WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUBLIC HOUSING AND SECTION 8?
DOES THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OFFER EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE?
CONVENTIONAL PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAM
BOCA NATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT CHECK LIST
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUBLIC HOUSING AND SECTION 8?
This Housing Authority (PHA) administers 2 (two) programs. The Housing Developments owned, managed and maintained by the PHA are referred to as Conventional Housing, or Low Rent Public Housing. There are 509 Conventional units in the City of Pottsville, ranging in size from 0 bedrooms to 5 bedrooms. The established rent is approximately 30% of resident’s adjusted income.
The Section 8 Housing Voucher Program is a rental subsidy program administered by this agency. Qualified families in this program are selected from the waiting list, certified, briefed on the requirements of the program and allowed to locate their own decent safe and sanitary housing. Rents are controlled by Fair Market Rents as established by HUD. The tenant’s portion of the rent payable to the owner is based on 30% of the family’s adjusted gross income. The Housing Authority subsidizes the difference between the tenant’s portion and the actual rent. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex or handicap. Click here to learn more about the Section 8 Housing Voucher Program.
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DOES THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OFFER EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE?
The Housing Authority does not provide any emergency assistance. Assistance is provided based on the date and time that we receive your application.
CONVENTIONAL PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAM
The Public Housing program is a federal program that provides decent and safe rental housing assistance for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
Public housing units are owned and managed by Pottsville Housing Authority. All of the units are grouped in a single community (such as the multi-family developments, high-rise apartment buildings, or mid-rise buildings).
Public Housing residents pay no more than 30% of their adjusted gross income for rent and basic utilities. PHA manages approximately 509 rental housing units in Pottsville. PHA selects its residents after they have completed the application process, have come to the top of the waiting list (after preferences, if any are applied), and satisfied various eligibility criteria. These criteria include: income eligibility, housekeeping, rental history, criminal history, and financial responsibility.
The Pottsville Housing Authority has elected to apply the following local preferences:
• Involuntarily Displaced by Government Action (24 CFR 5.420)
• Involuntarily Displaced by Fire or Natural Disaster
• City Working Family • In Job Training or Education Family
• City Residency
• Elderly/Disabled
• Displacement by Domestic Violence to Avoid Reprisals or by Hate Crimes.
___ SIDEWALKS, STAIRS ARE KEPT IN A PROPER STATE OF REPAIR, AND MAINTAINED FREE FROM HAZARDOUS CONDITION.
___ IN GOOD REPAIR, STRUCTURALLY SOUND, AND DOES NOT POSE A THREAT TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, OR WELFARE.
___ STREET NUMBERS (ADDRESS) MUST BE DISPLAYED (PM-304.3)
___ DECKS, PORCHES, AND BALCONIES SHALL BE MAINTAINED STRUCTURALLY SOUND, IN GOOD REPAIR AND CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING IMPOSED LOADS.
___ HANDRAILS AND GUARDS INSTALLED WHERE REQUIRED CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING NORMALLY IMPOSED LOADS, AND MAINTAINED IN GOOD CONDITION. EVERY EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR FLIGHT OF STEPS HAVING MORE THAN 4 RISERS, AND EVERY WALKING SURFACE MORE THAN 30” ABOVE THE FLOOR OR GRADE, SHALL HAVE GUARDS. HANDRAILS AND GUARDS SHALL BE NOT LESS THAN 30” ABOVE FINISH FLOOR LANDING OR WALKING SURFACE.
___ WINDOWS AND DOORS MUST BE IN SOUND CONDITION, GOOD REPAIR, AND WEATHERTIGHT. EXTERIOR DOORS MUST BE LOCKABLE.
___ INSECT SCREENS MUST BE PROVIDED FOR EVERY WINDOW. WINDOWS MUST BE EASILY OPENABLE AND CAPABLE OF BEING HELD IN POSITION BY WINDOW HARDWARE.
___ INTERIOR STRUCTURE SHALL BE MAINTAINED IN GOOD REPAIR, STRUCTURALLY SOUND, AND ALL SURFACES MUST BE CAPABLE OF BEING KEPT IN A SANITARY CONDITION.
___ INFESTATION – ALL STRUCTURES SHALL BE KEPT FREE FROM INSECT AND RAT INFESTATION.
___ ALL STRUCTURES MUST MEET LIGHT, VENTILATION, AND OCCUPANCY LIMITATION.
___ ALL STRUCTURES MUST MEET MINIMUM MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS.
___ HEATING FACILITIES SHALL BE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN PRESCRIBED TEMPERATURES FROM OCT 15 TO MAY 15.
___ MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT, SOLID FUEL BURNING APPLICANCES SHALL BE PROPERLY INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED IN A SAFE WORKING ORDER, AND MAINTAINED FROM LEAKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS.
___ ELECTRICAL FACILITIES – MAIN SERVICE MUST BE MINIMUM 60 AMPS 3 WIRE
___ ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT, WIRING, AND APPLIANCES SHALL BE INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED IN A SAFE AND APPROVED MANNER.
___ RECEPTACLES: EVERY HABITABLE SPACE SHALL CONTAIN AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE RECEPTACLES. EVERY LAUNDRY AREA SHALL CONTAIN AT LEAST ONE GROUNDED TYPE RECEPTACLE. EVERY BATHROOM SHALL CONTAIN AT LEAST ONE GROUND FAULT RECEPTACLE. GROUND FAULT RECEPTACLES ARE ALSO REQUIRED WITHIN 6 FEET OF COUNTERTOP SINK AREA. (HABITABLE SPACE: SPACE IN A STRUCTURE FOR LIVING, SLEEPING, EATING, OR COOKING. BATHROOMS, TOILET ROOMS, CLOSETS, HALLS, STORAGE OR UTILITY AREAS, AND SIMILAR AREAS ARE NOT CONSIDERED HABITABLE SPACES.)
___ NUMBER OF EXITS – RESIDENTIAL – EVERY STORY EXCEEDING TWO [3RD AND ABOVE] SHALL HAVE TWO INDEPENDENT EXITS W/EXCEPTIONS.
__ COMMON HALLS AND STAIRWAYS SHALL BE LIGHTED AT ALL TIMES WITH AT LEAST A 60 WATT STANDARD INCANDESCENT LIGHT BULB OR EQUIVILENT.
___ EVERY BATHROOM AND TOILET ROOM SHALL COMPLY WITH VENTILATION REQUIREMENTS OR HAVE A WINDOW.
___ AREA FOR SLEEPING PURPOSES: THE SMALLEST ALLOWABLE SPACE FOR ONE PERSON IS 70 SQUARE FEET. IF A SLEEPING AREA IS INTENDED TO ACCOMMODATE MORE THAN ONE PERSON, THEN THE ROOM MUST HAVE AT LEAST 50 SQUARE FEET PER PERSON.
___ MINIMUM CEILING HEIGHTS - NOT LESS THAN 7 FEET, W/EXCEPTIONS FOR BEAMS ETC. IN BASEMENTS AND SLOPED CEILINGS IN SLEEPING AREAS.
___ MINIMUM ROOM WIDTHS NOT LESS THAN 7 FEET W/EXCEPTIONS, 3 FEET CLEAR PASSAGEWAY IN KITCHEN BETWEEN COUNTERTOPS AND APPLIANCES OR COUNTERTIPS AND WALLS.
___ MINIMUM PLUMBING FACILITIES REQUIRED; BATHTUB OR SHOWER, LAVATORY , WATER CLOSET, AND KITCHEN SINK.
___ DOMESTIC WATER HEATING FACILITIES SHALL BE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING HOT WATER TO ALL FIXTURES AT NOT LESS THAN 110 DEGREES FARENHEIT.
___ SMOKE DETECTORS SHALL BE REQUIRED AND INSTALLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BUILDING CODE, AND MULTI-UNITS OF 3 OR MORE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PA FIRE AND PANIC ACT.
___ FIRE EXTINGUISHERS SHALL BE VISABLE, PROVIDED WITH READY ACCESS, AND MAINTAINED IN OPERATING CONDITION. EXTINGUISHERS SHALL BE OF AN APPROVED TYPE.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A CONDENSED CHECKLIST AND IS NOT INTENDED
TO INCLUDE ALL REQUIREMENTS OF ANY BOCA CODES. NEW
CONSTRUCTION OR ALTERATIONS MUST MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF
BOCA BUILDING, PLUMBING, MECHANICAL, NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODES,
ETC. AND PA FIRE AND PANIC ACT REGULATIONS MAY ALSO BE
APPLICABLE.
The following standards will govern the number of bedrooms required to accommodate a family of a given size and composition. Exceptions to these standards may be made in cases of extreme emergency, of a temporary nature, at the discretion of the Executive Director or his designee.
No. of Bedrooms |
No. of |
Persons |
|---|---|---|
Minimum |
Maximum |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
5 |
5 |
10 |
6 |
6 |
12 |
