Apartment Inspection Policy

A vigorous new physical inspection system of public housing sites has been put in place by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

	The computerized system that will be used at every housing authority in the nation requires that inspectors hired by HUD randomly inspect apartments, basements and other common areas, mechanical systems and grounds at every one of our public housing communities.
	HUD's standards for these inspections are much higher than local and State codes and regulations that have previously determined what is "acceptable".

Potential Consequences of failing the inspections are very serious and include:

	Ineligibility to apply for or receive special grants;
	Mandatory conversion of the site from "public housing" to "housing vouchers";
	Designation of the JCHA as a "Troubled Agency" which would seriously limit our local flexibility and control over budgets and policy and which would place very burdensome administrative requirements on the JCHA.

What the JCHA has done:

The JCHA has established a much higher apartment and site condition standard for apartment inspections.

All JCHA apartments must be kept in good, clean and safe condition. By doing this, we will meet JCHA's standards and pass the annual HUD and JCHA inspections conducted under HUD's Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS).

Every household is required to:

	Bring the apartment up to the new condition standards including apartment painting standards;
	Observe good housekeeping standards;
	Report any needed repairs to the management staff in a timely manner; and
	Cooperate with the apartment inspection system and staff repairs and with the site's new extermination schedule.

Every resident household must pay "maintenance charges" for any needed repairs to the apartment due to their negligence or vandalism.

Site Management staff will inspect every public housing apartment at least twice a year to determine if the unit is in acceptable condition.

Follow-up inspections will be scheduled within 15 days for any apartment that fails. Tenancy action will be taken against any household that fails to correct any of the apartment's deficiencies that are within the family's responsibilities.

To bring each apartment up to the new, higher standards, the JCHA will target 100% completion of repairs in the apartment immediately following time of inspection.

The JCHA will assign new families only to apartments that are in good, clean and safe condition.

Special areas of attention include properly working smoke detectors, window and fire escapes clear of any objects, and proper disposal of trash.