. Any one (single account) past due credit obligation that pertains to utilities services including electric, water, sewer, and trash services. Exceptions: Applicant must provide documentation to LINC or designation management agent that debt has been paid and satisfied in full. 3. Credit criteria will be waived for applicants receiving assistance which provides LINC or designated management agent with the ability to recover any economic losses related to tenancy. Applicants must provide written evidence of financial assistance. Landlord References Any application will be rejected for any (1) of the following items noted below. In the event the landlord reference is negative due to unpaid rent or money owed, the application will not be rejected provided the applicant is currently participating in a program, or receiving assistance, which provides the landlord the ability to recover unpaid rent and economic losses related to the tenancy. 1. Any one (1) history of moving from any housing unit without notifying the landlord. 2. Any one (1) outstanding balance owed from a previous occupancy. Exceptions: Applicants can provide written evidence of participation in a program, or receiving assistance, which provides the landlord the ability to recover unpaid rent and economic losses related to the tenancy. 3. The applicant or any member of the household was destructive to the rental unit or surrounding public areas. 4. Any record of disturbance of neighbors or other disruptive behavior by the applicant or any member of the household. 5. Any record of willful or serious misrepresentation in the application procedure of the unit or for any of the governmentally assisted units. 6. Any unauthorized alterations to the unit. 7. Any obvious indication that excessive trash or garbage has accumulated. 9. Any indication of excessive maintenance needed in the care of the unit and the resident has failed or neglected to notify management. 8. Any machine powered with flammable fuel housed in the apartment in the rental unit. 9. Arson or fire damage caused by the applicant. Background Records Check: LINC or management agent will conduct a background check on each adult member of the applicant household. Denial is required when: 1) Any household member is subject to a lifetime registration because of a sexual crime. 5 | P a g e a. LINC will check for the registration in the state of North Carolina and in any other state where the family has resided. LINC will use a nationwide database such as www.nsopw.org or one of similar features. Citizenship Requirements: At the time an application is filed, LINC or management agent will notify all applicants about the rule restricting assistance based on citizenship and immigration status and of the requirement to submit documentation of eligible status or to elect not to claim eligible status. Non-Citizen Rule – Summary of Documentation Requirements. Owner/developer and manager agents will comply with the citizenship requirements of Title IV of PRWORA Restriction on Noncitizen Eligibility for Federal Benefits (8 U.S.C. Chapter 14), as may be amended from time to time, a copy can be accessed online at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2015-title8/pdf/USCODE-2015- title8- chap14.pdf Nondiscrimination Statement In accordance with the Fair Housing Act, Leading Into New Communities, Inc. (LINC) and the designated management agent does not discriminate based on race or color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status.