Further Information

Transfer to Conventional Public Housing

Once housed, or if I experience rental difficulties, can I Transfer my assistance into the conventional public housing program?

No. There is a separate application process that is required in order to obtain housing assistance through the Conventional Public Housing Program. Transferring of Housing Choice Voucher Program assistance to the Conventional Public Housing Program is not allowed by regulation and the Housing Authority. back to top



Transfer Voucher to Illinois

If I have a voucher from another housing authority, how can I transfer to Illinois?

Possessing a housing voucher from one Housing Authority and electing to use the housing assistance associated with the voucher to lease a rental unit within another Housing Authority’s service jurisdiction is known as Portability. Portability, mobility of housing assistance with a program participant, is a major feature associated with the Housing Choice Voucher Program. HUD regulations provide that, with some restrictions, a voucher holder may choose to rent a unit that meets program requirements anywhere in the United States so long as there is a Housing Authority that administers the Housing Choice Voucher Program within the jurisdiction where the rental unit is located.

If a voucher holder wishes to move under portability, it is the responsibility of the voucher holder to initiate the process. It does so by notifying the Housing Authority from which it is already receiving assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher Program of its intent to “port out” of that Housing Authority’s service jurisdiction. The household must identify the Housing Authority that it will be porting into so that all appropriate household paperwork will be sent via facsimile to the receiving Housing Authority.

The voucher holder must also provide proper notification to their current landlord of the household’s intent to vacate the landlord’s rental unit. Moving out of a landlord’s unit without providing proper notification is in violation of the lease agreement and the household will ultimately be denied portability and possible further program assistance!

Once the appropriate household paperwork has been forwarded to the receiving Housing Authority, the household must contact the receiving Housing Authority’s Housing Choice Voucher Program Portability Clerk to schedule an appointment to complete a new record with the new Housing Authority. Simply showing up at a receiving Housing Authority without having followed protocol will delay a household’s search time within the new service jurisdiction. More often than not, receiving Housing Authorities schedule appointments many weeks in advance with their current clients and do not have time available to service walk-in clients, especially if portability paperwork has not been forwarded to the receiving Housing Authority.

Rental unit search time is determined by the initial Housing Authority, not the receiving Housing Authority. Most Housing Authority’s have now limited households to sixty (60) calendar days in which to relocate the household, search for a new rental unit, and execute a new lease. Extensions of the search time may only be granted by the initial Housing Authority, not the receiving Housing Authority.

To avoid wasting search time, REMEMBER TO CALL THE RECEIVING HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR AN APPOINTMENT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INITIAL HOUSING AUTHORITY SENDS YOUR HOUSEHOLD’S PORTABILITY PAPERWORK VIA FASCIMILIE TO THE RECEIVING HOUSING AUTHORITY! It will save both you and the receiving Housing Authority time and aggravation in locating your paperwork and servicing your household’s housing needs. It will also eliminate wasted search time if the receiving housing authority’s Portability Clerk can not schedule an immediate appointment with your household.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

The Housing Authority of Joliet currently is not absorbing portability clients into its Housing Choice Voucher Program. If a household desires to relocate within the Housing Authority of Joliet’s service jurisdiction (Will County, Illinois), the Housing Authority is only accepting portability clients from an initial Housing Authority that is willing to be billed for voucher administration.

All inquiries regarding portability to or from the Housing Authority of Joliet’s service jurisdiction should be addressed with Ms. LaKesha Owens, Voucher Clerk (Portability Contact) at (815) 727-0611, extension 130.
back to top



Pet Ownership

Housing Choice Voucher Program participants may or may not be allowed by private landlords to maintain a pet within a rental unit. Often, if a landlord agrees to pet ownership, restrictions on the type, size, and number of pets must be agreed to prior to a landlord allowing a household to bring a pet into a rental unit. Additionally, landlords may require the household to post a Pet Deposit to cover damages that a pet may create within a rental unit or to the exterior areas of the rental unit. This Pet Deposit is in addition to the security deposit a landlord may collect when a household initially rents the unit.

If pet ownership is not agreed to by a landlord, the landlord does have a right to demand the immediate removal of the pet from the premises and they may elect to terminate the household’s lease agreement due to non-compliance. If the household contains an individual with disabilities who requires the use of an assistive service animal (service animals are not classified as a pet), the landlord may not refuse to rent a unit to the household or deny the household ownership of the service animal. However, the landlord does have the right to request the household obtain and provide written certification that: 1. There is a person with disabilities in the household;
2. The service animal has been trained to assist with the specified disability, and
3. The service animal actually assists the person with disabilities.
back to top



Landlord Participation / Recruitment

Landlords with available rental units are encouraged to contact the Housing Authority of Joliet and place their units onto an Available Rental Unit Listing. The Available Rental Unit Listing is distributed to new applicants and existing program participants who are interested in transferring to a new rental unit. It’s quick, simple, and easy to list your available rental units with the Housing Authority!

Additionally, on an annual basis, the Housing Authority hosts a landlord conference for Will County landlords who are either already participating in the program or who have a desire to participate in the program. The event is free to the public and is quite informative for both existing and new landlords. Currently, over 600 landlords are working with the Housing Authority of Joliet to provide low-income residents with affordable housing options.

For additional program information, contact the Housing Choice Voucher Program Coordinator, Ms. Joyce Johnson at (815) 727-0611, extension 133 or Ms. Quo Hightower, Chief Operating Officer, at (815) 727-0611, extension 159.
back to top



Housing Authority, Landlord and Tenant Responsibilities

Responsibilities and duties under the Housing Choice Voucher Program:

Housing Authority of Joliet Responsibilities
• Provide program participants with a safe, decent, and affordable low-income housing rental option within the City of
   Joliet and Will County
• Accept applications from families and individuals requesting housing assistance, maintain a program waiting list, and
   maximize voucher utilization
• Determine applicant initial and continued eligibility in accordance with the Housing Authority’s Administrative Plan
   (AP)
• Conduct criminal background checks on applicant and current resident household members 18 years of age and older
• Based on budget authority, issue housing choice vouchers that are funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and
   Urban Development
• Annually re-certify/verify information supplied by households regarding family composition, income and deduction
   sources, and assets
• Actively recruit and maintain an quality landlords from within the Will County area
• Make timely monthly housing assistance payments to landlords
• Inspect all rental units within the program and certify as to their livability according to HUD Housing Quality Standards
   (HQS) and local government codes
• Comply with HUD, Federal, State and local government rules and regulations
• Monitor program performance

Landlord Responsibilities
• Screen prospective applicants and new additions to the household who are 18 years of age and older
• Enforce the lease agreement
• Maintain the rental unit in a safe, decent and sanitary manner
• Make timely repairs to the rental unit as reported by the tenant and/or Housing Authority HQS Inspector (emergencies
   must be completed within 24 hours)

Tenant Responsibilities
• Make timely payment of monthly rent to the landlord in accordance with the lease agreement
• Comply with the lease agreement
• Prohibit illegal occupancy of the rental unit
• Avoid household member involvement in illegal activities
• Maintain the rental unit and premises in accordance with the lease agreement
• Report maintenance problems to the landlord promptly
• Allow entry to the premises for repairs to be completed
• Annually report to the Housing Authority any changes to the household’s composition, income and deduction sources,
   and assets
back to top



Bridge Subsidy Program

The Department of Human Services, division of Mental Health (DHAlDMH) has developed the DMH Permanent Supportive Bridge Rental Subsidy Program which will provide tenant-based rental assistance opportunities to hundreds of high priority DHAlDMH consumers who can and should be living in their own housing units in the community.

The DMH Bridge Subsidy Program will provide rental subsidy to act as a "bridge" between the time that the consumer is ready to move into his or her own unit until the time he or she can secure permanent rental subsidy, such as section 8 Housing Choice Voucher or comparable rental subsidy, or pay for his or her own housing independent of support. The DMH Bridge Subsidy Program has been designed as Housing Choice Voucher "Look-a-like" program to help ensure that the transition from the Bridge Subsidy to a permanent voucher is as close as seamless as possible.

Along with the rental subsidy, comprehensive community support services will be available to consumers who participate in the Bridge Subsidy Program. These Services and support will ensure that consumers have access to individualized and flexible services.

In order to be eligible to apply for the DMH Bridge Subsidy Program individual must meet the following eligibility criteria:

Individuals with an Axis I diagnosis of serious mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse diagnoses, and who are:

Resident of a Long Term Care Facility, or

At risk of placement in a nursing facility, or

Extended long term patient in a State Hospital, or

An aging-out adolescent or young adult from an ICG program, or

A DCFS ward aging-out of guardianship, or

A resident of a DMH funded supported or supervised residential setting, or

Experiencing homelessness as determined by DMH

And

Have a current household income at or below 30% of area median income as defined by HUD and verified by the DMH Bridge Subsidy Administrator.

And

Are currently on a Public Housing Authority waiting list for a Section 8 HCV or agree to register / apply for a HCV or comparable permanent rental subsidy when such registration/application opportunities are available.

Referral or applications to the DMH Bridge Subsidy Program must be completed in partnership between an eligible consumer and a care manager of a Division of Mental Health contracted community mental health center.

Questions about the DMH Bridge Subsidy Program should be directed to the Illinois Mental Health Collaborative for Access and Choice at (866) 359-7953.
back to top