District of Columbia Administrative Code

2508 INTAKE FOR FAMILIES –PRIORITY DETERMINATION FOR SHELTER OR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING 2508.1 Based on the information received from the completed and signed application and an intake interview with the applicant, the intake center shall make a determination of priority for shelter a…

2509 FAMILY SHELTER AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING REFERRALS 2509.1 Based on the information received from the completed and signed application, an intake interview with the applicant, and the priority determination for shelter or supportive housing, the intake center shall make the appr…

2510 FAMILY ASSESSMENT 2510.1 A family that receives a shelter or supportive housing placement shall be referred for an assessment with an appropriately trained, qualified, and supervised assessment specialist. The purpose of the assessment is to: Assess the family’s full range o…

2511 FAMILY CASE MANAGEMENT 2511.1 All families placed in shelter shall be provided with a case manager. The case manager may be assigned to a family either during the intake process or following placement. 2511.2 With active participation from the family, the case manager shall …

2512 CLIENT RIGHTS At all times, clients shall be treated by Providers and the Department with dignity and respect. Clients shall be able to access services within the Continuum of Care free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, language, cul…

2513 ADDITIONAL RIGHTS FOR CLIENTS IN TEMPORARY SHELTER OR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING Clients shall be permitted to receive visitors in designated areas of the shelter or housing premises during reasonable hours and under such reasonable conditions as specified in the Provider's approved…

CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES Clients shall seek appropriate permanent housing or Housing First, except when the client is residing in severe weather and low barrier shelter. Clients shall seek employment, education, or training when appropriate, except when the client is residing in s…

2515 PROVIDER STANDARDS FOR SHELTER AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING All Providers of shelter and supportive housing shall meet the requirements of this section, as well as any additional requirements specific to the type of program provided as set forth elsewhere in this chapter. Provider…

2516 ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER SHELTER REQUIREMENTS Providers of severe weather shelter shall meet the requirements of section 2515 as well as the additional requirements set forth in this section. Hypothermia shelters shall be operated in accordance with and pursuant to the Dist…

2517 ADDITIONAL LOW BARRIER SHELTER REQUIREMENTS Providers of low barrier shelter shall meet the requirements of sections 2515 and 2516 as well as the additional requirements set forth in this section. Providers of low barrier shelter shall ensure that all clients are offered cas…

2518 ADDITIONAL TEMPORARY SHELTER AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS 2518.1 Providers of temporary shelter and supportive housing shall meet the requirements of sections 2515 through 2517, as well as the additional requirements set forth in this section. 2518.2 Providers under t…

ADDITIONAL TRANSITIONAL HOUSING REQUIREMENTS 2519.1 Providers of transitional housing shall meet the requirements of sections 2515 through 2518 as well as the additional requirements set forth in this section. 2519.2 Providers of transitional housing shall offer follow-up support…

2520 CLIENT PROPERTY AND STORAGE REQUIREMENTS Providers of hypothermia and low barrier shelter shall adopt reasonable policies regarding client property based on the available space and reasonable needs of the clients which shall include: The amount of belongings a client may bri…

2521 TRANSFER OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN SHELTER AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING 2521.1 Providers are strongly encouraged to use transfer as the primary mechanism for assisting clients to find the most appropriate placement and services within the Continuum of Care, including making r…

2522 SUSPENSION OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN SHELTER AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING 2522.1 If a client fails or refuses to comply with the Provider’s Program Rules and the client responsibilities listed in section 2514, or engages in any of the behaviors listed in subsection 2523.1(b),…

2523 TERMINATION OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FROM SHELTER AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING 2523.1 A Provider may terminate delivery of services to a client only when: The Provider documents that it has considered suspending the client in accordance with section 2522, or, has made a reasona…

2524 EMERGENCY TRANSFER, SUSPENSION, OR TERMINATION OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FROM SHELTER AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING 2524.1 A Provider may immediately transfer, suspend, or terminate a client, without providing prior written notice of the action, whenever a client presents an immi…

2525 SCATTERED-SITES TRANSITIONAL HOUSING INITIATIVE – PURPOSE AND SCOPE 2525.1 The purpose of the Scattered-Sites Transitional Housing Initiative Program (STI Program) is to provide a structured program of supportive services along with rental assistance for less than or equal t…

2526 STI PROGRAM – APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION 2526.1 Application to the STI Program shall be made by a family at a family intake center. The application shall be in writing and shall be signed by the applicant. 2526.2 To be eligible for the STI Program, an applican…

2527 STI PROGRAM – PRIORITY DETERMINATION AND REFERRAL 2527.1 After determining eligibility for the STI Program, the family intake center shall determine an applicant’s priority for a referral to the STI Program based on the chronological order of application, and the following: …

2528 STI PROGRAM – DETERMINATION OF THE APPLICANT HOUSEHOLD’S HOUSING COST CONTRIBUTION AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE 2528.1 When an applicant’s name reaches the top of the list, the intake center shall send the applicant a letter informing the applicant that they are next on the list a…

2529 STI PROGRAM – TENANT HOUSING COST CONTRIBUTION AND PROGRAM HOUSING COST ASSISTANCE 2529.1 Each household shall contribute toward the cost for housing thirty percent (30%) of their adjusted annual income, determined in accordance with the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP)…

2530 STI PROGRAM – ANNUAL RECALCULATION OF TENANT RENT CONTRIBUTION 2530.1 The STI Program shall examine and recalculate annually each household’s housing cost contribution to ensure that participating households are paying the appropriate tenant housing cost contribution. 2530.2…

2531 STI PROGRAM – REPORTING CHANGE IN HOUSEHOLD INCOME 2531.1 It shall be the responsibility of each participating household to report to their STI Program Provider case manager, in writing, any change in the household’s monthly income as soon as the change occurs. 2531.2 Upon w…

2532 STI PROGRAM –UNIT IDENTIFICATION 2532.1 Participation in the STI Program is conditional on accepting a unit that passes a housing inspection and meets the Rent Reasonableness Standard. 2532.2 An applicant shall be assigned one unit in the Program’s unit inventory list. An ap…

2533 STI PROGRAM – CASE MANAGEMENT 2533.1 Participants in the STI Program shall actively participate in case management as set forth in Section 2511, including development of a Service Plan as described in Subsection 2511.2. Participants that require only a minimal level of case …

2534 STI PROGRAM – EXTENSIONS FOR GOOD CAUSE AFTER TWO YEARS HAS EXPIRED 2534.1 Participants may be eligible for extensions beyond the two (2) year STI Program timeframe under the following circumstances: (a) The family has completed their Service Plan and is still financially un…

2535 THE DEPARTMENT’S PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING INITIATIVE – PURPOSE AND SCOPE 2535.1 The purpose of the Department’s Permanent Supportive Housing Program (PSH Program) is to provide a compassionate and cost effective strategy to solve homelessness for the hardest to serve and…

2536 PSH PROGRAM – ELIGIBILITY 2536.1 In addition to the general eligibility requirements set forth in subsection 2501 an individual or family shall, in order to be eligible for participation in the PSH Program: (a) Have been homeless: (1) For one (1) year or more; or (2) On mult…

2537 PSH PROGRAM – REFERRAL PROCESS 2537.1 When the Department or its designee has available placements in the PSH Program, the Department or its designee shall review all vulnerability assessments of individuals and families not previously placed in the PSH Program or other perm…

2538 PSH PROGRAM – ASSESSMENT AND CASE MANAGEMENT 2538.1 The PSH Program shall offer participants a comprehensive needs assessment and case management. 2538.2 Participants shall not be required to participate in the needs assessment or case management as a condition of receipt of…

2539 PSH PROGRAM – HOUSING ASSISTANCE 2539.1 Subject to applicable income limitations or other eligibility requirements, an individual or family referred to the PSH Program shall be provided a housing subsidy. 2539.2 The PSH Program shall, at its discretion, refer the individual …

2540 THE DEPARTMENT’S HOUSING SUBSIDY PROGRAM FOR PSH PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS 2540.1 The Department’s Housing Subsidy Program for PSH Program participants (PSH Housing Program) shall consist of rental and utility assistance (hereinafter “housing cost”), household housing cost contri…

2541 PSH PROGRAM – REPORTING CHANGE IN HOUSEHOLD INCOME 2541.1 It shall be the responsibility of each participating household to report to the PSH Program, in writing, any change in the household’s annual income as soon as the change occurs. Any resulting effect of a change in in…

2542 PSH PROGRAM – UNIT IDENTIFICATION AND ACCEPTANCE 2542.1 Participants in the PSH Housing Program shall accept a unit that passes a housing inspection and meets the Rent Reasonableness Standard. 2542.2 A PSH Program participant shall be assigned one (1) unit in the available u…

2543 OFFICE OF SHELTER MONITORING The Office of Shelter Monitoring (Office) shall monitor and evaluate the services delivered by all programs covered by the Act. For shelters and supportive housing programs, the Office shall monitor the conditions, services, and practices, evalua…

2544 COMPLAINTS 2544.1 The Office shall receive complaints about programs, facilities, and services provided within the Continuum of Care and shall investigate programs alleged to be out of compliance with the applicable standards set forth in sections 2515-2519 or with other req…

2545 REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS – PURPOSE AND SCOPE 2545.1 The provisions of subsections 2545-2549 provide procedures for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints by customers or prospective customers of shelter or supportive housing who allege any action prohibited by Tit…

2546 REASONABLE MODIFICATION POLICY 2546.1 If necessary for a qualified person with a disability to have access to covered services, programs, or activities, the Department, its contractors and grantees shall provide reasonable modification of shelter and supportive housing polic…

2547 FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE ADA COORDINATOR 2547.1 Any qualified individual with a disability or authorized representative may file a complaint with the Department alleging noncompliance with the provisions of Title II of the ADA or the federal regulation promulgated thereun…

2548 ADA COMPLAINT AND INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES 2548.1 Upon receipt of a complaint, the ADA Coordinator or designee shall send a notice and make best efforts to personally communicate with the complainant and the entity that is alleged to be in noncompliance within five (5) busin…

2549 ASSURANCE OF INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHTS 2549.1 The right of an individual to a prompt and equitable resolution of the complaint shall not be impaired by the individual’s pursuit of other remedies. Use of this complaint procedure is not a prerequisite to the pursuit of other remedie…

2550 FAIR HEARINGS 2550.1 A client applying for or receiving shelter or supportive housing services covered by this Chapter shall have the right to appeal through a fair hearing, any decision by the Department or a Provider to: (a) Deny eligibility for services to an applicant; (…

2551 ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY 2551.1 The purpose of an administrative review is to determine, in a timely manner, whether the service Provider's or agency’s position is legally valid and, if possible, to achieve an informal resolution of the appeal. 2551.2 …

2552 ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW PROCEDURES 2552.1 Upon receipt of a fair hearing request, the Department shall offer the client or client representative an opportunity for an administrative review by the Department of the decision, action, or inaction that is the subject of the fair h…

2553 ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW NOTICE REQUIREMENTS 2553.1 Upon receipt of a request for a fair hearing, the Department’s Administrative Review Office shall schedule an administrative review. As soon as possible after receipt of the request for a fair hearing, the Department shall mai…

2554 ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OFFICER 2554.1 Each administrative review shall be conducted by an administrative review officer who shall be an employee of the Department but shall not be the person, or a subordinate of the person, who made or approved any decision or action under re…

2555 ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW RECORD 2555.1 The Department shall maintain a record for each administrative review offered or held. Each administrative review record shall include: (a) Documentation of the request for a fair hearing; (b) Documentation of the notice of the administrat…

2556 SPECIAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR REFERRAL TO THE LOCAL RENT SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM – PURPOSE AND SCOPE 2556.1 The purpose of §§ 2556 - 2558 is to establish the special eligibility criteria by which families will be determined eligible and prioritized for referral to the District…

2557 SPECIAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR REFERRAL TO THE LOCAL RENT SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM – ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 2557.1 An applicant unit shall be eligible for referral to the DCHA for the LRSP vouchers if the applicant unit is a family, as defined in § 2599, that: (a) Is currently…