Applying for Assisted-Rental Housing
What is Assisted-Rental Housing?
In today’s real estate market, many households need help bridging the gap between low or moderate wages and the high cost of renting a residence. NRHA provides assistance to those households to obtain secure and quality affordable rental housing. This is done either through assisted-rental properties owned and managed by NRHA or through the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program.
NHRA owns and manages nearly 4,000 assisted-rental units located throughout Norfolk (link to properties) that provide affordable rents to lower income households, seniors and persons with disabilities. Generally tenants pay 30 percent of their income as rent. NRHA’s Client Services Department in partnership with area agencies, provides resident-focused programs to facilitate achievement of their highest level of economic and social independence.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers federal aid to housing authorities that manage assisted-rental housing as well as HCVs. HUD also furnishes technical and professional assistance in planning, developing and managing these developments.
How do I apply?
NRHA will distribute applications on THURSDAYS ONLY between 9:00am and noon beginning January 21, 2010 and ending Thursday, March 4, 2010 at noon at the following locations:
Main Office, Housing Operations, Bobbitt Midrise, Calvert Square, Diggs Town, Franklin Arms, Grandy Village, Huntersquare Midrise, Oakleaf Forest, Partrea Midrise, Sykes Midrise, Tidewater Gardens and Young Terrace.
Applications accepted for all bedroom sizes on FRIDAYS ONLY beginning Friday, January 22, 2010 and ending on Friday, March 5, 2010.
All applications must be completed and returned in person to NRHA's Main Office, 201 Granby Street on FRIDAYS ONLY (January 22, 2010 through March 5 from 9:00am to noon) or be mailed to NRHA's Occupancy Department, 201 Granby Street, Norfolk, Va 23510. Mailed applications must be post-marked no later than Friday, March 5, 2010. Any application received or post-marked after March 5, 2010 will not be accepted. The TDD line will be available by calling 1-800-545-1833.
Applications available at www.nrha.us and as a reasonable accomodation at the Community Services Board, Endependence Center, Hope House Foundation, Norfolk Division of Social Services, Louise Eggleston Foundation, and Tidewater Aids Crisis Taskforce.
The application is available here.
Please note that the applications are for ASSISTED-RENTAL HOUSING ONLY.
Wait List Information Number: (757) 314-2665
Please allow 90-120 days for the application to be processed.
You may call to check your status after that time.
Applicants that wish to drop off their applications must take them to the above address on the following Friday's only between 9:00am and 12:00pm.
January 22, 2010
January 29, 2010
February 5, 2010
February 12, 2010
February 19, 2010
February 26, 2010
March 5, 2010
The deadline is March 5, 2010 at 12:00 Noon.
Who is eligible?
Assisted-Rental Housing is limited to low-income families and individuals. Your eligibility will be based on:
- Annual gross income,
- Whether you qualify as an elderly, a person with a disability or as a family, and
- U.S. citizenship/immigration status. Your references will be checked to make sure you and your family will be good tenants.
If you are eligible, the NRHA will check your references to make sure you and your family will be good tenants. NRHA will deny admission to any applicant whose habits and practices may be expected to have a detrimental effect on other tenants or on the community’s environment.
Current and former residents of Assisted-Rental Housing or Housing Choice Voucher Program Participants who owe a balance will not be processed until the balance is paid in full. In addition, you must meet the eligibility criteria for our program.
NRHA uses income limits developed by HUD, which sets the lower income limits at 80 percent and very low income limits at 50 percent of the median income for the metropolitan area in which you choose to live. Click here to see HUD income limits.
How does the application process work?
The NRHA will collect the following information to determine your eligibility:
- Names of all persons who would be living in the unit with you, their sex, date of birth, social security number, and their relationship to the head of household.
- Your present address and telephone number.
- Family characteristics (e.g. veteran) and their circumstances that may qualify the tenant for tenant selection preferences, such as living in overcrowded conditions or being in a rent burden.
- Names and addresses of your current landlord, and previous landlords to determine your suitability as a tenant.
- An estimate of your family's anticipated income for the next twelve months.
- Names and addresses of employers, banks and any other information the agency would need to verify your income and deductions, and to verify the household composition.
- NRHA will conduct a credit check and a criminal background check to determine your suitability.
You will need to provide any documentation needed, such as birth certificates, social security cards, verification of income, assets, and expenses for your household.
When will I be notified?
NRHA will provide written notification. If NRHA determines that you are eligible, your name will be put on the waiting list, unless the agency is able to assist you immediately. If you are determined ineligible, NRHA will notify you of the reason of the ineligibility, and give you an opportunity to request an informal hearing.
Are there any selection preferences?
Yes, giving preferences to specific groups of families enables NRHA to direct their limited housing resources to the families with the greatest housing needs. Click here to see NRHA Selection Preferences.
Criteria to move into Grandy Village Revitalization
• Employed full-time (25 hours per week) for past 12 months, unless elderly or disabled household
• Must have acceptable Landlord reference for the last 12 months.
• Children must be attending and in good standing as defined by the Norfolk Public School system.
• Any household member who is 16 and older and not attending school full time shall be employed at minimum 20 hours per week and/or involved in a job training or vocational program.
How is rent determined?
Your rent will be based on your family's anticipated gross annual income less deductions, if any. HUD regulations allow Housing Agencies (HA) to exclude from annual income the following allowances: $480 for each dependent; $400 for any elderly family or a person with disability, and some medical deductions for families where the head of the household (or spouse) is an elderly person or a person with disabilities. All families are required to pay at least $50 minimum rent.
Rent will be calculated based of the highest of the below formula:
- 10% of monthly income
- 30% of monthly adjusted income (Gross Annual Income less deductions allowed by the regulations)
- A $50 minimum rent, set by NRHA at this time
Will I have to sign a lease?
If you are offered a unit and accept it, you will have to sign a lease with NRHA. You must be able to obtain your leasing funds, which will include your first month's rent and security deposit. The lease must be signed by both parties.
What is the role of NRHA?
NRHA is responsible for the management and operation of its local assisted-rental housing programs. NRHA also operates other types of housing programs.
On-going functions:
- Assure compliance with leases,
- Set other charges, such as security deposit, extra consumption, and damages to unit,
- Perform re-examination of family's income at least once every 12 months,
- Repair and renovate units,
- Transfer families from one unit to another, in order to correct over/under crowding,
- Terminate lease as necessary, and
- Maintain the development in a decent, safe and sanitary condition.
NRHA also provides other services, which include homeownership opportunities for qualified families, employment training opportunities, as well as, other training and programs.
How long can I stay in Assisted-Rental Housing?
In general, you may stay in Assisted-Rental Housing as long as you comply with the lease. If, at your reexamination, your family income is sufficient to obtain housing in the private market, the HA may recommend that you move to affordable housing in the private market. You will not be required to move unless there is affordable housing available for you on the private market.
FAIR HOUSING POLICY
The Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority does not discriminate against any person on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin, familial status or handicap. If you believe you have been discriminated against, you may call the Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity National Toll Free Hotline at 1-800-424-8590.