§ 4-39General transfer policy.
§ 4-40Types of transfers.
§ 4-41Processing transfers.
§ 4-42Good-record requirement for transfers.
§ 4-43Modernization transfers.
§ 4-44Paying for transfers.
Transfers will be made without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or familial status. Residents can be transferred to accommodate a disability.
Residents will not be transferred to a dwelling unit of equal size except to alleviate hardship of the resident or other undesirable conditions as determined by the Executive Director or designee. Whenever feasible, transfers will be made within a resident's area.
Residents will receive one offer of a transfer. Refusal of that offer without good cause will result in lease termination for mandatory transfers or the removal of the household from the transfer list for voluntary transfers.
The order in which families are transferred shall be subject to the hierarchy by category set forth below.
Emergency transfers.
Emergency transfers are mandatory when the WHA determines that conditions pose an immediate threat to resident life, health or safety. Emergency transfers may be made to: permit repair of unit defects hazardous to life, health, or safety; alleviate verified disability problems of a life-threatening nature.
These transfers shall take priority over new admissions.
Category 1 administrative transfers.
Category 1 administrative transfers will be made to alleviate verified medical problems of a serious (but not life-threatening) nature; permit modernization or demolition of units; perform work (e.g., repair, modernization, or lead hazard reduction work) above a specified scale and duration that disturbs lead-based paint or controls lead-based paint hazards; or permit a family that requires a unit with accessible features to occupy such a unit.
These transfers shall take priority over new admissions.
Transfers may be initiated by the WHA or requested by a resident. Requests for Category 1 administrative transfers should be made to the Housing Manager with necessary documentation to substantiate the need for such transfers.
Category 2 administrative transfers.
Category 2 administrative transfers correct serious occupancy standards problems. They are mandatory if a family is over-housed by a degree of two.
These transfers will take priority over new admissions.
If a family is over-housed by a degree of one, the family agrees to appropriate-sized unit at its expense.
Residents that reside in a two-bedroom unit will be allowed to transfer to a one-bedroom unit only when the composition of family members has changed.
Category 3 administrative transfers.
Category 3 administrative transfers may be made to avoid concentration of the most economically and socially deprived families, correct occupancy standards
These transfers will not take priority over new admissions. They will be processed at the rate of one transfer to four admissions.
A centralized transfer waiting list will be administered by the Service Center. Managers should submit approved transfer requests, including necessary documentation, to the Service Center Manager.
The provisions listed below are to be used as a guide to ensure fair and impartial means of assigning units for transfers. It is not intended that this article will create a property right or any other type of right for a tenant to transfer or refuse a transfer.
Resident request for transfer.
A resident should initiate the transfer request by submitting a transfer request form to his or her Housing Manager. The family may be required to provide third-party verification of the need for the transfer.
The Housing Manager will review the request and approve or deny the request. In considering a resident-initiated transfer request, the Housing Manager may contact the family within 10 days to request a meeting to determine the need for a transfer and explore alternate solutions.
The Housing Manager will forward the request to the Service Center Manager.
The Service Center Manager will respond to the transfer request within 30 days of receiving the request or meeting with the resident, whichever is later. If the transfer is approved, the family's name will be added to the transfer waiting list. If the transfer is denied, the denial letter will state the basis for the determination. Tenants may use the WHA's grievance procedure if they are adversely affected by the WHA's denial for transfer.
Order of transfers.
Transfers will be sorted into their appropriate categories by the Service Center staff. Within each category, transfer applications will be sorted by the date the completed file (including any needed verification) is received from the Housing Manager. Admissions will be made in the following order:
Resident-initiated transfers will not occur if there is a pending administrative transfer.
Category 2 administrative transfers.
Category 2 administrative transfers to correct occupancy standards may be recommended at the time of reexamination or interim redetermination. Residents in a Category 2 over-housed status will be advised in their notice of result of reexamination that a transfer is recommended and the family has been placed on the transfer list.
Split-family transfers will be processed as Category 2 administrative transfers. Families that split into two "new" households may be transferred to two different units or a portion of the "old" household may be transferred to a single unit, depending on family circumstances and unit availability. Such transfers will be made in a manner that minimizes the impact on vacant units.
Offer and acceptance of transfer.
Upon offer and acceptance of a unit transfer, the family will execute all lease-up documents and pay any rent, security deposit, or other charges, as applicable, within two business days of being informed the unit is ready. The family will be allowed seven calendar days to complete a transfer. The family will be responsible for paying rent at the old unit as well as the new unit for any period of time beyond the seven days that it has possession of both units.
The new lease's term will coincide with the termination date of the old lease. No transfers can occur if there is a rent balance due or unpaid charges to the property. To the extent that an initial lease term still applies, it is not extended.
Definition.
In general, and in all cases of all resident-requested transfers, residents will be considered for transfers only if the head of household and any other family members are in good standing, which means:
The family is current on all payments due the WHA, including those under a rent repayment agreement;
The resident has not been sent a late rent notice within the past six months;
The family is in full compliance with all lease provisions; and
The current unit passes a housekeeping inspection.
Absent a determination of exception, the following policy applies to transfers:
If back rent is owed, the resident will not be transferred until a payment plan is established or, if prior payment plans have failed, back rent is paid in full.
A resident with housekeeping standards violations will not be transferred until he/she passes a follow-up housekeeping inspection.
Exceptions. Exceptions to the good record requirements may be made for emergency transfers or when it is to the WHA's advantage
The WHA reserves the right to fill modernized units in a manner that has the least impact on vacant units. Modernization transfers may be offered to residents who meet the eligibility criteria and wish to move to newly renovated units. Modernization transfers are offered to residents without regard to their race, color, national origin, relation, sex, disability, or familial status.
Qualifications.
In order to be considered for a modernization transfer, the resident must meet the following conditions:
The resident has been a resident in a WHA development for at least one year (six months if the resident occupies a unit in the next scheduled set of buildings to be renovated).
The resident has had no repayment agreement or unpaid balance at any time in the past six months.
The resident has a six-month history of full compliance with all lease provisions, including timely payment of rent and an acceptable housekeeping record.
No exceptions will be granted to the good-record requirement for modernization transfers.
Preference points. Additionally, residents who apply for modernization transfers can receive preference points for meeting one or more of the following conditions:
| 1 point: The head of household or spouse has a record of continuous or consecutive employment for a minimum of six months or is elderly/disabled. | |
| 1 point: The resident is a participant in or graduate of the WHA's Family Self-Sufficiency Program. | |
| 1 point: The household has been transferred once before by the WHA due to modernization projects. | |
| 1 point: The resident is participating in or has completed HUD-approved homeownership education in the last three years. | |
| 1 point: The resident lives in the development being renovated. | |
| 1 point: The resident's unit is located in the next scheduled set of buildings to be renovated. |
Procedure.
All residents will be notified when renovated units become available for modernization transfers. Residents will be informed of the modernization transfer eligibility requirements and selection procedure.
Resident requests for modernization transfers should be made to the management office. Management staff will verify information provided by the resident and, if applicable, assign preference points. Applicants for modernization transfers may be required to provide verification.
The WHA Relocation Committee will rank all eligible applicants. Residents who apply for modernization transfers will be chosen according to their rank by the above points. If the number of residents with equal points outnumbers the available units, the Relocation Committee will award modernization transfers through a lottery.
The WHA failure to process or recommend a modernization transfer is subject to the grievance procedure.
Transfers requested by the family. Generally, the family shall bear the cost of the transfer, including those made at the request of the family or by others on behalf of the family to correct occupancy standards or because action or inaction by the family caused the unit to be unsafe/uninhabitable. The responsibility for moving costs in other circumstances will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Transfers requested/required by WHA.
Transfers requested or required by the WHA, including those for temporary relocation during rehabilitation work or when action or inaction by the WHA has caused the unit to be unsafe/uninhabitable, will be paid for by the WHA.
The WHA will provide the household with access to a licensed/bonded and insured moving company paid for by the WHA and cover the cost of all disconnect and reconnect charges for telephone, cable television, or other utilities. Reimbursement for disconnect and reconnect charges requires submittal of an original bill to the building/development office with a copy to the Service Center Manager.
In family developments only, households may choose to self-move. If they do so, the WHA will pay an average of the cost of a move from and to the same bedroom size.
All transfers in high-rises must contract with bonded movers.
