Rental Assistance news

Thanks to sound management and system efficiencies, our Rental Assistance Department has consistently earned HUD's High Performer designations and even manages Section 8 housing programs for surrounding cities and towns.

In 2009, the department continued refining its practices and programs, and adding responsibilities. Highlights included:

• Establishing monthly meetings with the Tenant Selection Department
• Hiring a new employee
• Implementing a tenant file shredding procedure
• Taking on administration of the Plymouth Housing Authority's Department of Mental Health rental units
• Adding nine new project-based properties to its portfolio, bringing the total to 16 new units under management

Tenant Selection news

Responsible for qualifying applicants for residency, the Tenant Selection Department in 2009 was again a good guardian of the public trust and of the safety of existing residents. Ensuring that potential tenants meet all federal criteria, the department had a busy year across all areas of responsibilities. For example, the department:

• Joined the Centralized Section 8 Program of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
• Processed thousands of applications for residency, including 1,290 public, 400 emergency and 1,468 centralized section applications
• Conducted 554 home visits, leased 225 apartments and rejected the applications of 95 applicants who did not meet criteria

Section 8 program recognized with HUD award