Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

1. Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles Understanding Reasonable Accommodation

2. Core Housing Assistance Programs • State chartered public agency established in 1938 • City of Los Angeles Mayor appoints a seven member Board of Commissioners that governs the agency • Second largest housing authority in the nation: Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers: 44,631 • Special Rental Subsidy Programs: 3,299 households (e.g., Shelter + Care) • Public Housing units: 7,501

3. Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program • The program provides affordable, decent and safe housing for eligible families, while increasing a family’s residential mobility and choice.  • Participating low-income households pay approximately 30% of their income toward rent in the private rental market with HACLA paying the difference in the overall rent to the landlord. • 75% of all new households must be extremely low income (less than 30% of Area Median Income). • A family of four must make less than $22,750/year.

4. Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Eligibility • An applicant must be 18 years or older or an emancipated minor with proof of emancipation • Disabled, senior, family, or single person • HUD income limits apply • Citizenship status, criminal background, and priorfederal program rental history are considered Section 8 Application Process • Apply during open application period to get on the waiting list • Complete Section 8 eligibility interview • Provide required documentation • Voucher issued when program eligibility is confirmed

5. Reasonable Accommodation Reasonable Accommodation: A change to policies or procedures or a modification to a dwelling unit that allows an eligible person with a disability to access or participate fully in HACLA programs but does not fundamentally alter the parameters of the Section 8 program. To qualify for a reasonable accommodation: • Meet the federal definition of a person with a disability (one who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities or has a history of being regarded as having the impairment) • Provide medical documentation to verify the nexus (link) between the disability and request

6. Reasonable Accommodation –Governing Laws Laws that require equal access to the Section 8 programs for persons with disabilities include: • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (covers federal programs) • Fair Housing Act (covers owners of private rental housing) • The Americans with Disabilities Act (covers public access areas) • The California Fair Employment and Housing Act

7. Rights and Responsibilities • A request for reasonable accommodation may be made by a person or a family member with a disability or, if the disability is visible, an offer for reasonable accommodation may be made by the Section 8 employee • Documentation from a health care provider must be submitted to support the request • HACLA has 30 days to respond • If HACLA denies the request, the applicant/participant may appeal up to the level of the Accessibility (Section 504) Coordinator • All requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and mitigating factors are taken into consideration