District of Columbia Administrative Code

7199 DEFINITIONS 7199.1 When used in this chapter, the following terms and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed: Authority - The District of Columbia Housing Authority. Confidential Employee - An employee who is privy to information leading to decisions of Authority managemen…

7300 INTRODUCTION 7300.1 [RESERVED] 7300.2 This section 7300 describes DCHA policies related to community service programs in two (2) parts: Community Service Requirements. Section 7301 describes who is subject to the community service requirement, who is exempt, and DCHA’s defin…

7301 COMMUNITY SERVICE REQUIREMENT 7301.1 Community service is the performance of voluntary work or duties that are a public benefit, and that serve to improve the quality of life, enhance resident self- sufficiency, or increase resident self-responsibility in the community. 7301…

7302 DOCUMENTATION AND VERIFICATION 7302.1 DCHA will retain reasonable documentation of service requirement performance or exemption in participant files. 7302.2 All family members who claim they are exempt from the community service requirement are required to sign a community s…

7303 IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE 7303.1 DCHA will not substitute any community service or self-sufficiency activities performed by residents for work ordinarily performed by DCHA employees or replace a job at any location where residents perform activities to satisfy the …

7400 INTRODUCTION 7400.1 The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is committed to operating all of its housing programs in a fair and impartial way. In addition to requiring fairness and impartiality without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, family responsi…

7401 APPLICATION OF REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION POLICY 7401.1 This chapter applies to individuals with disabilities in the following programs provided by the DCHA: (a) Applicants of public housing; (b) Applicants of all Housing Choice Voucher and Moderate Rehabilitation Programs; (c…

7402 PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY 7402.1 A person with a disability means an individual who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. 7402.2 As used in this definition, the phrase “physical or mental impairment” includes: (a) An…

7403 REQUESTS FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS 7403.1 A person with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application process, residency in public housing, or participation in the Housing Choice Voucher and Moderate Rehabilitation Programs of DCH…

7404 REQUEST FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION BY PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS AND APPLICANTS 7404.1 Requested accommodations will not be approved if one of the following would occur as a result: (a) A violation of District of Columbia and/or federal law; (b) A fundamental alteration in t…

7405 OCCUPANCY OF ACCESSIBLE UNIT 7405.1 DCHA has units designated for persons with mobility, sight and hearing impairments referred to as accessible units. 7405.2 DCHA will offer these accessible units to families in the following order: (a) Current occupant of another public ho…

7406 GRIEVANCES 7406.1 The public housing applicant or resident complainant may file a complaint in accordance with DCHA’s grievance procedure (Title 14 DCMR chapter 63 - Low Rent Housing: Grievance Procedures) following a decision by the ADA/504 Coordinator. 7406.2 The Housing C…

7407 EXTENSIONS OF HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS 7407.1 Extensions beyond the maximum term of one hundred eighty (180) days are available as a reasonable accommodation to eligible individuals with disabilities. These extensions are subject to documentation that a diligent effort to loc…

7408 EXCEPTION PAYMENT STANDARD AMOUNTS 7408.1 DCHA may, if necessary as a reasonable accommodation for an individual with a disability, approve a family’s request for an exception payment standard amount under the Housing Choice Voucher Program so that the program is readily acc…

7409 SERVICE OR ASSISTANCE ANIMALS 7409.1 Residents of DCHA with disabilities are permitted to have service animals, if such animals are necessary as a reasonable accommodation for their disabilities. DCHA residents, or potential residents, who need a service animal as a reasonab…

7410 RECERTIFICATION/LEASE RENEWAL 7410.1 Thirty (30) days before the date for recertification/lease renewal for a public housing resident or a participant in the Housing Choice Voucher/Moderate Rehabilitation Programs, DCHA will provide a notice along with a package to the famil…

7600 HCVP WAITING LISTS GENERALLY 7600.1 Objectives Generally. It is DCHA's objective to ensure that families applying to DCHA for private rental housing assistance are selected for admission in accordance with the policies set forth in this Chapter 76. 7600.2 Other Waiting Lists…

7601 WAITING LISTS 7601.1 DCHA maintains Waiting Lists as follows: (a) Housing Choice Voucher Program - tenant-based voucher assistance and project-based voucher assistance, known as the Partnership Program operated in accordance with the rules set forth in Chapter 93 of this Tit…

7602 INCOME ELIGIBILITY AND TARGETING 7602.1 Income Eligibility. All applicants must meet income eligibility requirements as established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, but generally household income under fifty percent (50%) of Area Median Income as defi…

7603 SPECIAL ADMISSIONS 7603.1 Special HUD Admissions. DCHA receives special allocations of vouchers that are identified for families living in buildings funded through HUD. DCHA administers these vouchers in accordance with any conditions imposed by HUD and for those families in…

7605 LOCAL PREFERENCE DEFINITIONS 7605.1 A "Homeless Family" is defined as a family that: (a) Lacks a fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence; or (b) Has a primary nighttime residence that is a supervised public or private shelter providing temporary accommodations; or (c) R…

7606 OTHER APPLICABLE PROVISIONS 7606.1 Grievances. An applicant's right to a grievance is governed by Chapter 89 of this Title 14. 7606.2 Verification. At the time of application, applicants self-certify their preference. Applicants are required to provide all documentation and …

7700 INTRODUCTION 7700.1 This § 7700 explains DCHA’s transfer policy, based on HUD regulations, HUD guidance, and DCHA policy decisions. 7700.2 This § 7700 describes DCHA policies related to transfers in four (4) parts: Section 7701, Emergency Transfers, describes emergency trans…

7701 EMERGENCY TRANSFERS 7701.1 Emergency transfers require immediate action by DCHA. 7701.2 In the case of a genuine emergency, it may be unlikely that DCHA has the time or resources to immediately transfer a tenant. Due to the immediate need to vacate the unit, placing the tena…

7702 DCHA-REQUIRED TRANSFERS 7702.1 The following are types of DCHA-required transfers: DCHA may require a resident to transfer to make an accessible unit available to a disabled family; DCHA may transfer a resident who is over housed or underhoused based on the occupancy standar…

7703 TRANSFERS REQUESTED BY TENANTS 7703.1 Subject to the provisions of Chapter 77, a tenant may request to transfer to another Public Housing unit. Except for the exceptions under VAWA stated in this Chapter 77, all requests for transfer must be submitted to DCHA in writing. 770…

7704 TRANSFER PROCESSING 7704.1 Families who request a transfer should be placed on a transfer list and processed in a consistent and appropriate order as described below: DCHA maintains a centralized transfer list to ensure that transfers are processed in the correct order and t…

7800 INTRODUCTION 7800.1 Either party to the dwelling lease agreement may terminate the lease in accordance with the terms of the lease and applicable local and federal law. 7800.2 The Lessee’s rental assistance is tied to his or her tenancy. 7800.3 When the Lessee vacates the pu…

7801 TERMINATION BY TENANT 7801.1 The Lessee may terminate the lease at any time, for any reason, by Providing at least thirty (30) calendar days advance written notice to the Property Manager of their intent to vacate; When a family must give less than thirty (30) days’ notice d…

7802 TERMINATION BY DCHA—MANDATORY 7802.1 DCHA may, in its sole and absolute discretion, terminate a lease for a serious or repeated violation of a material term of the lease. 7802.2 There is no time limitation on bringing a notice of termination, notice to vacate, notice to cure…

7803 TERMINATION BY DCHA—OTHER AUTHORIZED REASONS 7803.1 [RESERVED] 7803.2 The following definitions are used for this and other parts of this chapter: (a) “Affiliated individual” is defined in § 8107.3(a); (b) “Covered person” means a tenant, any member of the tenant’s household…

7804 NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS, EVICTION PROCEDURES AND RECORD KEEPING 7804.1 HUD authorizes DCHA to conduct criminal records checks on public housing residents for admission criteria, recertification, lease enforcement and eviction. 7804.2 DCHA may conduct criminal records check…

7900 INTRODUCTION 7900.1 This Chapter discusses grievances and appeals pertaining to DCHA’s actions or failures to act that adversely affect public housing applicants or residents. The policies are discussed in the following three (3) parts: Section 7901, Informal Hearings for Pu…

7901 INFORMAL HEARINGS FOR PUBLIC HOUSING APPLICANTS 7901.1 [RESERVED] 7901.2 Informal hearings are provided for public housing applicants. 7901.3 An “applicant” is someone who has applied for admission to the public housing program, but is not yet a tenant in the program. 7901.4…

7902 INFORMAL HEARINGS WITH REGARD TO NONCITIZENS 7902.1 Denial or termination of assistance based on immigration status is subject to special hearing and notice rules. These special hearings are referred to in the regulations as informal hearings, but the requirements for such h…

7903 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS 7903.1 DCHA’s grievance procedure gives residents of public housing an opportunity to grieve any DCHA action or failure to act involving the lease or DCHA policies which adversely affect their rights, duties, welfare, or stat…

800 GENERAL PROVISIONS 800.1 All premises occupied for residential purposes shall be kept in a clean, safe, and sanitary condition, including, but not limited to, the requirements of this chapter. 800.2 Floors, floor coverings, and other walking surfaces shall be clean and free o…

801 RESPONSIBILITIES OF OWNERS AND LANDLORDS 801.1 If there are more than five (5) families residing in any multiple dwelling in which the owner does not reside, the owner(s) or lessee(s) of the building, when required by the Director, shall place in that building a janitor, hous…

802 RESPONSIBILITIES OF TENANTS 802.1 In those portions of premises occupied for residential purposes under the exclusive control of a tenant, it shall be the responsibility of the tenant to observe the provisions of this chapter, unless otherwise indicated in this chapter. 802.2…

803 STORAGE OF ASHES, GARBAGE, AND REFUSE 803.1 In each multiple dwelling where the occupants of habitations are responsible for taking the ashes, garbage, or refuse from their respective quarters to a place of common storage or disposal, the place of common storage or disposal s…

804 RATPROOFING 804.1 Every residential building shall be ratproofed and maintained in a ratproof condition by the owner or licensee of that building. 804.2 Ratproofing shall include construction designed to prevent rats from entering a building by blocking off or stopping up all…

805 EXTERMINATION 805.1 The occupant of any single-family dwelling shall keep the premises free from vermin, rodents, and rodent harborage. 805.2 The occupant of any habitation in a two-family or multiple dwelling shall be responsible for the extermination of vermin and rodents w…

806 SCREENING 806.1 The owner or licensee of each residential building shall provide screens for all openings to the external air from March 15th through November 15th (both dates inclusive) of each year; provided, that effective means other than screens may be substituted for sc…

807 RADIO AND TELEVISION ANTENNAS 807.1 The owner or tenant of any premises shall not permit the horizontal members of radio and television antennas on the premises to be less than eight feet (8') in the clear above the roof. 807.2 No parts of any radio or television antenna shal…

808 INSANITARY OR UNSAFE SHEDS AND FENCES 808.1 No person who is the owner, owner’s agent, or manager of any property in the District of Columbia shall allow to remain on that property any fence or shed which the Fire Chief finds constitutes a fire hazard to any nearby structure.…

899 DEFINITIONS 899.1 The provisions of § 199 of chapter 1 of this title and the definitions set forth in this section shall be applicable to this chapter. In addition, the following words and terms shall have the meanings ascribed in sections 800.08 through 800.23 of this chapte…

8000 INTRODUCTION 8000.1 Section 8000 covers DCHA policies designed to prevent, detect, investigate, and resolve instances of program abuse or fraud. It also describes the actions that are taken in the case of unintentional errors and omissions. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published…

8001 PREVENTING, DETECTING, AND INVESTIGATING ERRORS AND PROGRAM ABUSE 8001.1 DCHA will use the Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system provided by HUD for preventing errors and program abuse, as available. DCHA will: Provide applicants and residents with form HUD-52675, “Deb…

8002 CORRECTIVE MEASURES AND PENALTIES 8002.1 [RESERVED] 8002.2 [RESERVED] 8002.3 Whether the incorrect rental determination is an overpayment or underpayment, DCHA will promptly correct the tenant rent. 8002.4 The following applies to changes in rent: An increase in the tenant r…