Things You Should Know

Don’t risk your chances for Federally assisted housing by providing false, incomplete, or inaccurate information on your application and recertification forms.

This is to inform you that there is certain information you must provide when applying for assisted housing. There are penalties that apply if you knowingly omit information or give false information. Penalties for The United. States department of Housing and Urban Committing Development (HUD) places a high priority on preventing Fraud fraud.

If your application or recertification forms contain false or incomplete information, you may be:

• Evicted from your apartment or house:
• Required to repay all overpaid rental assistance you received:
• Fined up to $10,000:
• Imprisoned for up to 5 years; and/or
• Prohibited from receiving future assistance.

Your State and local governments may have other laws and penalties as well. Asking When you sit down with the person who fills out your Questions application, you should know what is expected of you. If you do not understand something, say so. That person can answer your question or find out what the answer is.

Completing the When you give your answers to application questions, you must Application include the following information:

Income

• All sources of money You and any “adult” member of your family receive (wages, welfare payments, alimony, social security , pension, etc.):
• Any money you receive on behalf of your children (child support, social security for children, etc.):
• Income form assets (interest from a savings account, credit union, or certificate of deposit: dividends from stocks, etc.):
• Earnings from second job or part time job:
• Any anticipated income (such as a bonus pay raise you expect to receive):

Assets

• All bank accounts, savings bonds, certificates of deposit, stocks, real estate, etc., that are owned by you and any adult member of you family/household who will be living with you.
• Any business or asset you sold in the last 2 years for less than its full value, such as your home to your children.

Family/Household members

• The names of all the people (adults and children) who will actually be living with you, whether or not they are related to you. Signing the Do not sign any form unless you have read it, and are sure Page 12 Application everything is complete and accurate.
• When you sign application and certification forms, you are claiming that they are complete to the best of your knowledge and belief. You are committing fraud if you sign a form knowing that it contains false or misleading information
• Information you give on your application will be verified by your housing agency. In addition, HUD may do computer matches of the income you report with various Federal, State, or private agencies to verify that it is correct. Recertifications You must provide updated information at least once a year. Some programs require that you report any changes in income or family/household composition immediately. Be sure to ask when you must recertify. You must report on recertification forms:
• All income changes, such as pay increases or benefits, change of job, loss job, loss of benefits, etc. fur all adult family/household members.
• Any family /household member who has moved in or out.
• All assets that you or your family/household members own and any asset that was sold in the last 2 years for less that it’s value.

Beware of

You should be aware of the following fraud schemes:

Fraud

• Do not pay any money to file an application
• Do not pay any money to move up on the waiting list
• Do not pay for anything not covered by your lease.
• Get a receipt for any money you pay
• Get a written explanation if you are required to pay any money other that rent (such as maintenance charges)

Reporting Abuse

If you are aware of anyone who has falsified an application, or if anyone tries to persuade you to make false statements, report then to the manager of your project or PHA.

If you cannot report to the manager, call the local HUD office or the HUD HOTLINE at (202) 472-4200. This is not a toll free number.

You can also write to the HUD HOTLINE, Room 8254, 451 Seventh Street, S.W. Washington. DC 20410.