Month Practicum Report - Assignment Example

Download file to see previous pages... The transfer specialist’s responsibilities are to determine the eligibility and suitability of the applicant by using written administration policies and procedures, client interviews and document verification. Essentially, my job description is to conduct interviews of new and current applicants to determine their eligibility, and provide case management to nearly 600 Section 8 HCVP contract lease negotiations. What this entails is I help determine housing assistance payments, tenant rent calculations, and provide education and counseling for the applicants and the participants in the Section 8 HCVP. This allows for resolution of any concerns between the owner, tenant and the housing authority by interpreting and implementing the regulations and guidelines set forth by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). I am also responsible for updating tenant records using Yardi and SharePoint, doing criminal background checks, closing sales force tickets, completing briefings and other duties as they are assigned to me. My department is divided into three teams, A, B and C, my team being A. team A serves MONTH PRACTICUM REPORT 2 new clients and current tenants in a many areas around Chicago, and in several different property types. The property types that my team and I help people with are called HCV-vash, which is for homeless veterans. The HUD program has allocated more than 10,000 vouchers to local public housing authorities countrywide to provide permanent supportive housing for homeless veterans. We also connect veterans with case managers to insure that they receive the health care and benefits assistance they need to help them move forward in their lives. The second housing type my team and I help with is Housing Choice Voucher Disaster Victim Program (HCVDVP), which is a disaster voucher program for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita victims. This program (formerly known as the Katrina Disaster Housing Assistance Program) allows victims of the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita disaster areas to qualify for a special Disaster Voucher Program (DVP) for former public housing and Section 8 voucher holders. Unlike regular vouchers, there is no family contribution to the gross monthly rent. The DVP provides monthly housing assistance payments that are the lesser of the monthly gross rent, or the voucher payment standard. Monthly gross rent is the rent to the owner of the property, plus any utility allowance for tenant-provided utilities. A family may rent a unit with a gross rent greater than the payment standard, but the family must pay the difference even if it exceeds 40% of their income. If the rent to the property owner is less than the payment standard and the lease requires the family to pay utilities, the Public Housing Authority (PHA) will reimburse the family an amount equal to the difference between the housing assistance payment and the rent. MONTH PRACTICUM REPORT 3 In the last type of housing, it is called the Housing Choice Voucher Family Unification Program (HCVFUP). This program provides Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance to families whose lack of adequate housing is a primary cause of separation or imminent separation of a child or children from their families. The Family Unification Program (FUP) is provided to eligible families so that children will not be separated from their parents due to the lack of permanent, ...Download file to see next pagesRead More