Rent Policy for Low-Income Public Housing

Scope. All residents in low-income public housing units under the Seattle Housing Authority’s (SHA) “Moving to New Ways” Plan.

(Note: It does not include residents in: Jobs Plus or HOPE VI)

Policy. Rents shall be calculated in accordance with Board Resolution 4557, June 19, 2000, adopting the Moving to new Ways rent policy and shall be established and administered in accordance with the principles and requirements outlined in this section. 

The Moving to new Ways Rent Policy is intended to: 

              1. Remove disincentives and provide rewards for resident employment,

               job retention, and wage progression; 

2. Preserve an economic safety net;

3. Reduce unnecessary administrative procedures; 

4. Generate sufficient rent revenue to supplement federal subsidies; and 

5. Increase household and community stability. 

Rent is due on the first day of each month unless an agreement is reached between the Senior Property Manager and the resident in accordance with L11.1-2, 'Alternative Rent Due Dates.'

Note: SHA usage of the terms "Gross Rent" and "Contract Rent" varies from the definitions given by HUD. SHA's usage of "Contract Rent" equals "Gross Rent" by HUD's definition; and similarly, SHA's usage of "Net Rent" corresponds to HUD's usage of "Contract Rent." SHA's definition is used throughout this section and is applicable to all other SHA policies and procedures referencing these terms. This difference should be kept in mind when referring to HUD regulations. 

A.   Definition of Rent Terms

1. Contract Rent means rent prior to any deductions.

2. Fair Market Rent means the rent amount determined annually by a Dupre + Scott survey of market rents in 13 regions of the city.

3. Final Rent means the last rent level for working household.

4. Minimum Rent means the lowest rent charged for use of the dwelling accommodations, equipment, services, and utilities provided by SHA.

5. Net Rent means the monthly charge to a resident for use of the dwelling accommodations, equipment, services, and utilities provided by SHA. (It does not include charges for any excess utility consumption.)

6. Rent Ceiling means a fixed rent level charged for a period of 24 months when the calculated rent is equal to or greater than the ceiling.

B. The Contract Rent charged is subject to the following conditions:

         1. Contract Rent shall not be increased by more than 10 percent during any 12-month period as a result of:

a. applying Section 3; or

b. any other provision of law redefining which governmental benefits are required or may be considered as income.

            However, Contract Rent may be increased by more than 10 percent during any 12-month period to the extent that the portion of such increase above 10 percent is attributed solely to increases in income not caused by HUD redefinitions.

         2. Contract Rent shall not be decreased below the amount payable by the family unless due to decreases in the households income.

 3. The Utility Schedule (as established in MLS) shall detail quantities allowed to each resident based upon unit size, type and other pertinent criteria and whether the utilities are provided by SHA or contracted for by the resident directly from the utility company. Water, sewer, and garbage collection shall always be provided by the Housing Authority.

C. Minimum Rent.  The minimum rent for all residents is set at $50.00. No rent will  be reduced below this amount by a utility allowance. The head of household can apply for a hardship exemption. (see H. below)

D. Ceiling Rents for Working Residents. Residents who have income from employment will be eligible for rent levels lower than 30 percent of total income. Three temporary ceiling rents have been established, subject to annual revisions. The Third Rent Ceiling will be established at 100% of the Fair Market Rent for the unit size and location as determined annually by a Dupre + Scott survey of market rents in each area.  The Final Rent will be 30% of the household’s adjusted income. See Exhibit 1 for Ceiling Rent Schedule. 

The resident’s net rent will be frozen at one of the rent ceilings for a period of 24 months when an annual recertification results in a rent being raised to or greater than a particular ceiling. Once the 24-month period expires, rent will be set at 30% of the resident’s adjusted income or at the next rent ceiling, whichever is lower.

E. Fixed/Miscellaneous Incomes

1. Fixed Income. SHA will conduct formal rent reviews every three years for residents, whose sole source of income is from fixed-income sources (Social Security, SSI, Veterans, and retirement pensions.) In the two interim years between formal rent reviews, SHA will base adjustments in residents’ rent on the percentage increase of Social Security’s annual cost of living adjustment (COLA). All residents will have the option to request a formal rent review in place of the automatic adjustment. Residents who claim medical expenses as a deduction will be required to have a formal rent review.   

2. Miscellaneous Income. Zero Income, GAU, Child Support, Unemployment, L&I, Family Contributions. SHA will conduct formal rent reviews annually. Rent shall be calculated at 30% of adjusted income. 

F. TANF Recipients. Residents receiving only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (public assistance) will have their Contract Rent calculated at 25 percent of their gross income. No deductions are given, including utility allowance.

G. Student Income. Incomes of full-time students 18 years of age and older, who are not the head of household, spouse, co-head, foster child or foster adult will continue to be exempted. However, exemptions will be allowed for a maximum of five years per full-time enrolled adult. A full-time adult student whose income exemption has expired will not receive the $480 dependent deduction allowed for full-time students. 

H. Minimum Rent – Hardship Exemption. Residents may request a Hardship Exemption (SHA-1179) to the minimum rent of $50, reducing it between $25 and $0 based on their income. At no time will the monthly rent be reduced to less than $0.  The resident may request a reduction in the minimum rent for any of the following reasons:

1. Out-of-pocket medical expenses equal or exceed 50% of the gross household income and, as a result of the high medical deduction, the calculated rent, minus utility allowance, if applicable, would be less than $50. An exemption for this reason can be approved for up to 12 months.

2. The resident received no income the previous month due to a loss of income or waiting for an eligibility determination for assistance and/or would be evicted if the minimum rent requirement was imposed. An exemption for this reason must be requested monthly and cannot be approved for more than 3 consecutive months.

The resident is NOT eligible for a Hardship Exemption if the resident has exempt income.

I.  Income and Deductions. To determine income and deductions, staff shall refer to    SHA’s Manual Section L10.8-1.

J.  Jobs Plus. Refer to the management plans for those communities.

K.  Hope VI Communities. Refer to the management plans for those communities

RESPONSIBILITY. The Senior Property Managers for portfolios with public housing units, where this policy applies, shall be responsible for establishing effective internal office procedures and clearly designating responsibility to staff to ensure re-certifications are completed accurately and in compliance with the procedures set forth below.

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE

PET POLICY LEASE RIDER

In accordance with federal law and HUD regulations, residents of federally-funded housing for the elderly, handicapped or disabled or families shall not be prohibited from owning and keeping common household pets. Animals that assist persons with handicaps or disabilities are not subject to certain provisions of the Pet Policy, for example, the requirement for a pet deposit (see below) shall be waived. Other provisions, however, such as the Rules for Pet Care (see below) shall apply equally to service or companion animals as to pets. Provisions which may not apply to service animals are denoted by an asterisk “*”. Common household pets shall be defined as “smaller domesticated animals such as a dog, cat, bird, rodent, ferret, fish or turtle.”

In the case of birds, a maximum of two birds may be permitted. There shall be no limit as to the number of fish, but no more than one aquarium with a maximum capacity of 55 gallons shall be permitted. Rodents other than hamsters, gerbils, rats or mice are not common household pets. Reptiles other than turtles are not common household pets.

1.  No more than one dog or one cat (not both) shall be permitted in a household.*  With respect to dogs, “Pitbulls” or pitbull mixes are specifically prohibited and shall not be allowed in any SHA community. This policy is designed to permit reasonable ownership of pets and should not be construed as allowing the ownership of a trained “guard” dog or “attack” dog, nor should it be construed as favoring ownership of animals for the purpose of dog or cat breeding, since dogs and cats will be required to be spayed or neutered in accordance with this policy. A resident with a dog or cat may also have other categories of “common household pets” as defined above.

2.  No dog or cat shall exceed 15 inches in height at the shoulder or 35 pounds [S1] in weight when fully grown. * If your animal is already registered with the management office, you are exempt from this size restriction until such time as you may acquire a new pet. It is your responsibility to ensure that your pet is registered with the Management office.

3.  Each pet owner shall be responsible for the proper care of the pet including, but not limited to, good nutrition, grooming, routine veterinary care, flea control, routine inoculations, and compliance with all City, County, State and Federal statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations and anti-cruelty laws and regulations.

4.  All dogs and cats must be registered with the Management office immediately, but not later than ten (10) days following their introduction to the community. Such registration shall consist of providing the following:

a)  Basic information about the pet (type, age, description, name, etc.)

b)  Provide a picture of the animal for identification purposes.

c)  All dogs and cats shall be inoculated, licensed and spayed or neutered and owners shall provide veterinarian written verification of inoculations against rabies and certification of spay/neuter.

d)  Proof that inoculations and license of the pet shall be verified annually.

e)  Payment of an additional security deposit of $100.00 (to be paid in full or in the case of hardship, over a period of time not to exceed six months) to help defray the costs of potential damage done by a dog or cat to the unit or adjacent yard.*

f)  The pet owner’s signature on a copy of this pet policy. 

5. The pet owner shall keep the unit and surrounding areas free of pet odors, insect infestation, waste and litter related to their pet and maintain the unit in a sanitary condition at all times.

6. Each pet owner shall be responsible for clean up after their pet anywhere on Housing Authority property, including carrying a “pooper scooper” and/or disposable plastic bag anytime the pet is outside of the unit. Residents owning a cat shall maintain a waterproof litter box for cat waste. Litter boxes shall not be allowed to become unsightly or unsanitary. All pet waste, including litter shall be double bagged and disposed of in the outside garbage can or dumpster. No pet waste shall be put down a trash chute, or disposed of in the toilet.

7. The high rise pet owner shall not allow his/her cat loose in the common areas of the building or grounds. His/her cat shall be kept under the owners control at any time they are in common areas of the building or grounds. No dogs in any community shall be allowed loose in the common areas of the building or grounds.  When outside the unit, dogs must be accompanied by their owner and restrained with a leash or tethered properly. Pets may be tethered within the resident’s yard or patio (but not in the public patio in the case of a high rise or apartment complex without individual yards or patios.) Tethering in a yard is permitted only in such a manner as to not cause erosion or excessive wear on the lawn. Pets may be tethered by a harness. Pets may not be tethered by the neck. No “dog runs” are permitted. Other pets shall be in a suitable portable cage when outside the unit.

8.  Each pet owner shall maintain their pet in such a manner as to prevent any damage to their unit, common areas and grounds of the community in which they live.

9.  No pets shall be groomed in the public areas of the community, to include common area patios, gardens, etc.

10.No pets shall be allowed in the community room, community room kitchen, laundry rooms, public bathrooms, lobby or office in any SHA sites.

11.Each pet owner shall maintain their pet in such a manner as to prevent the animal from being a nuisance or a threat to the health or safety of SHA employees, the public or other residents in the community by reason of noise, unpleasant odors or other objectionable situations. Dogs shall be properly housed inside the dwelling unit at night (generally between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.) unless accompanied by the owner and pets shall not be allowed to annoy other residents by prolonged or constant barking or howling, at any time of the day or night.

12.No pet shall be abandoned when the resident vacates.

13.The resident shall pay promptly, upon receipt of a bill, for all materials and/or labor for repair of any damage caused by his/her pet.

14.In the event of a pet’s death, the resident shall be responsible for disposing of the pet remains in accordance with Federal, State and/or City laws, rules or regulations.

15.Visiting pets are subject to the above rules, except for the requirement of a deposit and picture.

16.Pets that are temporarily being cared for will also be subject to the pet policy rules. Residents who plan to temporarily care for a pet must receive permission from the Management office staff prior to bringing the pet onto the premises. SHA may use its discretion to approve or deny such request.

17.Cruelty to animals is a violation of state and local law and is a violation of this pet policy. Beating, neglecting, or otherwise harming an animal in your care may be grounds for termination of your lease.

In the event a resident cannot care for his/her pet due to an illness, absence, or death, and no other person can be found to care for the pet, and after 24 hours has elapsed, the resident hereby gives permission for the pet to be released to the Seattle Animal Control, in accordance with their procedures. In no case shall SHA incur any costs or liability for the care of a pet placed in the care of another individual or agency under this procedure.