Program Violations and Fraud (Program Integrity)

¿Por Catching Violaciónes del programa y el fraude es importante
What are Program Violations and Fraud?
Cómo violaciónes y el fraude son investigados
Las sanciones por la comisión de Violaciónes y Fraude
Violaciónes de informes y el fraude
confidencialidad

¿Por Catching Violaciónes del programa y el fraude es importante

The federal government allocates a fixed amount of funds to the Housing Authority with which it is to provide rental assistance to as many families as possible. When a participating family receives more rental assistance than it is due, those additional rental assistance funds are not available to assist another family.

Each family is asked to spend approximately 30% of its income towards its rent. This is a reasonable amount to be asked to pay, few families on the private market pay so small a percentage of their income for rent.

By misrepresentation, not declaring income or otherwise engaging in program violations, the person doing so is not only cheating tax payers and the federal government, he or she is cheating another low income family out of assistance.

The vast majority of families currently receiving rental assistance, as well as many thousands of families on the waiting list, are honest, adhere to the rules and appreciate their rental assistance when they receive it.

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz is committed to eliminating fraud and dishonesty from its programs and has created a special investigative unit called the Program Integrity unit with a staff trained in investigation.

If you suspect a program violation or fraud is happening, you are encouraged to report it to the Program Integrity unit.

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What are Program Violations and Fraud?

Some misconceptions about the Housing Authority programs lead people to assume program violation or fraud is occurring when it is not. Families do not have to be on welfare to qualify for the program; in fact, families are encouraged to work, increase their income and eventually move off the program.

People who live together as a stable household but are not married are eligible for the program, as are families without children, single people, the elderly and persons with disabilities. However, all people living in the household and the income of all people in the household must be reported to the Housing Authority promptly.

Some examples of program violations or fraud by a program participant or tenant:

• Las representaciones erróneas de hechos
• Omisión de los hechos
• Hacer declaraciones falsas
• Acostado en formularios de declaración personales
• Failure to comply with program requirements.
• Failure to report all income and/or assets.
• Falsifying document and/or signatures.
• Failure to report promptly changes in income or household composition.
• Allowing additional people to live in the home without approval from the Housing Authority and landlord.
• Subleasing all or part of the rental unit.
• Paying more rent to the landlord than the amount stated on the Tenancy Addendum to the Lease (also called “side payments”).
• Charging a live-in aide rent.
• Committing a serious criminal act.
• Owning or having a financial interest in the rental unit.

Some examples of program violations or fraud by a landlord:

• Collecting additional payments from the family beyond that stated in the Tenancy Addendum to the lease (also called “side payments”).
• Accepting Housing Assistance payments for a vacant unit.
• Living in the same rental unit as the program participant.

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Cómo violaciónes y el fraude son investigados

The Housing Authority has many sources and investigative methods at its disposal. Friends and neighbors may be interviewed or surveillance of activities undertaken.

Government data bases that provide records of income, assets, places of residence, criminal background and other information may also be used.

The Housing Authority also works closely with law enforcement and other public agencies to conduct joint investigations and cooperates fully in criminal and civil prosecutions.

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Las sanciones por la comisión de Violaciónes del programa y Fraude

Penalties range from losing rental assistance to prosecution and imprisonment. Violators may be fined and also be required to repay all overpaid rental assistance.

Under the Section 8 program, if a violation is determined, the Housing Authority might stop rental assistance but the landlord may allow the violator to remain in the rental unit. The Housing Authority cannot evict or remove the violating family from the home, only the landlord may evict.

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Informes sobre posibles fraudes y Violaciónes Programa

por teléfono: information may be given confidentially by calling the Program Integrity unit at 454-9455, extension 251. If the Program Integrity Officer is not available, a message can be left in the secure voice mail box accessed by only the Program Integrity Officer.

electrónicamente: a report may also be made confidentially via this web site by completing the Programa Violación Formulario de Informe. This form goes directly from the web site to the Program Integrity Officer.

Escrito: the Programa Violación Formulario de Informe can also be printed from the web site and mailed to, or dropped off at, the Housing Authority, 2160 41st Avenue, Capitola, CA 95010, attention: Program Integrity Officer/Confidential Information.

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confidencialidad

All reports of program violations and fraud are held in strict confidence.

Based on information received confidentially, the Housing Authority Program Integrity Officer will undertake an independent investigation and will not reveal the name of the person providing the information. If the Program Integrity Officer finds that a case cannot be proven without using information that would reveal the identity of the informant, the Program Integrity Officer will contact the informant for permission to use identifying information. If permission is not given, the informant’s name will not be used but the case may not be able to go forward.

Because of confidentiality requirements, the Housing Authority will not be able to make any statements regarding the status of investigations or results. Investigations, then the process of termination and/or prosecution can be lengthy; it should not be assumed that no action is being taken simply because the family remains in the home.

Documentación y verificación de ingresos de su familia

What kind of income should I report to the Housing Authority:

• First, you MUST report ALL income that anyone in your family receives, and ALL assets that anyone in your family has.
• The Housing Authority reviews the information and requires you to provide documentation to verify all of your income and assets.
• Some types of income or assets may not be included in your rent calculation, but you are still required to report them.

What kind of income should I report to the Housing Authority?

You are required to report all income to us, even if you think we already know about it, or even if you think it “doesn’t count” for our programs. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Wages, salary, and tips
• Welfare, Social Security, and other benefits, even if the benefits are intended for a child.
• Child support, alimony, and other support from friends or family, including someone who pays bills, buys groceries, or provides other non-cash assistance
• ayuda financiera y préstamos estudiantiles
• Self-employment income and work for cash, including side jobs like yard care, child care, selling merchandise at the flea market, etc.
• Workers compensation, unemployment, disability payments, etc.

What kind of assets should I report?

You must report all assets owned by anyone in your family to the Housing Authority.

Generally, the value of the asset does not count as income. Only the income (such as interest) produced by the asset will count. If the asset does not produce any income, like money in a non-interest bearing checking account, the Housing Authority will use an assumed interest rate to estimate income.

Assets you must report include, but are not limited to:

• cuentas bancarias
• cuentas de pensiones y jubilaciones
• Bienes inmuebles y otros bienes
• Trusts, including special needs trusts
• Settlements, inheritance, and other lump sum cash awards
• La propiedad de una empresa o sociedad

How will you verify the income I report?

We will require that you provide documentation of all of your income and assets. Most documentation must be in the form of original documents, so make photo copies to keep for your records. Required documents include pay stubs, bank statements, benefits letters, tax returns, etc. You will be given a specific list of the type of documents needed.

We will also obtain direct verification from an online database maintained by HUD, called EIV. This database includes income and benefit information about you and your household. We will use the database to confirm the information you have provided to us. For more information about EIV, see the brochure called “What You Should Know About EIV” available at the Housing Authority office and website.

Finally, if we still need more information we may contact an employer, bank, agency, etc. directly and ask them to fill out a form verifying your income or assets and return that form directly to us.

How do I document self-employment or cash income?

If you are self-employed, work for cash, or receive money or other support from friends or family, you must still document this income.

• For self-employment (child care, yard care, freelance work, etc.), provide an income and expense statement or use our Self-Employment Verification Form.
• Keep a written log of cash received, including dates, amounts, and who provided the cash.
• Show bank statements that document that cash was deposited.
• Keep records throughout the entire year, and be prepared to provide this information to the Housing Authority annually.
• Provide names and contact information for the persons who provided the income to you. We may contact them directly for verification.

What happens if someone in my family fails to report their income or assets?

The head of household is responsible for making sure that everyone in the family fully reports their income and assets.

Failure to report this information, as well as any changes, can result in your family being required to repay subsidy, and/or being terminated from the program, among other penalties. See the Program Fraud Q&A para más información.

Sobre el proceso de recertificación anual

Why does the Housing Authority conduct annual recertifications?

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires us to review the income, assets, and family composition of each family we assist once a year.

You are required to provide all the information we need to recertify your family annually. Most families receive several thousand dollars’ worth of assistance each year; in return, we ask that you comply with program rules and provide this information annually.

From time to time, the Housing Authority may change the date of your annual recertification. However, a full annual recertification will be conducted once every year.

What if I provided all the information last year and there have been no changes?

Even if nothing about your situation has changed, you are still required to provide all the information we request.

What if I recently reported some changes to my income? Do I still need to complete the annual recertification?

Yes. Even if we have recently conducted an “interim” income recertification based on changes you reported to us, we must still complete the full annual recertification for everyone in your family.

Can’t you get information about my income from other sources?

It is your responsibility to report all income to us, and we will confirm this information with federal and state agencies that collect income data. For more information, see the Income Verification Q&A.

There are now two options for completing your annual recertification (AR):

1) electronically,
2) using paper documentation

What if it doesn’t work for me to complete my AR electronically?

Call us at (831) 454-5955 or email us at [email protected] to let us know. Arrangements will be made to mail you a paper AR packet.

If electronically: You will be contacted via email, 3-4 months prior to the due date of the AR. Follow the prompts on the On-line Portal to register. All annual recertification information will then be entered though this portal.

If by paper: Your packet will arrive in the mail about 3-4 months before your annual recertification date. Plan for this and have your paperwork organized. Further details will be included in the packet.

Para cualquiera de las dos opciones
Complete and submit your completed packet by the due date. Your assistance may be terminated if you do not.

• If we request original documents, make copies for yourself.
• If you fax a document, send it by mail as well. Some faxes can be hard to read.

How do I know if you received what I sent you?

We will send you a letter if we are missing any documents. Please don’t call immediately after sending documents to us to ask if we received them, as this will only slow down the document review process.

What if I am expecting a change to my income, assets, or family composition?

Please tell us, in writing, as much as possible about any changes that may take place during your annual recertification. For more information, see our Reporting Changes Q&A.

What if I am planning on moving?

If you are planning to move during your annual recertification process, it is important that you let us know your plans as soon as possible. See our Transfer Q&A for more information about moving to another unit.

Will there be changes to my rent as a result of the annual recertification?

There could be changes to the rent you pay if:

• Your income or assets have changed.
• Your landlord has requested a rent increase.
• Someone has moved in or out of your household, which affects the number of bedrooms you are eligible for.
• The payment standard or utility allowances that the Housing Authority uses to calculate your subsidy has changed.

You will be notified by mail of any rent change.

Most Housing Authority programs are designed so that families pay about a third of their income in rent. The federal government considers this to be an affordable amount for any family to pay for housing.

What if I am not able to gather all the information by the deadline?

The Housing Authority’s deadline for submittal of annual recertification documents is firm. Failure to comply with deadlines could result in termination of your assistance.

We encourage you to plan ahead and keep income and asset information for everyone in your family on file to make it easier to submit the packet by the deadline. If there is a crisis that causes a delay, contact us immediately.

What kind of assistance do you offer for persons with disabilities?

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz has special voucher programs for disabled persons meeting certain eligibility criteria. For a list of all special voucher programs, please our website at https://hacosantacruz.org/waiting-lists/waiting-lists-for-all-programs/ Additionally, if you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, please reach out to https://smartpathscc.org/homeless/ or call 831-454-4122 or 2-1-1.

You might consider contacting the caseworker you have through the County or other Agency that is not the Housing Authority, to discuss options for you.

What other options might be available?

When you apply for or begin receiving assistance from the Housing Authority, our staff can help with special needs such as:

• Authorizing someone else to speak to us, receive mail, or sign papers on your behalf.
• Requests for extensions of important deadlines if the delay was related to a disability.
• Requests for a live-in aide, which is a person that is required by your disability to live in your home and assist you.
• Requests to rent a unit from a relative if you are unable to find another unit with the special features you require.
• Requests for an extra bedroom to store oversized medical equipment or provide extra space related to the disabilities.
• Otras necesidades especiales

How Do I Make a Request?

Complete the appropriate Special Request Form, which you can download from our website, or call our Info Line (# below) to request a form or to make your request verbally if you cannot complete the form.

Make your request as early as possible so that processing time will not interfere in your housing needs.

Be specific about what you are asking for.

Once we get the request, we will send a form directly to your health care provider, social worker or other knowledgeable professional to verify the need. Please make sure that person is aware of your needs and understands how important it is to provide as much detail as possible on our form and return it quickly. Your health care provider , social worker or other knowledgeable professional cannot give the form to you—he or she must send it directly to us.

When will I know if my request has been approved?

This depends on how long it takes your health care provider, social worker or other knowledgeable professional to respond. Most requests take over 30 days to process. We will send you a letter notifying you of our decision

Approving a special request can result in you receiving more rental assistance that would otherwise be used to help another family.

For this reason, we require thorough documentation of the need and we will verify that the accommodation is being used.

What are the requirements for live-in aides?

• A live-in aide (LIA) cannot be someone who would normally live with you as part of your family or support you financially. A LIA is an employee who you hire to provide care.
• Your health care provider or social worker must verify that you need a LIA to perform essential tasks related to your disability during nighttime hours. The Housing Authority will confirm this need.
• You may not charge rent to a LIA.
• A LIA does not have any rights to the voucher and is not considered part of the assisted household.
• A LIA’s income is not counted as part of your household income.
• A LIA must live with you full-time and document that he/she does not have another residence.
• You do not need our approval for daytime help, only for a LIA to live with you.

What are the requirements for renting from a relative?

You are only allowed to rent from a relative if:

• Your health care provider, social worker or other knowledgeable professional verifies that you need special features due to a disability, and
• Se completa una Vivienda Formulario de búsqueda to show that you tried to find another unit and that your needs can be met only by your relative’s unit.

How can I get a larger unit or an extra bedroom?

Granting extra bedrooms mean that you get more rental assistance that could otherwise help another family. Extra bedrooms are approved in limited situations for:

• equipos médicos grande
• Certain conditions that make it impossible for two people to share a room.

When can I get an extension of my voucher expiration date?

Extensions due to a disability are only granted if your health care provider, social worker or other knowledgeable professional documents the dates when your disability prevented you from searching for a rental. There is no guarantee that extensions will be granted. If you do not lease up by the deadline, you could lose your voucher. Continue your housing search and document every unit you contact on a Vivienda Formulario de búsqueda.

If you are searching for a unit, do not assume that your request will be approved! Continue your housing search. You might not get an extension on your voucher simply because you were waiting for approval of your request.

Si desea una traducción en español, por favor llame al (831) 454-9455.