Additional 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. 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 Committing Fraud The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) places a high priority on preventing 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.
• Prohibited from receiving future assistance.

Asking Questions

When you complete your application for Housing programs or any other required forms, you should know what is expected of you. If you do not understand any part of a form, or a question on the form, say so.



Completing the Application

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

Signing the Application

Do not sign any form unless you have read it, understand it, and are sure 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.



Recertification's

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, changes of job, loss of job, loss of benefits, etc. for 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 its full value.



Beware of Fraud

You should be aware of the following fraud schemes:
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 than 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 them to the manager of your PHA. If you cannot report to the manager, call the local 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, SW., Washington, DC 20410

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