§ 4-14Processing applications.
The WHA will accept and process applications in accordance with applicable HUD regulations. Applications are accepted during regular business hours at the Service Center at 679 Social Street, Woonsocket, RI 02895. Application may either be made in person or forms will be mailed to interested parties upon request. Persons with disabilities who require a reasonable accommodation in completing the application may call the WHA to make special arrangements. The application process may involve two phases: a preliminary application and a full application.
Preliminary application.
The preliminary application results in the family's placement on the waiting list. During this first phase, the family provides basic household information and claims any admission preferences to which it may be entitled.
The WHA will stamp the preliminary application with the date and time it was received. WHA will make a preliminary determination of eligibility (background checks, prior residency history, credit and criminal record checks). The WHA will assume that all other facts certified to by the applicant are correct. All such information will be verified further in the application process.
Applicants must report any changes in their status to the Service Center, including family composition, income, or admission preferences. The WHA will annotate the applicant's file. The changes will be confirmed with the family in writing.
Depending upon the length of the waiting list, the WHA may bypass the initial preliminary application and proceed directly to the full application.
Full application.
The full application takes place when the applicant nears the top of a waiting list. The family will be asked to come to the WHA for a finalization interview to complete its applicant file. When the completed application is received by the WHA, it will be dated and time-stamped. This date will only indicate when the application was received.
The WHA will ensure that verifications of all preferences, eligibility, and selection factors are current in order to determine the family's final eligibility for admission into the public housing program. After all verifications are received and the applicant is deemed eligible, the applicant's name is placed on the waiting list.
The following items will be verified to determine qualification for admission to WHA housing:
Family composition and type (elderly, disabled, near-elderly, nonelderly);
Annual income;
Assets and asset income;
Deductions from income;
Admission preferences;
Social security numbers of all family members;
Applicant screening information; and
Citizenship or eligible immigration status.
Applicants who fail to attend their scheduled interview or who cannot be contacted to schedule an interview will have their applications automatically withdrawn, subject to reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. Generally, no more than one opportunity will be given to reschedule without good cause.
If the family is determined eligible after verification of information and screening factors, the date and time of eligibility determination will be noted in the applicant's file.
Family cooperation.
The head of household, spouse, and all adult family members will be required to sign one or more consent forms throughout the preapplication and full application processes. The purpose of these forms is to authorize HUD or the WHA to obtain information from various sources to complete and/or verify the family's application. If the head of household, spouse or any adult family member does not sign a required consent form for any reason, the family's application for admission will be denied.
Failure by any family member to comply with reasonable requests for documentation, consent, or information will result in the denial of the family's application.
