A Tenant’s Right to Disagree
Fairness, respect and good service are important parts of the Albany Housing Authority’s philosophy when interacting with its residents. A situation may arise when you disagree with a decision or some action taken by an AHA employee.
You have a right to be heard and to have the situation reviewed by an impartial third party. If you feel as though you have been treated unfairly, you can request an informal hearing during which you can explain your side of the disagreement.
Requests for hearings must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the decision or action you wish to have reconsidered. Appeals concerning termination of Section 8 assistance must be made within 10 days. All requests should be addressed to:
Albany Housing Authority
Hearings and Appeals
200 South Pearl Street
Albany, NY 12202
You will be notified of a time and place where you may present your issue to the Hearing Officer. You should bring any evidence or other proof you may have to this hearing.
Change of income
If you have any changes in income or family status they must be reported to the Recertification’s Department within 10 days of the change in the income.
To declare change of income online please go to the Change Income Online form.
Loss or Reduction of Tenant Income May Affect Rent
If you are residing in a public housing or Section 8 subsidized apartment, your rent is determined by your household income. Failure to report income is considered fraud and punishable by law, however, if you lose your job, run out of unemployment benefits or experience some other hardship, you may be eligible for a rent reduction.
As always, you must provide proof of the change in your income and we require that proof come from a third party (your former employer, the Unemployment Insurance Department or whoever your former source of income was). It is the Albany Housing Authority’s policy that the minimum rent in public housing and Section 8 (tenant portion) is $50.00 (fifty dollars) per month. If you experience a reduction in income you must inform us as soon as possible. Public Housing residents should report the change to the Recertifications and Collections Department. Section 8 voucher holders should report the change to their Caseworker. If you are able to document the loss of income prior to the closing of the accounts for the month (usually five business days before the end of the month), your rent for the following month may be eligible for a reduction. The amount of the reduction is based on the amount of income that was lost and the reason for that loss.
If you are unable to pay even the minimum rent, you may be eligible for a temporary hardship rent. Eligibility for a hardship rent is subject to reevaluation every 90 days and failure to provide the necessary documentation will result in your rent being adjusted back to the amount prior to the loss of income. Hardship rents may also be subject to repayment agreements if and when your income returns to normal or your temporary situation changes.
Decisions by the Albany Housing Authority about rent reductions as a result of loss of income or temporary hardship are subject to appeal under the informal hearing process. Appeals must be made in writing within 10 days of the decision and should be sent to:
Albany Housing Authority
Hearings and Appeals
200 South Pearl Street
Albany, NY 12202
Transfer Requests
If you would like to request a transfer from your current unit please print out the attached forms, fill out and return to your property manager’s office.
