Managers will accept and process applications in ...



To receive housing assistance, applicants and tenants who are 18 years of age and older, each head of household, spouse, or co-head regardless of age must provide the owner or management agent (O/A) certain information specified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

To make sure that the housing assistance is calculated properly, Federal laws require that the information provided by applicants and tenants must be verified. According to HUD, this information is verified in two ways:

1. Income and employment information provided by tenants will be checked with the records kept by certain public agencies (e.g., Social Security Administration (SSA), State agency that keeps wage and unemployment compensation claim information, and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) database that stores wage, new hires, and unemployment compensation). Tenants give consent to the release of this information by signing form HUD-9887.

2. Income and employment information will not be verified in EIV for applicants but the Existing Tenant Report in EIV will be searched to determine if the applicant is receiving Section 8 from another HUD property or PHA. The HUD-9887/9887A does not need to be on file in order to use the Existing Tenant Search in EIV at the time of application processing and tenant screening.

3. Information will be verified to determine applicant eligibility, tenant rent and HUD assistance. At least annually, tenant rent and HUD assistance is re-computed based on information requested and supplied by tenants. Applicants and tenants give consent to the release of this information by signing the form HUD-9887, the form HUD-9887-A, and the individual verification and consent forms that apply to housing assistance programs. Federal laws limit the kinds of information the O/A can receive about applicants or tenants.

Tenant Consent

Before accessing the employment or income data contained in EIV for a tenant, the O/A must make sure there is a current form HUD-9887, Notice and Consent for the Release of Information, signed and dated by the tenant, in their file. This form must be signed and dated by each adult member of a household regardless of whether they have income. The head of household, spouse, co-head and each household member who is 18 years of age or older must sign and date the form at move-in and at each annual recertification.

HUD requires the O/A to give each household a copy of the Fact Sheet, and forms HUD-9887, HUD-9887-A along with appropriate individual consent forms. The package will include the following documents:

1. HUD-9887/A Fact Sheet: Describes the requirement to verify information provided by individuals who apply for housing assistance. This fact sheet also describes consumer protections under the verification process.

2. Form HUD-9887: Allows the release of information between government agencies.

3. Form HUD-9887-A: Describes the requirement of third party verification along with consumer protections.

4. Individual verification consents: Used to verify the relevant information provided by applicants/tenants to determine their eligibility and level of benefits.

5. These forms do not have an infinite validity date; therefore, there is a process in place to manage the signatures and dates of the forms. Since these consents are valid for only 15 months, the 9887, 9887-A, and individual consent forms must be signed at the beginning of the following:

a. Initial certification

b. Annual Recertification

c. Interim Recertification if necessary

d. Within 30 days of a tenant turning 18 years old

6. It is important to have an 18 year old sign the 9887 and 9887-A as soon as possible because information in EIV is updated on a regular basis, and cannot be used unless there is a valid 9887 and 9887-A in the tenant file.

7. When a tenant turns 18, a notice will be sent advising them of the requirement for all tenants age 18 and older to sign the HUD Form 9887, 9887A and individual consents.

8. The head-of-household will be sent a copy of the notice sent to their 18 year old house member.

9. The tenant will be required to schedule an appointment and meet with the manager.

10. Tenants turning 18 years old will have 30 calendar days from the date of their birthday to schedule and participate in the meeting. During the meeting, the tenant will be required to:

• Sign the HUD form 9887/9887A and any applicable individual consent forms

• Sign the lease

• Participate in the HUD compliance review so they understand their responsibilities as a recipient of HUD housing assistance

• Disclose current employment and/or earned income (if any)

11. This form authorizes HUD and the O/A to use data obtained through computer matching with another agency for verifying the individual’s income used for establishing the eligibility and level of benefits under HUD’s assisted housing programs.

12. The form also authorizes HUD and the O/A to seek wage, new hire (W-4) and unemployment claim information from current or former employers in order to verify information obtained through computer matching.

Consequences for Not Signing the Consent Forms

If applicant or tenant fails to sign the form HUD-9887, the form HUD-9887-A, or the individual verification forms, it must result in the assistance being denied (for applicants) or the assistance being terminated (for tenants).

If an applicant is denied assistance for this reason, the application rejection procedures will be followed and the applicant will be given an opportunity to appeal the decision.

If a tenant’s assistance is terminated for this reason, the proper procedures will be followed as set out in the Lease. This includes the opportunity for the tenant to meet with the O/A to appeal.

Consent to Disclose an Individual’s Information to Another Person or Entity

The Federal Privacy Act (5 USC 552a, as amended) prohibits the disclosure of an individual’s information to another person without the written consent of such individual. As such, the EIV data of an adult household member may not be shared (or a copy provided or displayed) with another adult household member or to a person assisting the tenant with the recertification process, unless the individual has provided written consent to disclose such information.

Disclosure to Persons Assisting Tenants with the Recertification Process

With the written consent of the tenant, EIV data may be shared with persons assisting the tenant with the recertification process. Tenants who require assistance during the recertification process may have a representative present to assist them in their ability to participate in the recertification process; this includes review and explanation of the written third party income verifications.

Disclosure of EIV information to these parties must be employment or income information pertaining only to the tenant who has provided his/her consent. These parties must not have access to EIV information for any other household members.

Parties to whom the tenant can provide written consent include:

• Service coordinators (only if they are present at and assisting the tenant with the recertification process)

• Translators/Interpreters

• Individuals assisting an elderly individual or a person with a disability

• Guardians

• Powers of Attorney

• Other Family Members

The tenant and individual being given consent to participate in the recertification process will both sign the “Tenant Consent to Disclose EIV Income Information” found in section 7. This documents the tenant’s consent to disclose information to another adult household member or to persons assisting the tenant with the recertification process.

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