4771156 Housing Authority, District of Columbia - Notice of Final Rulemaking - Utility Allowance Schedule Simplification

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY

 

NOTICE OF FINAL RULEMAKING

 

The Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA), pursuant to the District of Columbia Housing Authority Act of 1999, effective May 9, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-105; D.C. Official Code § 6-203 (2012 Repl.)), hereby gives notice of the adoption of the following amendments to Chapter 53 (Recertifications, Housing Quality Standard Inspections, and Family Moves) of Title 14 (Housing) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR). 

 

The purpose of the amendments is to simplify the Utility Allowance Schedule.

 

The proposed rulemaking was published in the D.C. Register on November 15, 2013, at 60 DCR 015866.  Final action to adopt this rulemaking was taken at the Board of Commissioners regular meeting on February 12, 2014.  The final rules will become effective upon publication of this notice in the D.C. Register.

 

The amended provisions of Chapter 53, “Recertifications, Housing Quality Standard Inspections, and Family Moves” of Title 14, “Housing,” of the DCMR are added as follows:

 

Section 5332 is amended as follows:

 

5332                UTILITY ALLOWANCE SCHEDULE SIMPLIFICATION

 

5332.6             DCHA shall publish the utility schedule by bedroom sizes annually. DCHA shall also provide the utility allowance schedule to applicants at their initial briefing.

             

5332.7             A utility allowance shall be determined based upon the lesser of either:

 

(a)                Number of bedrooms; or

 

(b)               Voucher size;

 

5332.8             If any Family’s simplified utility allowance decreases by more than $25.00 and the decrease equals more than 10% of the household’s adjusted monthly income, the Family may request a hardship waiver.

 

5332.9             To qualify for the hardship waiver, the head of household must provide tenant paid utility bills, or other proof of tenant paid utility charges from the assisted unit from the previous six months to demonstrate that the average monthly cost exceeds their new utility allowance.

 

5332.10           Any request for a hardship must be in writing and received by DCHA within thirty-five (35) days of the DCHA notice to the family of their new rent determination.

 

5332.11           A Family that can demonstrate hardship shall be provided with a one-time six month simplified utility allowance waiver and the utility allowance will be set at either the lower of:

 

(a)        the previous utility allowance; or

 

(b)        Family’s average tenant paid utility bills from the past six months.

 

5332.11           At the end of the six month hardship period, the simplified utility allowance shall be applied.