HOUSING AUTHORITY OF PADUCAH

Transcription

1 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF PADUCAH RESIDENT HANDBOOK All household members and guests are expected to comply with the contents of this handbook 2330 Ohio Street Paducah KY FAX

2 INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Housing Authority of Paducah. The staff and management of the HAP hope your residence with our agency will be pleasant, and that you will take full advantage of the many programs we offer for our residents and their families. During orientation and leasing, time limits and interruptions can sometimes make it difficult to take in all the information you need to understand the responsibility of renting your apartment. We encourage you to visit your Property Manager as soon as possible to find out more information regarding rules and policies, and just to chat with them if you have any concerns about your new apartment. As mentioned in your lease, you will need to report changes in income and household composition regularly to the manager, and they should be your first point of contact when you need to speak to a staff member regarding any aspect of your residence. We encourage you to keep this handbook in a convenient place and read it thoroughly. This booklet will touch on some of the more important rules, but you should also take advantage of the forms posted in each manager s office including the policies, programs, and our Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP). Thank you again for choosing the Housing Authority of Paducah, and feel free to call (270) for more information. Table of Contents Section 1: RESIDENT PROGRAMS, SERVICES, & FACILITIES Section 2: GENERAL RULES Section 3: CLEANING STANDARDS AND YARD UPKEEP Section 4: AFTER HOURS EMERGENCIES Section 5: MAINTENANCE CHARGES Section 6: GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE Section 7: LEAD BASED PAINT INFORMATION 1

3 Section 1: RESIDENT PROGRAMS, SERVICES, & FACILITIES PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Each HAP site is supervised by a Property Manager. This is the person you will report to when you have a change in income and family composition. You may also contact your manager if you have problems with neighbors, your apartment, or for general guidance and information. Property Managers may be reached as follows: ANDERSON COURT 800 N. 8 th St., (270) or (270) , Martelle White BLACKBURN COURT 1115 Walter Jetton Blvd. #1, (270) or (270) , Renonda Orenduff DOLLY MCNUTT Renonda Orenduff, (see Ella Munal) ELLA MUNAL COMMUNITY 2010 Hendricks Street, (270) or (270) , Renonda Orenduff ELMWOOD COURT 2330 Ohio St., (270) or (270) , Donna Bennett PIERCE LACKEY VILLAGE 501 Cherry Circle, (270) , Martelle White H.C. MATHIS PROPERTY- (see Anderson Court) Martelle White SCATTERED SITES (see Anderson Court or Ellla Munal) Martelle White and Renonda Orenduff FAMILY SERVICES PROGRAMS The Family Services Coordinator for the Housing Authority of Paducah provides services, programs, resources designed for families, seniors, and youth. The Family Services Coordinator s office is located at 501 Cherry Circle, in the Pierce Lackey Village. For more information, you may contact the Coordinator at DAY CARE FACILITIES The Paducah Day Nursery, located at Elmwood Court, is available to provide childcare for working residents and those who are enrolled in college or vocational training. The state-of-the-art facility offers quality care and educational benefits to children from six (6) weeks to 13 years old. Youth Services and Paducah Parks Department combine efforts with the daycare to provide activities for 2

4 the children throughout the year. A brochure for the day care is available at the Central Office in Elmwood Court. The Daycare is located at 2425 S 25 th Street and the phone number is MAINTENANCE All repairs to the apartment are to be made by the Maintenance Department in an effort to save you money for even costlier repairs. NOTE: PLEASE CALL MAINTENANCE AT THE FIRST SIGN OF A PROBLEM WITH ANY APPLIANCE OR MECHANICAL DEVICE IN YOUR APARTMENT. HAP offers a 24-hour emergency answering service for maintenance problems. A listing of emergency situations and maintenance charges is included in this handbook. Normal operating hours for Maintenance are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday; however, emergency calls will be taken care of immediately overnight or on weekends. Contact your property management office to make a work order. LAUNDRY FACILITIES Our developments have on-site laundry facilities, except Dolly McNutt and Scattered sites, which have both washer and dryer hookups. Most of our apartments have a washer hookup, however; you must contact the Maintenance Department before moving in a dryer so that they can take measurements and ensure the safe exit by your family in case of an emergency. Please do not take installation of the dryer upon yourself, as Maintenance will have to install a vent in your window. You may call the Maintenance Department for more information regarding the charge for this service. SECURITY Among the security measures we have taken are video surveillance cameras at all HAP Developments. The cameras can be randomly taping the property or set on a particular location. They are also accessible to the Paducah Police Department. Any security related problems you might encounter should be reported to your property manager. We also have officers from the State Police, County Sheriff, and City Police Department who live at our sites. You may see them performing their walks through the property, so don t be shy; they are there for the peaceful enjoyment of your residence. For emergencies, dial For non-emergencies, call the Paducah Police Department at Crime Stoppers Call 443-TELL ( ) to report crimes anonymously. Possible rewards. RESIDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL The Resident Advisory Council office is now located at the Pierce Lackey Office at 501 Cherry Circle. Representatives are there from each housing site. 3

5 COMMUNITY CENTERS Community Centers are available at Pierce Lackey Village and Blackburn Courts. The centers are available for rental by residents. These rooms are frequently the location for many meetings, trainings, and functions. You may contact your Property Manager for information on the rental of these rooms. MAILBOXES AND POST OFFICE INFORMATION All Residents should contact the McCracken County Post Office for change of address and to receive keys to their new mailbox (if necessary). Residents will receive 2 keys free at the time of move-in. You will need to bring proof of your new address to the Post Office. Lobby hours are 8 am 5 pm. The main branch is located at 300 South 4 th Street, Paducah, KY 42003, (270) PADUCAH AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM SCHEDULED BUS SERVICE If you work evenings and need a ride to or from work, for a small fee, the PATS Scheduled Service is for you. By calling PATS 24 hours in advance, you can be assured of having a scheduled ride home or to work the next day. You can even schedule rides for a whole week or month. If you occasionally need job related transportation between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, call PATS today! Paducah Area Transit System, 850 Harrison Street, Paducah, KY 42001, (270) or toll free (877) Section 2. GENERAL RULES RENT & OTHER CHARGES Rent is due and payable on the 1 st day of each month with a grace period extending to the 10 th day of the month. Rent payments should be made by check or money order at the management office located at each site. NOTE: PROPERTY MANAGERS WILL NOT ACCEPT CASH PAYMENTS. Rent statements are mailed to your address and should arrive on or near the 1 st day of each month. Be sure to bring both copies of the statement with you to make your payment, as you will be charged a $2.00 fee for lost statements. Payments made after the 10 th day of the month will be subject to a $20.00 late fee. If your check is returned due to insufficient funds, there will be an additional charge of $25.00 and will be considered non-payment of rent. Other charges that may appear on your rent statement may include maintenance parts and labor (excluding normal wear and tear), excess utility charges, and legal fees if turned over for eviction. If the account is turned over for eviction four (4) times in a 12-month period, the eviction will go through and possession of the unit will return to the HAP. Please contact your Property Manager if you are encountering any difficulty in making a timely rent payment, or if you have any questions about a charge on your rent statement. 4

6 RECERTIFICATIONS AND INTERIMS All residents will be reviewed annually to ensure correct rent is being charged based on the family income. The Annual Recertification process requires the resident to submit current verification of family income in a timely manner. Failure to comply with the request of the Property Manager for this information will lead to eviction from the Housing Authority. All residents are required to report changes in income and household composition within ten (10) working days of the date the change occurred. Failure to report these interim changes will constitute fraud and will lead to eviction. Depending on the severity of the omitted information, the resident may also be prosecuted and face fines up to $10,000. All income changes must be confirmed by written third party verification. The HAP offers residents a choice between paying rent based on reported income (recertifies annually) or a Flat Rent specific to the bedroom size of the apartment (recertifies every third year). You will be permitted to choose between the two payment methods at your annual re-certification. UTILITIES Most HAP complexes provide an allowance for utilities (no charge for water and gas), and the resident is responsible for the payment on excess usage only. This charge will be included on the regular rent statement. In the event you have rented an apartment at a site where utilities are paid directly to the supplier (water, gas, and electric), you have been given an allowance on your rent payment that should help you maintain the utilities paid and operating in the apartment. Please be aware that if the utilities are shut off due to non-payment, the apartment will become uninhabitable and you will be in violation of the lease. SMOKE DETECTOR DO NOT AT ANY TIME DAMAGE, REMOVE, OR PREVENT YOUR SMOKE ALARM FROM WORKING. This violation of the lease carries a $50.00 fine and eviction. The smoke alarms are mandatory in all rental housing and must be checked regularly to ensure proper function. If you need assistance with checking your smoke alarm, you may contact the Maintenance Department. INSPECTIONS: The Housing Authority will conduct periodic inspections of the apartment to ensure proper care of the premises: 1. Move-In Inspections: Each unit will be inspected prior to rental to check for deficiencies. 2. Annual Inspection: This takes place yearly near the same month you originally rented the apartment. The purpose is to ensure proper housekeeping requirements are being met and note any needed repairs. 3. Special Inspection: This is conducted on a unit as deemed necessary by the HAP, often due to reports of poor housekeeping. 5

7 PETS 4. Move-Out Inspection: This will take place when you have vacated the apartment to ensure you fulfilled your cleaning requirement and note any damages that may affect the refund of your Security Deposit paid at initial occupancy. You must make arrangements with your Property Manager to attend this inspection. Pets are permitted at all of our sites. You will need to obtain a Pet Permit for each animal. Birds, fish, cats, and dogs (weighing 40 pounds or less at projected adult weight) are acceptable. A pet deposit is required on all animals (with some exceptions see Pet Policy), and pets are limited to two (2) per household, according to the Pet Policy. Dogs and cats are not permitted to wander at any time. They must be on a leash, with you at the other end. Do not leave an animal tied up outside or unattended. Please refer to our ACOP for further rules pertaining to pets in the household. All pets must be registered with the Property Manager. NOTE: CERTAIN BREEDS OF DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED SO ALWAYS APPROVE THE PET WITH YOUR PROPERTY MANAGER BEFORE BRINGING THE PET HOME. **(Refer to HAP Pet Policy for more details) HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION Only those persons listed as household members may reside in the apartment. You must see your Property Manager prior to allowing any long-term guests in the apartment. At this time the HAP will allow guests up to 14 days in a 12-month period. The Housing Authority must approve, in writing, any guests residing in the unit any longer than 14 days. If at any time you choose to add another adult to your lease, they must complete an application and meet the admission requirements prior to being housed. BARRED PERSONS AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY The HAP maintains a list of persons barred from the premises for criminal or other disturbances of our residents. If you are not sure that your guest is on this list, you may contact your Property Manager to check your visitor s name against the list and make sure they are eligible to be on the Housing Authority premises. Having a barred person in your apartment is a direct violation of the lease and may lead to your eviction from the Housing Authority. The HAP operates under the guidelines of the One Strike Policy. One Strike is a zero tolerance policy towards drugs, alcohol, and violent crime. Any violation of this policy will lead to eviction. Please refer to our ACOP for more details regarding the One Strike Policy. NOISE AND ALCOHOL We ask that you be a good neighbor and be considerate of the other residents by keeping noise levels down in your apartment. Loud music, TV, and late night parties will be written up by security and cause a violation of the lease to be recorded in your resident file. An accumulation of these reports will lead to eviction and a poor reference for any future housing you may seek. 6

8 Sale or other distribution of alcohol is prohibited on our sites. Any alcohol related problems affecting the health, safety, and enjoyment of the premises by other residents will be grounds for eviction. All residents are responsible not only for the behavior of household members, but also their guest s behavior. Do not allow household guests to disturb or otherwise threaten the safety or well being of other residents while visiting you. Make sure your guests are aware of our rules and that they know their actions may cause problems for you as head of household. CENTRAL HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING Effective 6/25/03, the HAP agreed to unlock all air conditioning and heating system thermostats. RESIDENTS MUST NOT TURN THERMOSTATS BELOW 68 DEGREES OR HIGHER THAN 78 DEGREES. Also, you must keep your windows closed when using the air conditioning or heating systems. Energy conservation and clean air are important to all of us. This may save you money and help to prevent allergies when windows are closed. The HAP will lock thermostats immediately if the residents are found abusing this rule. TERMINATION OF LEASE You may terminate your residence with the Housing Authority by submitting a written 30-day notice of intent to vacate. The form may be found at any Management Office. If the Housing Authority is terminating your residence, you will receive written notice according to the following: 1. Failure to pay rent, ten (10) days to cure, fourteen (14) days to vacate; 2. Creation or maintenance of a threat to health, safety of other residents, or drug related criminal activity, seven (7) days to vacate; 3. For all other cases, thirty (30) days to vacate, unless State law permits a shorter period. Section 3: CLEANING STANDARDS AND YARD UPKEEP In an effort to improve the livability and conditions of the apartments owned and managed by the HAP, uniform standards for Resident housekeeping have been developed for all Resident families. a) INSIDE THE APARTMENT The Resident Shall... 1) Clean all walls and keep them free of dirt, smoke, grease, cobwebs, fingerprints and holes. 2) Clean all floors and keep clean, dry and free of hazards. Telephone, cable wires, and other cords must be secured in such a way that they do not 7

9 present tripping hazards. The Resident shall clean woodwork and keep it free of dust, gouges or scratches. 3) Keep ceilings clean and free of cobwebs. 4) Clean all windows and not nail windows shut. Residents should not use sheets, newspapers, aluminum foil, paper bags or other nontraditional coverings for the windows. 5) Keep all doors clean, free of grease and fingerprints. Doorstops should be in place. Alteration of locks is not allowed. 6) Keep heating vents and return air grills dusted and access unblocked. 7) Dispose of all trash and garbage in the apartment. 8) Keep apartment in a clean and sanitary condition to prevent rodent and insect infestation. 9) Maintain the apartment free of damage beyond normal wear and tear. b) KITCHEN The Resident Shall... 1) Keep the stove clean and free of food and grease. 2) Keep the refrigerator clean. The freezer door should close properly. 3) Keep all cabinets clean and neat. Cabinet surfaces and countertops should be free of grease and spilled food. Cabinets should not be overloaded. Storage under the sink should be limited to small or lightweight items to permit access for repairs. Do not store heavy pots and pans under the sink. 4) Keep the exhaust fan free of grease and dust. 5) Keep the sink clean, free of grease and garbage. Dirty dishes should be washed and put away daily. 6) Keep the food storage areas clean and without spilled food. 7) Place all trash and garbage inside of garbage bags in a covered container until taken to a proper disposal area. c) BATHROOM The Resident Shall... 8

10 1) Keep the lavatory clean. This includes the toilet and tank which will be clean and odor free. 2) Keep the tub and shower clean and free of excessive mildew and mold. Where applicable, shower curtains should be in place, and of adequate length. d) STORAGE AREAS The Resident Shall... 1) Keep the linen closet and all other closets neat and clean. 2) Keep access to hot water heaters in utility rooms accessible at all times. Do not store anything next to hot water heaters. e) OUTSIDE THE APARTMENT The Resident Shall... 1) Keep the yards free of debris and trash. 2) Not damage the lawns or landscaping. Do not park cars on any planted area for any reason at any time. 3) Keep the front and rear porches and walkways free of hazards. Only furniture designed for outdoor use is to be placed on the porches and in a reasonable amount. 4) Keep clear of all maintenance equipment while in use, such as lawn mowers, weed eaters, edgers, etc. 5) Keep all lawn areas free of anything that will impede the mowing of the lawns. This includes toys, bicycles, barbeque grills, birdbaths, lawn chairs, newspapers, trash, etc. The HAP will not be responsible for any damage done to items left in mowing areas. 6) Properly maintain and care for all planting beds. Failure to do so will result in clearing of area by HAP. 7) Not chain bikes or other items to the gas lines. 9

11 Section 4: AFTER HOURS EMERGENCIES Below is a list of Emergencies that the After Hours Emergency Van Driver will respond to. As noted, certain calls will be relayed or dispatched to the Driver regardless of time, day or night. Other calls will only be relayed or passed on to the Driver up to a specific hour. These changes are effective beginning October 1, Smells Gas Relay call 24 hours 2. Apartment/Building Fire Relay call 24 hours 3. Malfunctioning Smoke Detectors Relay call 24 hours 4. Busted Water Pipes Relay call 24 hours 5. Electrical Power Outage Relay call 24 hours 6. Tenant Lock-Outs Relay call 24 hours / $25.00 Charge 7. Commode Stopped Up Relay call up to 10:00 pm 8. No Heat Relay call only in extreme conditions * 9. Air Conditioner Not Working Relay call only in extreme conditions * 10. Refrigerator Inoperable Relay call only when Maintenance is closed more than 24 hours / (example: Sunday after 12:00 noon, there would be no call) 11. Main Sewer Blocked Relay call only on weekends *No response after 12:00 Midnight by the Emergency Maintenance Personnel except in the case of #1---#6. IF EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL ARE CALLED OUT AND THERE IS NO EMERGENCY, THE RESIDENT WILL BE CHARGED A $25.00 FLAT FEE. Most after-hours calls are not emergencies. Maintenance personnel will only respond to calls that are true emergencies. i.e., gas leaks, water leaks, fire threats. Section 5: MAINTENANCE CHARGES The HAP general repairs and miscellaneous charges schedule is attached. COSTS OF PARTS USED ARE GENERATED AND UPDATED BY THE COMPUTER EACH TIME THEY ARE PURCHASED. MOVE OUT CHARGES ARE CALCULATED BASED ON THE CONDITION OF THE APARTMENT AT TIME OF MOVE-OUT. 10

12 Section 6: GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE Upon filing of a written request as provided in the HAP grievance policy, a complainant shall be entitled to a hearing before a Hearing Officer unless the termination of tenancy or eviction involves drug-related criminal activities or any activity that threatens the health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other residents or employees of the HAP. See the entire HAP Grievance Policy and Procedures attached. Section 7: LEAD BASED PAINT INFORMATION See attached booklet Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home. 11