Issued: April 2009
Effective: June 1, 2009
Denials of assistance to an applicant for Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) occur when the family does not meet eligibility or criminal screening criteria, or when:
MSHDA will consider relevant circumstances when making the determination whether to deny an applicant because of actions or failure to act by members of a family. Consideration will be given to the seriousness of the case, the extent of participation or culpability of individual family members, mitigating circumstances related to the disability of a family member, and the effects of the denial on other family members who were not involved in the action or failure to act. In determining whether to deny assistance for illegal use of drugs or alcohol abuse by a household member who is no longer engaged in such behavior, MSHDA will consider whether the household member has successfully completed, or is currently participating in a supervised drug or alcohol rehabilitation program. The applicant or family member would be required to provide verification of the household member's successful participation in the supervised drug or alcohol rehabilitation program approved by MSHDA. An approved supervised drug or alcohol rehabilitation program does not include self-help treatment programs i.e., Alcoholics Anonymous. See [24 CFR 982.552 (c)(2)].
Actively and Successfully Participating In: Proof in the form of record of attendance, and compliance with all rules of the assisting Program, including no further criminal activity.
Adult: A person who is 18 years of age or older.
Applicant: An applicant is defined as an individual or a family:
Credible Evidence: Includes documentation of drug raids, arrest warrants, or other information obtained from police, court records, and other sources. Witness testimony can be considered as evidence.
Currently Engaging In: With respect to behavior such as illegal use of a drug or other criminal activity, currently engaging in is defined by MSHDA as having occurred within the last twelve months.
Dating Violence: Violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with a victim based on length or type of relationship or frequency of interaction between the persons.
Domestic Violence: Crimes of violence committed by the current or former spouse of the victim; person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim; person with whom a victim shares a child in common; person who cohabits with or has cohabited with the victim; or by any other person against an adult or youth victim, who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction.
Drug: A controlled substance as defined in Section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act [21 U.S. C. 802].
Drug-Related Activity: The illegal manufacture, sale, distribution, or use of a drug, or the possession of a drug with intent to manufacture, sell, distribute, or use the drug.
Federally Assisted Housing: Housing assisted under any of the following programs:
Household: The family and PHA-approved live-in aide [24 CFR Part 982].
MPRI: The Michigan Department of Corrections Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Iniative
Pattern of Abuse: MSHDA defines a pattern of abuse as two or more occurrences of drug or alcohol-related offense during the previous twelve months.
Premises: The building, complex or development in which the assisted housing dwelling unit is located, including common areas and grounds.
Stalking: To follow, pursue, place under surveillance, or repeatedly commit acts with intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate; and to place a person in reasonable fear of death, serious bodily injury, or emotional harm to that person, their immediate family member(s), spouse or intimate partner.
TBRA: Tenant Based Rental Assistance funded and administered by the MSHDA Office of Homeless Initiatives
Verification of MPRI Participation: A representative designated by the Michigan Department of Correction Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Iniative will use the MPRI/TBRA Status Verification form (MSHDA 537) to verify that each MPRI participant will have undergone extensive programming during the course of their incarceration and pre-release planning in preparation for their release from prison and transition back to the community; and each MPRI participant will have undergone an assessment of their risk for re-offending, their needs, and their strengths using the COMPAS Assessment Instrument.
Violent Criminal Activity: Any criminal activity that has as one of its elements the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force substantial enough to cause, or be reasonably likely to cause, serious bodily injury or property damage, including but not limited to rape, murder, robbery, arson, and assault.