Income Threshold:

To be eligible for Section 8 housing assistance, an applicant family must fall within HUD income guidelines. For Section 8, this means that a family's income must be below "50% of median" (Very Low Income). Click here to view income tables for all family sizes. To learn more about how income is determined, click on this Fact Sheet.

Income Targeting:

HUD requires that at least 75% of all new admissions to the Section 8 program must be from the "extremely-low" income category, those whose income is at or below 30% of the area median income. The other 25% can be from households whose income is from the "very-low" income category, at or below 50% of area median income. This means that while the family is eligible as long as it is within the "very-low" income category, effectively, the family will get assistance much quicker if it is within the "extremely-low" income category. This is due to the fact that for every one "very-low" income category applicants that we assist, we assist three "extremely-low" income category applicants.

When your name is reached on the waiting list, we will call you in to verify your eligibility by reviewing your income and assets to determine what income level fits your household. If you fall into the "extremely-low" income category, we can help you right away. If your income falls into the "very-low" income category we can only help you if your name is next on the very low income list. This lists moves slowly since we can only help one out of every four eligible households right away. You will be contacted when your name is reached. If we determine that your income is above the "very-low" income limit, then you are ineligible to participate. This means that we cannot help you at all, and your name will be removed from the Waiting List. However, if your income drops within six months of our determination of your ineligibility you may request a redetermination and a reinstatement. To do so you must contact our office immediately after your income drops, and we will recalculate your income to determine your eligibility for Voucher issuance. However, after six months have elapsed, even if your income drops, we cannot assist you. You would have to reapply.

Qualifying as a Family:

Applicants must also qualify for eligibility as a "family." Under LTRAP policy, families are composed of individuals who share a residence, whose income and resources are available to meet the family's needs, and who have evidenced a stable family relationship. This can include both married and unmarried partners, related and unrelated individuals, single people, disabled people, and the elderly.

Suitability Screening:

For the Section 8 Program, the LTRAP Admissions Office limits applicant screening to a criminal background check. Applicants who have been determined to be income- and family-eligible are screened for criminal history in accordance with HUD regulations. Applicants who are found to have a criminal history including drugs and violence may be denied admittance to Section 8.

Private landlords renting to Section 8 subsidized participants are obligated to screen their own tenants. Depending on individual business practices, landlords may screen prospective Section 8 renters in such areas as prior rental history, credit history, and references; as well as a further investigation of criminal history.

Criminal Background Screening:

THE LAKEWOOD TENANTS ORGANIZATION, INC. (LTO)
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
RESOLUTION NUMBER 2001-07-04

WHEREAS, recent HUD regulations authorize, and in some cases direct, that PHAs deny rental assistance to persons with criminal or drug related histories that may create increased risks to nearby residents or to property owners; and

WHEREAS, LTO believes that it has a responsibility and a duty to implement such a program; and

WHEREAS, the New York City Housing Authority has adopted guidelines that can generally be adapted and applied appropriately to LTO's needs; therefore

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the Board of Trustees of The Lakewood Tenants Organization, Inc. :

The Corporation hereby adopts the New York City Housing Authority Section 8 Criminal Background Check Procedure guidelines.

These guidelines shall generally be applied strictly.

Nevertheless, in the appropriate case, for articulable good cause, a period of ineligibility may be either lengthened or shortened in order to achieve the purposes of the federal regulations, in particular, to preserve a reasonable level of safety for other residents and property owners, and in order to avoid unnecessary hardship for persons who have a record demonstrating that they have clearly and completely reformed past bad behavior and completely removed its cause.

The LTO Board Attorney, is hereby authorized to serve as a Hearing Officer to review criminal records and to make determinations of eligibility and ineligibility under the guidelines adopted herein. He will consult with the executive staff of the LTO, as needed, for these purposes. The Board Attorney is entitled to receive his regular compensation for these services.

I certify that the foregoing is a true copy
of a resolution duly adopted
by the Board of Trustees of
THE LAKEWOOD TENANTS ORGANIZATION, INC.
at its meeting held on July 16, 2001.

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