Chapter Titles and Descriptions
Chapter 1: General Information
Provides background and general information pertaining to the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
Chapter 2: Waiting List Management
Maintaining an up-to-date and well-managed waiting list.
Chapter 3: Selecting Names / Voucher Issuance
This chapter contains information of the following topics related to voucher issuance: selecting names from the waiting list, required documents (proof of birth and social security number), Required screenings, required certifications and authorizations, briefing sessions, expanding housing opportunities, and issuance of the voucher.
Chapter 4: Income
Allowances, assets, expenses, verifications and calculations.
Chapter 5: Denials
Denials of assistance to an applicant.
Chapter 6: Initial Contracts
Explains procedures for the completion of initial rental assistance contracts between the applicant and MSHDA.
Chapter 7: Rent Reasonableness/Surveys
Ensuring rent is reasonable in relation to the rents currently being charged for comparable units on the private unassisted market, and not in excess of rents currently being charged by the owner for comparable unassisted units.
Chapter 8: Annual Re-Examinations
Information regarding Annual Re-examination procedures that apply to Housing Choice Vouchers, the Moderate Rehabilitation Program, Single Room Occupancy Program and project-based vouchers that were converted from HCV by MSHDA to its HCV project-based voucher allocation.
Chapter 9: Interim Re-Examinations
Certain changes in household income or family status generate a need for processing interim re-examinations.
Chapter 10: Moves
Information regarding a family moving to a different unit.
Chapter 11: Landlord Issues
This chapter contains uniform procedures regarding landlords who participate in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program.
Chapter 12: Remaining Participants and Separating Families
MSHDA policy allows a remaining family member to retain the MSHDA voucher when the head of household dies or leaves the unit permanently.
Chapter 13: Absences From Unit
Families are required to notify MSHDA before they move out of a unit and give MSHDA information about any family absence from the unit.
Chapter 14: Terminations
This policy outlines when Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program participants must be terminated from the Program.
Chapter 15: Transfers
Moves within Michigan.
Chapter 16: Portability
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allows Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) holders the right of portability. Thus, an HCV holder can move anywhere in the United States that has a Public Housing Agency (PHA), that administers the HCV program.
Chapter 17: Reasonable Accommodation
This policy provides guidelines for staff or contracted agents of the MSHDA Office of Housing Voucher Programs on how persons with disabilities would request a reasonable accommodation providing them equal opportunity to the Housing Choice Voucher program.
Chapter 18: Special Programs
MSHDA currently has several special programs operating within the Office of Housing Voucher Programs.
Chapter 19: Affordable Assistance Housing Program
The Affordable Assisted Housing Program (AAHP) was developed to address the lack of affordable housing for elderly and/or disabled clients who are forced to remain or enter nursing home facilities because they cannot afford suitable housing in the community.
Chapter 20: Enhanced Subsidies For Housing Voucher Conversion Actions
MSHDA provides enchanced vouchers to qualified residents affected by owner or U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) actions resulting in a Housing Conversion action.
Chapter 21: Homeless Assistance Recovery Program
Provides a waiting list preference for homeless households for rental subsidy through MSHDA’s statewide Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program.
Chapter 22: Project Based Voucher Program
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allows a Public Housing Authority (PHA) to allocate up to 20% of the Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) ot a Project Based Voucher (PBV) program provided it does not contributed to additional concentrations of extremely low income families in certain properties or neighborhoods.
Chapter 23: Mainstream Program
The Mainstream Voucher Program assists persons with disabilities in locating suitable and accessible housing.
Chapter 24: EIV Security
The Enterprise Income Verification System (EIV) is utilized by Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) to verify tenant income.
Chapter 25: Informal Reviews, Mediations, Informal Hearings
Mediations are offered to participants who fail to report, or under-report annual income so the participant has an opportunity to refute findings of income discrepancies and avoid an informal hearing. Informal Hearings are utilized to resolve participant disputes with MSHDA without legal action and, if applicable, to correct errors.
Chapter 26: Freedom of Information Requests
This policy addresses how independent contractors should respond when they receive a request for documents or information under the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”).
Chapter 27: Processing Tenant Repayment Agreements
Chapter 29: Fraud
Policy created to aid in the prevention of fraudulent activity related to MSHDA’s Housing Choice Voucher program.
Chapter 30: Authorized Members of the Household, Visitors/Guests
All household members must be eligible and approved by the MSHDA to receive assistance under the Housing Choice Voucher Program.