[Missouri-l] [leadership] FW: [SPAM] [CDR-X] SECTION 8 - LOWER YOUR RENT?

Tue Nov 10 11:33:03 CST 2009

---- Original Message ------
From: "Mitch Pomerantz" <mitch.pomerantz at earthlink.net
Subject: [leadership] FW: [SPAM] [CDR-X] SECTION 8 - LOWER YOUR 
RENT?
Date sent: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:29:22 -0800

Colleagues:

This may be of assistance to you or others of your acquaintance.

Mitch Pomerantz

  _____

From: CDR-MembersXchange at yahoogroups.com 
[mailto:CDR-MembersXchange at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of 
LE3293 at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 5:08 AM
To: CDR-MembersXchange at yahoogroups.com
Cc: Nationalpartyfordisabilityrights at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [SPAM] [CDR-X] SECTION 8 - LOWER YOUR RENT?

Ã‚ SECTION 8 - LOWER YOUR RENT?

How to Possibly Reduce Rent.  Groups That Can Help

Berkeley Citizens for Fair Housing,'09.  Endorsed by Berkeley 
Gray Panthers

THE INFORMATION BELOW APPLIES TO SECTION 8 IN MOST U.S.  CITIES

Many Sec.8 renters need more info on how to get all their 
allowable rent

reductions.

How to get your rent deductions:

1.  Obtain the most recent IRS Publication 502-for most allowable 
medical, dental

and transportation expenses.  To get a copy: 1-800-829-1040  
Website:

 <http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/index.html> 
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/index.html

2.  Get HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook, Chaps.  5,18.  
Website:

<http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/hcv/forms/guidebook.cfm> 
http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/hcv/forms/guidebook.cfm 
Use that and IRS

Pub.  502 to determine the allowances you are eligible for.  Also 
allowed are

insulin, glasses, hearing aids, birth control, recurring 
prescriptions, etc..

Other vital expenses are deducted if you get a doctor's note.  
Medical expenses

of Sec.8's elderly and disabled folks' families are usually 
deducted.  Costs for

child care are deducted if they allow someone to work or study.  
Attendant and

mechanical aidsÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ costs are deducted to help disabled folk 
work, or if they

provide nursing-type "maintenance and personal care" for the 
chronically ill

(IRS Pub.502, Nursing Services).

3.  Look at your most recent city (or county) 
Administration/Management Plan - to

figure the most up-to-date rules and deductions (see below)  For 
example,

utility allowances: if you show them that you receive a Medical 
Baseline

Allowance from your gas & electric company, it's usually figured 
in; some cities

include air conditioning.  Let them know if you have provided the 
fridge or

stove, or pay for water or trash removal.  Each dependent gets a 
$480 rent

deduction; each disabled or elderly (62+) family member gets 
$400.  Also, people

give up their Sec.  8 housing voucher to move to HUD 
Project-Based Housing.  If

they then want to leave and have stayed at least a year, they 
must get their

housing choice voucher back.*1.  Berkeley's Plan is in the main 
library, but it's

often old.  Like many cities*2, Berkeley's most recent Plan is 
posted on the city

housing authority website:  <http://www.cityofberkeley.info/BHA> 
http://www..cityofberkeley.info/BHA see Policies and

Plans, Administrative Plan.

When do the 12 months begin in which workers deduct your medical 
and utility

expenses? Most cities figure back from the first day of the month 
you started

paying rent (on your contract).  But because HUD accepts other 
dates*3, it can

vary from that date-to the effective date on your most recent 
recertification

letter.  You can ask.  Workers will figure in the expenses you 
give them-in order

to estimate your next 12 monthsÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ costs.  So give them all 
the monthsÃ¢â‚¬â„¢

expenses youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve got.  Berkeley figures about 6-12 months 
back, but other cities

can vary.

HUD acknowledges that rent mistakes can be made by any Sec.8 
Housing Authority

(HA).*4 If you suspect rent errors or loss of any of your 
records: medical,

dental or transportation costs, you can ask your worker for 
copies of the

worksheets she used to figure your rent, and/or an explanation*5.  
Check to see:

are all your lawful deductions included? If they're not, or the 
explanation

seems unclear, you have the right to a hearing.  If you insist on 
a hearing*6

(the groups below can help) HA workers might lower your rent, 
and/or consent to

a pre-informal hearing.  This off-the-record meeting makes it 
easier on them when

HUD audits them, looking for red flags.

Keep copies of each document you give to your HA.  Make sure 
every paper is dated

and copied at the desk by them; take each copy.  Bring someone 
with you to any

informal or pre-informal hearing; take notes/record it.  Make 
sure you meet HA

deadlines, especially those on your recertification letter.  For 
example:

doctors' notes can take a while to come, so request them well 
ahead of time..

Savvy organizations are now giving this information to Sec.  8 
tenants.  They want

tenants to have the exact information that Sec.  8 needs from 
them.  This saves

cities and their housing authorities precious time, money and 
resources.

Some groups that have decent track records helping bay area folk: 
Eviction

Defense: 510- 452-4541; Housing Rights: 510- 548-8776; Disability 
Rights,

California: 510- 267-1200.  Bay Area Legal Aid: 510-663-4744

Notes

*1.HUD 24CFR 983.260 *2.Plan must be publicly posted:HUD24CFR 
903.3+903.23e

*3.HUD Public Housing Occupancy Guidebook, 6/03 10.1 *4.  HUD 
RHIIP, Tenants

Rights (3rd ed.,2004) 3.4.1.1; {there is also a 2006-2007 
Supplement}.*5.

Housing Choice Voucher Program Guidebook, p.5-31, {utilities: 
Chap.18; p 5-28},

the California Public Records Act, and/or ask for clear 
explanations on your

disability Notice of Reasonable Accommodations.*6.If you need 
extra assistance

in requesting something, especially a hearing, you can contact 
the above

organizations to get a legal letter to show your worker and/or 
put in your

records.

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