Moskowitz Building Entrance

Applicant Information:  Typical Housing Procedures at B’nai B’rith Homecrest House

The Applicant calls or visits Homecrest House and makes an appointment to see Marketing Director (301-598-4000 Extension #79).

Marketing Director provides Guided Tour and Application Packet.

Applicant returns completed Application Packet and it is date/time stamped.

Applicant will undergo an Initial Screening (criminal background check and credit check).

If applicant fails Initial Screening, applicant will receive a letter outlining reasons application was rejected and process for appealing.

If applicant passes Initial Screening, applicant gets letter saying applicant is now officially on the “Waiting List.”

As soon as we determine that an apartment will be available between 30-60 days, the Applicant will receive a telephone call from Certification Specialist, (301) 598-4000 Extension #62, to schedule an Initial Certification Interview.

The Applicant will receive a confirmation letter for their Initial Certification Interview and a list of required documents to bring to the Interview.

Applicant attends Initial Certification Interview.

Applicant will undergo Second Screening  (Landlord Verification, Eligible Citizen, etc.).

If fails, applicant will get a letter stating the reason and process for appealing.

If applicant passes, the Applicant’s Income, Assets and Medical Expenses will be verified and their rent subsidy determined.

As soon as an apartment becomes available, the applicant will receive phone call from Property Administrator, (301) 598-4000 Extension #63, to give them their final rent payment amount and to schedule their Lease Signing.

At the Least Signing – the applicant will pay the Security Deposit and Pro Rated Rent.  They will also receive the keys to their unit and their Move-in Instructions.

Applicant moves-in on their scheduled move-in day.

Applicant Information:  Documents Needed for Initial Certification:

The following list is meant as a guide for you in compiling the necessary paperwork for HUD certification for Section 8 rent subsidies at Homecrest House.  If you have specific questions, please call Gerry Woods, Certification Specialist, on 301-598-4000, Extension #62.

In order to make your certification process run more efficiently, if possible, PLEASE BRING COPIES of the documents listed below with you so that we can keep them on file.  If you are unable to make your own copies, we will make copies during your Initial Certification Interview, but this will require additional wait time for you.

IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENENTATION:

·  Photo ID and Passport (if you have one).

·  Social Security Card (required).  Must bring original.  If you can’t find it, please call the Social Security Administration on (800) 772-1213.

·  Birth Certificate (required).  Must bring original.  If you can’t find it, go to www.cdc.gov and click on how to request “Vital Records” from the state where you were born. 

·  If you are not a U.S. citizen, You must bring original documentation which shows your current living status in the U.S. (required).

INCOME DOCUMENTATION:

·  Social Security (required) – Bring your 2012 Social Security Benefit Letter statement.  If you can’t find it, call the Social Security Administration on (800) 325-0778 and request one.

·  Pension – COPY of most current statement or award letter.

·  Annuity – COPY of most current statement or award letter.

·  Unemployment – COPY of determination letter or latest check stub.

·  SSI – COPY of current award letter.

·  Alimony- COPY of Court Order or a notarized statement from the   originator stating the monthly amount being received in 2012.

·  Trusts – COPY of monthly amount being received in 2012.

·  Wages from full or part-time employment – COPIES of most recent two (2) earning statements.

Also:  Be sure you bring the complete mailing address for all sources of income so we can contact them by mail.

FINANCIAL ASSETS:

Banks – We need contact information for all bank accounts that bear your name no matter what the intended purpose of the money in the account.  This includes joint accounts and accounts set aside for funeral/burial or medical expenses, money intended for inheritance of family members, Christmas Club accounts, etc.

·                    Checking Accounts – Bring COPIES of the most recent six (6) checking accounts statements from all banks.

·                    Savings/Money Market Accounts – Bring a COPY of the most recent bank statement from all banks.

·                    IRAs – Bring a COPY of your most recent statement.

·                    NOW ACCOUNTS – (Negotiable Order of Withdrawal Accounts) Bring a COPY of most recent statement.

·                    Certificates of Deposit (CD’s) – Bring a COPY of most recent statement or bring the original CDs.

·                    Life Insurance Policies – Bring COPY of most recent statement which shows the account number and the current “surrender value.”

·                    Stocks and Bonds - If handled by a broker, bring the most recent statement of your account. 

·                    Savings Bonds – Bring photocopies or the actual bonds – must include their type and value.

·                    Investment  & Retirement Accounts - including tax-free investments.  Bring your most recent statement showing the interest or dividend paid on the account, even if it is reinvested in the account instead of received as a disbursement.

Also:  Be sure you bring the complete mailing address for all sources of assets so we can contact them by mail.

REAL ESTATE - includes a home, condominium, mobile home or land.

·                 Current Value:  Bring a document which shows the current value of any property you own (such as a “Tax Assessment” statement). 

·                 Rental Property:  You are not permitted to rent out your property and live in HUD subsidized housing.  It must be put up for sale.

·                 Dual Homes:  You are not permitted to own a second home or a “vacation home” and live in HUD subsidized housing.

·                 Fair Market Value:  If your real estate is currently on the market for sale, we need a letter from a local real estate company on their letterhead listing the current “Fair Market Value” of the property and any costs associated with selling the home (such as realtor fees).

·                 Mortgages:  If you have a mortgage on the property, we will need a mortgage statement which includes the current status of the mortgage.

·                 Settlement Sheet:  When your property is sold, we will need a copy of the final “Settlement Sheet.”

INCOME TAX RETURNS:

·                    We will need copies of your last three (3) Federal Income Tax returns (required) if you filed.  If you can’t find copies, call the IRS at (800) 829-1040 and request them.

·                    If you have not filed Federal tax returns, you will need to sign a statement that states that you have not filed a Federal income tax return in the last three (3) years.

GIFTS OF ASSETS:

·                    If you have given away an asset (such as a house or a car) as a gift in the past two years, we will need:

·                    (1)  A letter from the person to whom you gave the gift.  This letter should state their name, their relationship to you, the value of the asset received and the approximate date it was received.  This letter must be notarized.

·                    (2)  A letter from you.  This letter should state to whom the gift was given, their relationship to you, the value of the asset given away and date it was given.  Your letter does not need to be notarized.

MEDICAL EXPENSES (For “Medical Deduction”):

·                    Recurring Medical Expenses:  We can use any recurring, out-of-pocket medical expenses you have paid within the past twelve (12) months, such as doctor co-pays.

·                    We will need a list of all doctors you have paid out-of-pocket in the last twelve months.  This list must include their name, address and phone number.

·                    Non-Reimbursed Prescriptions:  We will need a computer print-out from your pharmacy showing your out-of-pocket expense for prescription drugs for the most recent 12-month period.

·                    Bring the name and addresses of all pharmacies, including mail-order pharmacy companies, you have used in the last 12 months.

·                    Supplemental Health Insurance:  Copy of a statement or payment book that shows your monthly premium for 2012 and your Membership ID card.  We also need their mailing address.

·                    Long Term Care (LTC) Insurance:  Copy of a statement from the insurance company that shows your monthly premium for 2012 and your Membership ID card and/or Payment Booklet.  We will also need their mailing address.

·                    RENTAL INFORMATION-LANDLORD VERIFICATION:

Bring the property manager name, address and phone numbers for all Rental Properties you have lived in within the last ten (10) years.

POWER OF ATTORNEY (POA):

·                    If you have a financial Power of Attorney for someone who currently helps you with paying bills, signing legal documents, etc. bring a copy of your Power of Attorney document. 

·                    We do not need a medical Power of Attorney or “Living Will.”

MISCELLANEOUS:

·                    Please allow between 1-2 hours for your Initial Certification Interview.

·                    You will be required to sign “Third Party Verification” forms in order for us to attempt a “Third Party Verification” of all of the above items as required per HUD Section 8/202 rules.

·                    Your Homecrest House apartment is expected to be available soon.  You will be notified by telephone soon as we have an exact date.  However, you should be prepared to move on short notice.  We cannot guarantee you a 30-day notice.

·                    Your final monthly rental price will be provided to you prior to your Lease Signing.  Please understand that we cannot determine your final rent until we receive all of the information requested above.

·                    A check or money order for your Security Deposit (equal to your monthly rental payment) will be required at your Lease Signing (plus a second check for any prorated rent and cost of meals if applicable).

·                    Thereafter, your rent is due on the first of the month and will include your rent payment, plus a $299 fee per occupant for our Mandatory Meal Program.

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Applicant Information:  Understanding the Application Process

Each Homecrest House application is date/time stamped.  Apartments are then offered on a first-come, first-served basis as they become available.  When a vacancy becomes available, the applicant at the top of the “Waiting List” will be offered the apartment.  HUD rules do not allow us to skip over applicants in the Waiting List (they consider that giving applicants preferential treatment).

When we have a vacancy, we go down the “Waiting List” starting at the top.  If the first applicant declines, the apartment is offered to the next applicant and so forth.  We will go down the “Waiting List” until we come to an applicant who accepts the apartment.

You must accept the specific apartment that is offered to you.  Applicants do not have a choice of which building, which floor or which side of a building, etc.

When an applicant is offered an apartment, the applicant can choose to either accept the specific apartment or decline the apartment.  If you decline for whatever reason (say you are not ready to move), you can request that your name be placed at the bottom of the “Waiting List.”  Then, you must wait until your name reaches the top of the “Waiting List.”

You can only go to the bottom of the “Waiting List” once.  If you decline an apartment a second time, your name must be removed from the “Waiting List.”  Then, you must re-apply (complete a brand new application and provide updated documentation) to Homecrest House because at that point your information will be eight (or more) months old. 

When you come to your Initial Certification Interview, you are nearing the top of the “Waiting List” (perhaps four or five applicants are ahead of you).  However, we will not be able to give you an exact timeframe of when an apartment will become available.  This is because we must depend on current residents giving their 30-day notice and moving out. 

It is possible that you could quickly reach the top of the “Waiting List” – even if you are number four or five.  Sometimes we receive multiple vacancy notices from residents. Or, all of the applicants ahead of you could decline the offer.  Therefore, we can’t give you a specific timeframe because it depends on the number of vacancies we receive and what the applicants on the “Waiting List” ahead of you decide.

Please understand that applicants are notified as soon as an apartment becomes available.  However, we may not be able to give you a thirty-day notice.