Annual and Interim Recertification Process

Annual & Interim Recertification Process

Annual Recertification

Program participants are required to be recertified at least annually to ensure they are still eligible to receive rental assistance and to make appropriate adjustments to the family's portion of rent to coincide with changes of income. Families will be mailed a recertification packet or notification of the date and time of a recertification interview. The household member must complete all documents in the packet and return them by the specified date or bring them to the appointment. Families will receive thirty days notice of changes in their portion of rent.

Failure to respond to the notice of recertification or provide the requested documents will result in a thirty-day notification of termination of assistance due to non-compliance with program requirements.

Interim Recertification

Program participants must report all changes in income to the Housing Authority within 30 days of when the change occurs. A minimum of thirty-days notice is mailed to the family before the effective date of any changes in rent occurring from the income change. However, if the family’s rent portion will decrease, the new rent amount will be effective the first day of the following month in which the change was reported and verified.

Changes in household composition must be reported within 10 days of the occurrence. The family must obtain approval from the Housing Authority and the landlord for all additions to the household.

Any necessary paperwork, documents or signatures needed from the family in connection with a change of income or family composition must be provided within 10 days from the date of the Housing Authority's request for such documentation. Failure to report changes or provide the requested documentation will result in a thirty-day notification of termination of assistance due to non-compliance with program requirements.

In processing annual and interim recertifications, the Housing Authority must follow HUD-established methods for obtaining verification of Income in the following order:

	Up-front verification (UIV) – Highest Preferred Method: electronically computer matched verification direct from the source.
	Third-party written verification – Medium: sent directly by the Housing Authority to the source and source returns it directly to the Housing Authority.
	Third-party oral verification – Medium low: direct contact by the Housing Authority Specialist by phone or in person with the source.
	Review of documents – Low: use of participant-supplied proof of information.
	Certification/self declaration – Very Low: written statement of fact by participant family.

Following the results of an annual or interim reexamination, families may request an appointment for an explanation of the determination of rent. If after the explanation of determination of rent the Family is not in agreement with the change, the family may request a hearing appointment. If legitimate discrepancies are found, they will be corrected. If a correction results in an overpayment of family’s rent, the new adjustment will be processed retroactive to the effective date in which the error occurred. Corrections resulting in underpayment of family’s rent will require thirty days notice to the tenant of the new rent amount.