Public housing is an affordable rental-housing program for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Public housing comes in all sizes and types, from efficiencies to five-bedroom homes and one-bedroom units for the elderly. VIHA has approximately 3500 public housing units located throughout the Virgin Islands. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers Federal assistance to VIHA to manage the housing for low-income residents at rents they can afford.

What you should know before applying for Public Housing

There is information you must provide when applying for assisted housing. There are penalties that apply if you knowingly omit information or give false information.

Application Process:

Persons interested in public housing can pick up a pre-application at the VIHA Leasing Divisions on St.Thomas or St. Croix, or a pre-application can be mailed to you at your request. Once the pre-application is returned completed, your household will be placed on our Application Waiting List. The Leasing Division is responsible for maintaining an accurate and updated waiting list and processing of applications for timely admissions.

Each applicant will be notified in writing of his/her status based on the information submitted. It is the responsibility of the applicant to notify the staff of any changes that may occur to facilitate the leasing process. Your application will be withdrawn if you fail to respond to our update request within the specified deadline.

Applicants who are ready to be housed based on his/her placement on the waiting list, will be asked to visit our office and complete a formal application.

Completing the Application:

When giving your answers to the application questions, you must include the following information:

Income

  • All sources of money you and any member of your family receive (wages, welfare payments, alimony, social security, pension, etc.);
  • Any money you receive on behalf of children (child support, social security for children, etc.)
  • Income from assets (interest from a savings account, credit union, or certificate of deposit; dividends from stocks, etc.);
  • Earnings from a second job or part time job
  • Any anticipated income (such as a bonus or pay raise you expect to receive

Assets

  • All bank accounts, savings bonds certificates of deposit, stocks, real estate, etc., that are owned by you and any adult member of your family/household who will be living with you.
  • Any business or assets you sold in the last 2 years for less than its full value, such as your home to your children.

Family/Household Members

  • Birth Certificates and social security cards of all members who will be residing in the household
  • Name/address of present landlord and rent receipts for the past six (6) months.
  • Name/address and telephone number of three (3) relatives or friends to notify in case of emergency.

If the applicant does not meet the Tenant Selection Screening Criteria, he/she will be denied housing and notified in writing of such decision.

Once an applicant meets all criteria for admission, he/she will be notified of the community assignment, monthly rent, and the required amount of monies needed before admission to include the security deposit.

If any applicant chooses to reject the unit offer, the applicant's name will be removed to the bottom of the waiting list, or if non-responsive to the unit offer, the application will be withdrawn.

Signing the Application

  • Do not sign any form unless you have read it, understand it, and are sure everything is complete and accurate.
  • When you sign an application and certification form, you are claiming that they are complete to the best of your knowledge and belief. You are committing fraud if you sign any form knowing that it contains false or misleading information.
  • Information you give on your application will be verified by your housing agency. In addition, the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) may do computer matches of the income you report with various Federal, State or private agencies to verify if it is correct.

Specialized Housing

The Authority has modernized a considerable number of its housing stock, making the units accessible to the sight, hearing impaired and physically challenged tenants. Housing community offices, community recreation centers and our Central Office facility locations are also accessible to the disabled. Amenities include grab bars, wider doorways, ramps, lowered appliances, textured sidewalk strips for the sight impaired, doorbell lights for the hearing impaired and more.

Asking Questions

When you sit down with the person who fills out your formal application, you should know what is expected of you. If you do not understand something, say so. That person can answer your question or find out what the answer is.

Penalties for Committing Fraud

The United States Development of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) places a high priority on preventing fraud. If your application or recertification forms contains false or incomplete information, you may be:

  • Evicted from your apartment or house*Required to repay all overpaid rental assistance you received;
  • Fined up to $10,000;
  • Imprisoned for up to 5 years and/or
  • Prohibited from receiving full assistance

Your state and local government may have other laws and penalties as well. You should be aware of the following fraud schemes:

  • Do not pay any money to file an application
  • Do not pay any money to move up on the waiting list
  • Do not pay anything not covered by your lease
  • Get a receipt for any money you pay
  • Get a written explanation if you are required to pay any money other than rent

If you are aware of anyone who has falsified an application, or if anyone tries to persuade you to make false statements, report them to the Housing Manager of your community or contact the HUD Hotline at (202) 472-4200. You may also write to HUD Hotline, Room 8254, 451 Seventh Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20410.
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