Section 504 Assignment Policy

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, directs the JCHA to provide, to the maximum extend feasible, reasonable accommodations to residents with known physical limitations. The JCHA will follow the policies outlined below as it places applicants and relocates residents to ensure that this mandate is achieved.

The JCHA has adapted a number of apartments to make them accessible to eligible individuals whose disability requires the accessibility features of the particular apartment.

When relocating families to any of these apartments, the general policy to be followed by the JCHA is as follows:

	When an accessible apartment becomes vacant, the JCHA will offer that apartment to a current handicapped resident occupying another apartment at the same site. This resident must have a disability requiring the accessibility features of the vacant apartment and he/she must occupy an apartment that does not have such features.
	If no such occupant exists at that site, the JCHA will offer the apartment to residents at other sites who have a disability requiring the accessibility features of the vacant apartment. If no such occupancy exists, the JCHA will offer the vacant apartment to an eligible, qualified applicant on the public housing waiting list having a disability requiring the accessibility features of the vacant apartment.
	The apartment will be offered to an eligible Section 8 recipient on the waiting list.
	If no eligible, qualified applicant exists, the JCHA will offer the apartment to an applicant not having a disability requiring the accessibility feature of the apartment and will require that applicant to agree to move to a non-accessible apartment should a resident or applicant with disabilities need the apartment.
	Neither existing residents, nor waiting list applicants should be treated differently, denied any benefits, or in any other way be singled out because of his/her disability.