Public Housing Communities

HUD writes and publishes regulations in order to implement public housing laws enacted by Congress. HUD contracts with the Public Housing Authority (PHA) to administer programs in accordance with HUD regulations and provides an operating subsidy to the PHA. The PHA must create written policies that are consistent with HUD regulations. Among these policies is the PHA's Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP). The ACOP must be approved by the board of commissioners of the PHA.

The job of The Brooks Jeffrey Housing Authority (BJHA) pursuant to HUD regulations is to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing, in good repair, to low-income families at an affordable rent. BJHA screens applicants for public housing and, if they are found eligible and accepted, BJHA offers the applicant a unit. If the applicant accepts the offer, BJHA will enter into a contract with the applicant known as the lease. At this point, the applicant becomes a tenant of the public housing program.

In the context of the public housing program, a tenant is defined as the adult person(s) other than a live-in aide who (1) executed the lease with BJHA as lessee of the dwelling unit, or, if no such person now resides in the unit, (2) who resides in the unit, and who is the remaining head of household of the tenant family residing in the dwelling unit. The Public Housing Occupancy Guidebook refers to tenants as "residents." The terms "tenant" and "resident" are used interchangeably in BJHA policy. Additionally, the policy uses the term "family" or "families" for residents or applicants, depending on context.

Since BJHA owns the public housing development, BJHA is the landlord. BJHA must comply with all of the legal and management responsibilities of a landlord in addition to administering the program in accordance with HUD regulations and BJHA policy.

BJHA receives its operating subsidy for the public housing program from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. BJHA is not a federal department or agency. A Public Housing Agency (PHA) is a governmental or public body, created and authorized by state law to develop and operate housing and housing programs for low-income families. BJHA enters into an Annual Contributions Contract (ACC) with HUD to administer the public housing program. TGHA must ensure compliance with federal laws, regulations, and notices and must establish policy and procedures to clarify federal requirements and to ensure consistency in program operation.