FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you need additional information regarding our application process please call or write to us, or you can view the site regarding applications. Maywood Housing Authority, 801 South Fifth Ave Maywood IL 60153, telephone (708) 345-7315.

WHAT IS PUBLIC HOUSING? Decent, safe and sanitary apartments managed by the Housing Authority to provide HUD subsidized rental assistance for low and very low income persons: Maywood Housing Authority does not operate public housing.

WHAT IS SECTION 8? HUD's program managed by the Housing Authority for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to rent decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private market (privately owned housing, including single-family homes, townhomes and apartments). The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements for the Maywood area.

SECTION 8: The adjusted annual income is divided by 12 months (monthly adjusted income), times 30%, subtracted from the payment standard of a bedroom size for which the tenant is eligible, to show the maximum housing assistance payment from the Housing Authority. If the gross rent is higher than the initial payment standard, the Housing Authority will not pay anything over the standard amount and the tenant will have to pay all excess rent in addition to the 30% of the adjusted monthly income. Note: this is a simplified explanation, but will give an idea of how the assistance is calculated.

Annual income means all amounts, monetary or not or which are anticipated to be received during the 12-month period following admission or assets to which the family has access, which are not specifically excluded such as earned income by children under 18 years of age (including foster children); foster care payments; payments reimbursing medical expenses; income of a live-in aid; and student financial assistance, etc.

Adjusted income means annual income less deductions for which a person or family may qualify, such as:

For All Households: a) $480 for each dependent; b) Childcare expenses; c) Handicap assistance expenses;

For Elderly Households only: a) $400 for an elderly household deduction; b) an allowance for a portion of their medical expenses.

Income eligible is the adjusted annual income in the low and very low range (see below for income limits).

	1 PERSON	2 PEOPLE	3 PEOPLE	4 PEOPLE	5 PEOPLE
VERY LOW INCOME	$11,400	$13,050	$14,650	$16,300	$17,600
LOW INCOME	$18,250	$20,900	$23,500	$26,100	$28,200

EFFICIENCY	1 BEDROOM	2 BEDROOM	3 BEDROOM	4 BEDROOM
$734	$840	$944	$1,154	$1,304

These amounts are used in determining the housing assistance payment (commonly known as HAP).

Generally, the rule is one bedroom to two people within the following guidelines:

Persons of different generations, of the opposite sex (other than spouses and children under 7), and unrelated adults should have separate bedroom.

Live-in attendants usually will have a separate bedroom (but not members of their families).

A single person family shall only be eligible for an efficiency or one bedroom.

Bedroom Size	0	1	2	3	4	5	6
Minimum Persons	1	1	2	3	4	6	8
Maximum Person	1	2	4	6	8	10	12

A utility allowance is added to the rental assistance and deducted from the amount the tenant has to pay.

EFFICIENCY	1 BEDROOM	2 BEDROOM	3 BEDROOM
$23	$25	Family $25	$27
		Senior $27

2 BEDROOM	3 BEDROOM		1 BEDROOM
$62	$76		$39

The utility allowance is added to the rental assistance and varies according to whether or not the tenant pays utilities, to bedroom size, what utilities are being paid by the tenant, if it's natural gas, bottle gas, electric, etc.

There is no financial assistance for security deposits, it is the full responsibility of the tenant. Tenants should be aware that some landlords charge up to two months security depending on their other unassisted units.

CAN I MOVE? The rental voucher program is designed to allow families to move without the loss of rental assistance, however, they must initially lease a unit within Maywood for the first twelve months of assistance. Moves are permissible as long as the family notifies the Housing Authority ahead of time, terminates its existing lease within the appropriate provisions, and finds acceptable alternate housing.

WHAT IS THE TENANT'S ROLE? The family signs a lease with the landlord for at least one year. The tenant may be required to pay a security deposit to the landlord, is expected to comply with the lease and the program requirements, pay its share of rent on time, maintain the unit in good condition and notify the Housing Authority of any changes in income or family composition.

WHAT IS THE LANDLORD'S ROLE? To provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing to a tenant at a reasonable rent. The dwelling unit must pass the program's housing standards and be maintained up to those standards as long as the owner receives housing assistance payments. In addition, the landlord is expected to provide the services agreed to as part of the lease signed with the tenant and the contract signed with the Housing Authority.

WHAT IS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S ROLE? To administer the rental voucher program locally, provide a family with the rental assistance that enables the family to seek out suitable housing and the Housing Authority enters into a contract with the landlord to provide rental assistance payments on behalf of the family. If the landlord fails to meet his/her obligations under the lease, the Housing Authority has the right to terminate assistance payments.

WHAT IS HUD'S ROLE? To cover the cost of the program, HUD provides funds to allow the Housing Authority to make housing assistance payments on behalf of the families and HUD pays the Housing Authority a fee for the costs of administering the program.