Comment on Proposed Changes to Public Housing Lease
By Brandee Perez
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The Opportunity Home San Antonio (Opportunity Home) is seeking comments from the community on proposed changes to the Public Housing Lease through Wednesday, Feb. 5. The proposed changes will become effective March 1, 2020, and we want to hear from you.
PROPOSED CHANGES
Overall, the proposed changes focus on reducing late fees on rent and limiting other types of fees Public Housing residents can be charged. Proposed changes include:
Reducing Late Fees
Please note that no resident will be negatively affected by late fee changes.
- Fee will be lowered from $30 to 10% of a tenant’s rent
- The minimum fee is $1, and the maximum fee will be $30
- Fee amounts will be rounded to nearest dollar
The second $20 late fee will be removed.
Reducing Unauthorized Pet Fees
Registering pets will be easier and residents can avoid costly fees.
- A 24-hour written notice will be given to residents before charges are made
- The total amount caps at $200 total per household ($10/day)
- Fee charges may be applied to the deposit made if pet registration is approved
Fee Schedule
Fees will be limited to ensure residents are not charged unreasonably or unfairly for maintenance issues.
- Fee caps
- Pet waste removal will be $10 per incident, and capped at a maximum of $50 per month
- Unauthorized parking will be $25 per incident and capped at a maximum of $50 per month
- Trash pick-up will be $10 per incident and capped at a maximum of $50 per month
- “Cleaning vacant unit” charge changed to “Removing trash from vacant unit”
- Clarifies that this fee is different from a third-party cleaning fee and only one fee may be charged to a former resident
- Added
- Faxes to copy charges: 10 cents per page
- Pool / Trampoline removal: $25 per item after 24-hour warning
- Carbon monoxide / smoke detectors: $100 for “any incident” after first violation
- Matches fees for both types of detectors and considers repeated violations
- Note the high charge for this violation is due to the life-threatening nature of lack of carbon monoxide and smoke detectors
For further details of the proposed changes*, please click here.
*Exact wording is subject to change.
HOW CAN I COMMENT?
Residents and the public have two (2) ways to submit comments:
- Complete the online form here.
- Request a Lease Comments Sheet from your property office and submit either:
- By mail to the Opportunity Home Central Office (ATTN: Unified Application Center) at 818 S. Flores St., San Antonio, TX 78204, or
- In person to the property office.
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Brandee Perez is the Director of Federal Housing Programs who leads one of the agency’s largest departments administering all affordable housing programs, including Public Housing, Assisted Housing Choice Voucher, Moderate Rehabilitation and other special programs.