When Is My Rent Due?
Rents are due on the first of each month.  CHA will begin eviction proceedings, and assess a late fee when rent is not paid in full by the end of the month that it is due.


How Does CHA Determine My Rent?
Resident rents are based on income after deductions for tenant supplied utilities, and in some cases unreimbursed medical or childcare deductions.  The exact calculations used to determine your rent depends on whether you live in state or federal public housing. 

The rent determination rules for Federal Public Housing are in the Moving to Work Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP).  The rent determination rules for State Public Housing are in the State Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP).  Copies of the ACOPs are available in this section of the website, at CHA's Central Office at 675 Massachusetts Avenue and at each development's Management Office.


How Do I Add or Delete Someone from My Lease?
Residents must notify their Manager if they'd like to add or delete someone from their household.  The Manager will help residents through the process.  Any potential new households members (excluding additions by birth) will be screened by CHA to make sure that they meet CHA's eligibility criteria.  Details on CHA's policy for adding or deleting household members are available in the federal and state ACOPs.


How Do I Apply for a Transfer to Another Unit or Development?
Residents can apply for a transfer from their Manager.  CHA grants transfers based on a set of priorities.  The transfer priorities are:

1. Emergencies - when CHA determines that building or unit conditions pose an immediate threat to a household's life, health or safety.
2. Life threatening conditions - this category covers life threatening conditions not related to the condition of a building or unit such as crime, domestic violence, hate crimes, medical or disability issues that put a household member's life in danger.  CHA may require documentation such as a third party threat assessment to establish the immediacy or severity of a threat.
3. Accessibility - this priority is for households that need accessible features available in another unit in their development, or in another development if no appropriate units are available in their current development.
4. Reasonable Accommodations - these are transfers related to a household's application for a reasonable accommodation not related to accessibility issues.
5. Administrative - these transfers include those made to accommodate modernization work, households in units too big or small for the number of household members and transfers made to move an elderly or disabled household from family public housing to elderly/disabled public housing. 

Details on CHA's transfer policies are available in the federal and state ACOPs.


When Does CHA Charge Fees?
There are several instances where CHA may charge residents a fee.  Most fees are related to lease violations.  Possible fees charged are available for review in the federal and state ACOPs, the lease addenda and in the Orientation Packet each new resident receives when they first sign their lease.  Some examples of fees include:

• Late rent payment fees -charged when rent is paid late
• Maintenance charges - a list of maintenance charges is included in each resident's Orientation Packet
• Excess utility fees - for an AC where CHA pays all utilities.

PARKING, GROUNDS, PETS, TRASH & RECYCLING POLICIES

Do I Need a Permit to Park in My Development's Parking Lot?
Each CHA development has its own parking policy, but generally residents do need a permit to park in a CHA lot.  residents should see their Property Manager to apply for a parking permit.  Each development's parking policies are included in the Resident Orientation Packets.

Can I Put a Satellite Dish Outside of My Unit?
No.  CHA does not permit the installation of satellite dishes at any of its public housing developments.

Can I Hang My Clothes Outside to Dry?
No.  CHA does not permit residents to hang their clothes on balconies, porches or common areas to dry.

Can I Have Pets in My Unit?
Pets are restricted in family developments to birds with cages and fish in aquariums.  In elderly developments there is a pet policy which allows residents to own a cat or dog as long as the conditions of the policy are followed. Service animals are allowed at all CHA developments.

Where Do I Learn About My Development's Trash & Recycling Policies?
Each development's trash policies are included in the Resident Orientation Packet.