Resident Selection Criteria

THIS IS AN EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY COMMUNITY

PER HUD REGULATIONS ALL PUBLIC HOUSING IS SMOKE FREE (SEE POLICY)

La Crosse County Housing and the rental community adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act, State, and to Federal Fair Housing Law (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 as amended, by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and The Fair Housing Amendment Act of 1988) which stipulate that it is illegal to discriminate against any person because of race, color, creed or ancestry, religion, sex or sexual orientation, national origin, martial status, status with regard to receipt of public assistance or any lawful source of income, disability, age or familial status.

LA CROSSE COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY OCCUPANCY STANDARDS:

Apartment Size	Minimum Occupancy	Maximum Occupancy
1 Bedroom	1	2
2 Bedrooms	2*	4
3 Bedroom	3*	6
4 Bedroom	5	8

*The above minimum occupancy standards will be enforced including; medical evidence that a family of two persons (other than guardian & child), require two bedrooms, and a family of three persons with only one child, require a third bedroom. Exceptions will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Rejecting an apartment offered without a medical reason, applicant will be placed at bottom of applicable waiting list. Rejecting an apartment offered without a medical reason a second time; applicant will be removed from the waiting list, and may reapply after one year. A one-bedroom preference is given to seniors or disabled over other applicants applying or on waiting list. Whispering Pines I and II are set aside for persons 50 + only.

REQUIREMENT FOR ELIGIBILITY

Occupancy at the La Crosse County Housing is limited to those meeting the specific adjusted income requirements as published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development annually. Income limits are issued by HUD for each county or metropolitan statistical area by family size and percentage of median income. In the Section 42 Program there is a mortgage preference requirement for those considered homeless. Public Housing (HUD) requires that 40% of new admissions have the higher of: 30% or less of county median income or the Federal Poverty Level. Applicants must meet HUD Student eligibility guidelines.

WHEDA: Lower Income- 80% or less of county median income (60% to meet LCHA contract rent limits).

HUD: Low Rent – 50% of County Median Income. 40% of admissions must be at Extremely Low Income: (higher of 30% of median income or Federal Poverty Level).

Whispering Pines & IRS: Section 42-LIHC (CM) (Affordable-60% or less of median income)

Family Size	WHEDA (60%)	HUD (50%)	HUD (30%)	Cedar Meadows, Whispering Pines
1 Person	$39,240	$32,700	$19,600	$39,240
2 Person	$44,880	$37,400	$22,400	$44,800
3 Person	$50,460	$42,050	$25,200	$50,460
4 Person	$56,040	$46,700	$30,000	$56,040
5 Person	$60,540	$50,450	$35,140	$60,540
6 Person	$65,040	$54,200	$40,280	$65,040
7 Person	$69,540	$57,950	$45,420	$69,540
8 Person	$73,980	$61,650	$50,560	$73,980

HOUSEHOLD DEFINITIONS

FAMILY: Any person/s

ELDERLY: An elderly household consists of either a single person or family where the head of household or spouse is at least 62 years old.

HANDICAP: Recorded or regarded impairment.

DISABLED: A Handicapped or disabled person is anyone who is handicapped or disabled having a physical or mental impairment which:

Is expected to be of a long, continued indefinite duration.
Substantially impedes his or her ability to live independently, or limits one or more major life activities.

All above household definitions may include persons living with applicant/Resident that; are essential to their care or well being.

PET POLICY: According to Federal regulations pets are allowed in all public housing developments. Before a pet is brought into an apartment, all the requirements of our pet policy must be reviewed and complied with. Our pet policy has been developed, submitted, and has received HUD approval.

APPLICATION – APPROVALS & REJECTIONS

Applications may be obtained by mail, in person at 615 Plainview Rd., from www.lcha.net, by fax or by scan.
The following procedures are the established Resident Selection Criteria used by Management to determine applicant eligibility and acceptability:

A fully completed application for rental must be made with management.
Third party verification of all items completed on the application. False information provided will be
reason for automatic rejection.
Good landlord references; good housekeeping, good neighbor, paying rent on time (at least 90%) persons
paying more than 30% of income, with extenuating circumstances will be considered on a case by case
basis. Credit check information is used if a landlord reference cannot be obtained, with an exception given to
home owners. Applicants who are not current with their collections will be rejected. We utilize EIV for former
& existing Tenant search (see ACOP)
Applicants must pass a criminal background investigation (see established policy).
Applicant must meet program income and other eligibility requirements. Rent & utilities should not exceed 30%
of income.

Qualified reader, interpreter, etc. are available for all correspondence for persons with disabilities who request these services.

Applicant will be notified by letter of acceptance or rejection of application. If rejected, applicants may reapply when the item causing the rejection has been resolved. Successful applicants will be placed on the waiting list according to the date that all of the above requirements have been met. Our waiting list is updated every 6 months, persons not responding, will be dropped from the waiting list.

TRANSFER POLICY

Residents may submit in writing to transfer to another town where we provide housing. Resident must have good rental history of lease compliance, in current location, before a transfer will be allowed. An existing Resident’s approved transfer request will be placed on the regular waiting list of applicants according to the date it is received. Resident must complete & submit a new application with request (see Admissions and continued Occupancy Policy for complete details).

LEASE PERIOD/SECURITY DEPOSITS, AND RENT

Lease terms vary from month to month, to 1 year according to program policy. Notice to vacate varies from 28 to 30 days according to program policy. Damage Deposit is the greatest of $50 or Total Tenant Payment. One set of keys are provided at no charge (see key policy). There is a minimum monthly rent charge of $25. Monthly rent is due to our main office at 615 Plainview Rd., LaCrosse WI 54603, on the first of each month. A late fee of $5 to $25 (see individual lease) will be charged on the 6th of each month. Rents based on 30% of a Residents income will be adjusted at least annually on the Residents anniversary date. It is the Resident’s responsibility to notify the office of changes in income, assets, and or family composition.

PLEASE SEE LCHA CONTINUED ADMISSIONS AND OCCUPANCY POLICY FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON ABOVE PROGRAM REGULATIONS, CALCULATIONS & REQUIREMENTS.

Rev: 04/18/2022