Can I select a housing development site or a particular rental unit in which to reside?

The Housing Authority of Joliet does not maintain housing development specific waiting lists. Applicants who desire to reside within a specific housing development may elect to reject a total of three (3) housing assistance offers from the Housing Authority before they are removed from the Public Housing Program’s waiting list.

Once removed from a waiting list, applicants must reapply for housing assistance once again when the appropriate bedroom size waiting list reopens to the general public. Applicants who have a greater need for housing assistance may elect to accept the next available rental unit based on their personal circumstances.

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What is the duration of lease agreement?

The lease agreement term is considered to be month to month. The lease agreement automatically renews each month when a resident household pays rent on time.

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How do I terminate my household’s lease agreement?

For a household to terminate the lease agreement, the head of household must provide the Property Manager with “proper notice.”  Proper notice is considered as providing the Housing Authority with 30 calendar day advance notice of the household’s intent to vacate and executing an Intent to Vacate Notice with the Property Manager.  The Intent to Vacate Notice lists the (1) date the household will vacate the rental unit, (2) requirement to return rental unit, mailbox, and secured entry system keys; and (3) the date the Housing Authority can enter the rental unit to dispose of any non-removed/discarded household items, including furniture, appliances, clothing, and other personal belongings within the rental unit. If a household fails to provide advance notice, the household will be billed for one month’s rent and forfeit their security deposit.

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How is my household’s monthly rent calculated?

In general, Public Housing Program households pay 30 percent of their entire household’s monthly-adjusted income toward rent and utilities.

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Do rental units come furnished? What are the rental unit’s amenities?

All rental units are leased in an unfurnished condition.

In general occupancy (family) housing developments, the Housing Authority supplies each rental unit with a stove and a refrigerator and access to a master antenna system that will provide household’s with basic channel reception. i.e. channels 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11.  Cable television and telephone connections are provided within each rental unit however service connection and payment must be made with the appropriate service provider.  No dish or satellite equipment may be connected to any part of a Housing Authority of Joliet structure (a building’s roof, deck, storage shed, siding/bricks/stones, posts, etc.).  Improper installation will result in the Housing Authority of Joliet charging the resident household for service provider equipment dismantling and any damages to the existing structure.

In mixed population (elderly and individual with disabilities) housing developments, the Housing Authority supplies each rental unit with a stove, refrigerator, air conditioning unit, and access to a master antenna system that will provide household’s with basic channel reception. i.e. channels 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11.  Cable television and telephone connections are provided within each rental unit however service connection and payment must be made with the appropriate service provider.  No dish or satellite equipment may be connected to any part of a Housing Authority of Joliet structure (a building’s roof, deck, storage shed, siding/bricks/stones, posts, etc.).  Improper installation will result in the Housing Authority of Joliet charging the resident household for service provider equipment dismantling and any damages to the existing structure.  Central laundry facilities are also located within each housing development.

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What are the security and pet deposits?

Public Housing Program applicants must pay a security deposit to the Housing Authority of Joliet prior to admission into the program. The Housing Authority holds the security deposit during the period a household occupies a rental unit. Households cannot a security deposit to pay for rent or any other charges while they occupy a rental unit.

Existing households who elect to transfer to a new rental unit must pay the appropriate security deposit for the new rental unit prior to transferring to the new rental unit. Transferring households will be billed at the new rental unit for any maintenance repairs due to damage or other charges associated with their vacated rental unit.

The amount of a rental unit’s security and/or pet deposit is specified within the Housing Authority of Joliet’s Admission and Continued Occupancy Policy and within the rental agreement.

Rental Unit by Bedroom Size Security Deposit Pet Deposit
0 Bedroom $50.00 $300
1 Bedroom $50.00 $300
2 Bedroom $50.00 $300
3 Bedroom $50.00 $300
4 Bedroom $50.00 $300
5 Bedroom $50.00 $300

When a household vacates a Public Housing Program rental unit, the rental unit must be in a clean and undamaged condition.  The household must furnish the Property Manager with a forwarding mailing address. All keys to the rental unit must be returned to the Property Manager prior to the Housing Authority returning a security deposit.

Within 30 calendar days of vacating a rental unit, the Housing Authority will initiate a refund to the former household of the amount of the security and/or pet deposit less any amount needed to pay the cost of unpaid rent; unit damages that exceed normal wear and tear; and/or charges billable under the lease agreement.

If a household elects to remove a pet from the premises and continue in occupancy with the Housing Authority, the pet deposit will be refunded, less any damage caused by the pet to the rental unit.  The deposit amount will be sent to the household within 30 calendar days of the resident providing the Property Manager with written verification of pet removal.  

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What are the rules governing pet ownership?

Public Housing Program households are allowed to own common household pets. All pets must be registered with the Housing Authority of Joliet‘s Property Manager and approved of, in writing, prior to a household bringing the pet onto the premises. The Housing Authority’s pet rules are not applied to animals that assist persons with disabilities. To be excluded from the pet policy, a resident/pet owner must certify:

  1. That there is a person with disabilities in the household;
  2. That the animal has been trained to assist with the specified disability, and
  3. That the animal actually assists the person with disabilities.

A common household pet is considered to be a domesticated animal, limited to a dog, cat, bird, fish or turtle that is traditionally kept in a household for pleasure rather than for profit-making or commercial uses. A common household pet does not include reptiles (e.g. snakes, lizards, iguanas, crocodiles, alligators, and chameleons), rodents (e.g. ferrets, gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, and squirrels), arachnids (e.g. spiders, scorpions), ant/termite/flea/insect farms, or any other wild, non-domesticated and/or poisonous animal.

Pets are subject to quantity, size limits and other regulations. Households may elect to own one pet; either one dog, one cat, or two birds, and fish or turtles that can be contained within one 10-gallon fish tank. Households that elect to own a dog or a cat as a household pet are required to pay a $300.00 refundable Pet Deposit. This deposit must be paid in full to the Housing Authority prior to a pet being brought onto the premises. The Pet Deposit is in addition to any other security deposit required of the tenant household.

Although visiting pets might be classified as a common household pet, a visiting pet is one that is not owned by a current Public Housing Program household.  Visiting pets, temporary or not, are prohibited on Housing Authority property and will subject a household to termination of tenancy.

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Can I transfer my Public Housing assistance to receive a Housing Choice Voucher?

No.  There is a separate application process that is required in order to obtain housing assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Transferring of Public Housing Program assistance to the Housing Choice Voucher Program is not allowed.

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What information will I need to bring to my initial interview for housing and for each annual re-certification?

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires the Housing Authority of Joliet to initially and annually examine each assisted household’s income, claimed deductions and family composition. This process, often referred to as either an “initial certification” or an “annual recertification,” is conducted to determine a household’s monthly rent amount. Items that a household will need to bring to an initial or annual recertification appointment include, but are not limited to:

Information Regarding Household Income and Assets

1. Employment Income

For every member of the household who works, you must provide the following information:

  • Name, mailing address, telephone number and fax number of the employer;
  • Current rate of regular pay and overtime pay per hour, including the number of regular rate and overtime rate hours per week that are normally worked;
  • Three (3) months of current paycheck stubs;
  • Information regarding any changes that are expected in pay or the number of regular and/or overtime hours that will be worked during the next twelve month period;
  • Other types of income you expect to receive from employment, such as tips, commissions, profit-sharing programs, etc.; and
  • Copies of prior year filed Federal AND State income tax returns with copies of all attachments that were mailed to the IRS or State Revenue Collection Agency.

2. Benefit and Support Income

For every member of the household who receives any of the following types of income, provide a current print out of the amount received and the name, mailing address, telephone number and fax number of the income source.

  • Alimony
  • Child Support
  • Disability Income
  • Public Assistance and/or Welfare Benefits
  • Pension(s)
  • Regular Cash Support from Family or Friends
  • Self-Employment Information
  • Social Security
  • Social Security Disability (SSD)
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
  • Unemployment Compensation
  • Veteran’s Benefits

3. Amounts in Savings Accounts

For every member of the household who maintains or who has maintained for them any of the following types of savings accounts, provide a current print out of the amount in the account and the name, mailing address, telephone number and fax number of the income source.  DO NOT bring a partial print out of the information to the interview, bring all printout pages.

  • Certificates of Deposit
  • Checking Accounts
  • Christmas Clubs
  • Individual Retirement Accounts
  • Keogh Accounts
  • Savings Accounts

4. Owned Real Estate

For every member of the household who owns a property, provide information from a verifiable real estate professional which identifies the current market value of the property. If any member of the household should own and rent out property, provide the address of the rental property and information regarding how much income is received and what expenses there are to maintain the property. You must provide last year’s filed Federal income tax form and Schedule E, along with copies of all attachments that were mailed to the IRS.

5. Stocks, Bonds, Trusts, Other Investments

For every member of the household who maintains investments, provide a current printout of the amount in the account along with the name, mailing address, telephone number and fax number of the investment firm, account numbers, and current investment value. DO NOT bring a partial print out of the information to the interview, bring all print out pages.

6. Life Insurance Policies

For every member of the household who maintains life insurance policies, provide information regarding the policies, policy account numbers, and the name, mailing address, telephone number and fax number of the insurance company.

7. Other Income Sources

For every member of the household who has any other type of income source, you must identify the income source, provide a current print out of the amount received, the address, and telephone number and fax number of the income source.

8. Disposal of Assets

If you have sold or given away any assets in the past two year period, such as disposing of property or any amount of money to another family member or friend, please bring in information about that asset’s disposal.

Information Regarding Household Assets

All Housing Authority of Joliet housing assistance programs takes into consideration total household assets when calculating a household’s annual income amount. The actual value of the assets held by a household is not included in the calculation of annual income, but the income that is earned from the assets held by a household is included in annual income. For example, if a household has money set aside in a savings account, that money will not be added into a household’s annual income. The interest that is earned from the money in the savings account is what is considered part of a household’s annual income.

Household Expenses

Provide documentation regarding any of the following expenses the household may expect to have during the next twelve-month period:

  • Medical Expenses Not Covered By Insurance (Only applies to Elderly and Disabled Families).
  • Medical Insurance Premiums (Only Applies to Elderly and Disabled Families) - Provide documentation of amounts deducted from your pay for medical insurance premiums.
  • Childcare Expenses – Provide documentation for childcare expenses incurred as a result of you working, seeking employment, or attending school.  Identify the child who is receiving childcare.
  • Disability Assistance Expenses – Provide documentation regarding expenses to care for a family member with disabilities, which enables you or another household member to work.

Information Regarding Family Members

  • Birth Certificates and Social Security Cards – All household members must produce a valid birth certificate and a government issued social security card.  Original documents are required; copies will not be accepted.
  • Children – Bring in all birth certificates, custody agreements, adoption papers, or other legal documents that prove children are legal members of your household.
  • Full-Time Students – If any family member is 18 years of age or older and is still attending school on a full-time basis (at least 12 credit hours), bring in information about where the individual attends school.
  • Disability Income – If any family member is a person with disabilities, bring in information regarding any income the member receives due to his/her disabilities.
  • Displacement – (Program Applicants Only) If you indicated on the household’s pre-application form that your household has experienced involuntary displacement due to a natural disaster (flood, tornado, earthquake, etc.), Federal/State/Local government action, housing/home owner action (cannot be an eviction action due to lease violations or non-payment of rent), domestic violence, and/or hate crimes, bring in information that supports the displacement claim. Be advised that this preference may have time imposed limitations regarding the status claim.
  • Working Head of Household and/or Spouse – (Program Applicants Only) If you indicated on your household’s pre-application form that the Head of Household and/or Spouse of the household is working, bring in verification of employment from your current employer.
  • Community Service Hour Verifications - (Current Program Participants Only) If an adult member of the household must perform community service during the term of the lease, at the household's annual recertification appointment, provide written documentation that verifies the member's contribution of 8 hours of community service per month for each month the member was to comply with the requirement.

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How do I update my information while on the public housing program waiting list?

Once a household is listed on the Public Housing Program waiting list, it is extremely important for the household to provide updates to the filed pre-application form so that the household’s information is current and correct. Information that is contained on a pre-application form ultimately determines the household’s overall position on the appropriate bedroom sized waiting list.

It is the household’s personal responsibility to provide updates on a regular basis. If there are changes to any of the following areas, a household should complete and submit a Public Housing Program Update Form. The areas that may need updating include, but are not limited to:

  1. A change in mailing address;
  2. A change in contact information, i.e. mailing address or land line or cell phone number;
  3. A change in household composition;
  4. A change in a need for a reasonable accommodation;
  5. A change in a household income source; and/or
  6. A change in a household claimed admission preference.

By electing not to submit a Public Housing Program Update Form, it may result in a delay in receiving an offer of housing assistance, removal of the household from the waiting list, or termination of housing assistance if the household obtained housing assistance by providing false information to the Housing Authority of Joliet at the time of leasing.

Download the Public Housing Program Update Form.

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How do I check my position on the public housing program waiting list?

Applicants with a touchtone telephone may check on the status of their current waiting list position 24 hours a day by accessing the Housing Authority of Joliet’s automated waiting list system. The automated waiting list telephone number is (815) 727-2969.

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