Tenant Rights & Responsibilities

General

Federal laws require public housing authorities to treat all applicants and resident families equally, providing the same quality of service, regardless of family characteristics and background. Federal law prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, familial status, and disability. NHA will comply fully with all federal, state, and local nondiscrimination laws and with rules and regulations governing fair housing and equal opportunity in housing and employment.

Nondiscrimination

NHA shall not discriminate because of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, familial status, or disability in the leasing, rental, occupancy, use, or other disposition of housing or related facilities, including land that is part of a development under NHA's jurisdiction covered by a Public Housing Annual Contributions contract with HUD.

NHA shall not deny admission to otherwise qualified applicants because of their membership in some group to which negative behavior may be imputed. Instead, the resident selection criteria to be established and information to be considered shall be reasonably related to individual attributes and behavior of an applicant.

NHA shall not permit these policies to be subverted to do personal or political favors. Further, NHA will offer units only in the order prescribed by this policy since any other method violates the policy, federal law, and the civil rights of the other families on the waiting list. NHA's method for selecting applicants will provide a clear audit trail that can be used to verify that each applicant has been selected in accordance with the method specified in the NHA's Admissions & Continued Occupancy Policy plan.

Discrimination Complaints

Applicants should advise NHA if they believe that any family member has been discriminated against by the Authority. NHA will make every reasonable attempt to determine whether the applicant or resident family assertions have merit and take any warranted corrective action.

NHA will provide a copy of a discrimination complaint form to the complainant and provide them with information on how to complete and submit the form to HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO).