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Call our Public Housing/ Section 8 Renters Rights Hotline 415-354-6353 TRANSFERING
UNITS
IN PUBLIC HOUSING If you are in public housing and want to transfer to another unit within San Francisco's public housing complexes (The Housing Authority currently has no Section 8 vouchers, and is only offering transfers from one development to another). You must follow a certain procedure step-by-step. In order to be eligible for a transfer, You must have lived in your development for at least 12 months, and be in “good standing”, whihc means no outstanding lease violations (except in emergencies). Step 1: Fill out an "Application for Transfer". This should be available from your property manager. You can also download a copy at the bottom of this page or ask a HRCSF counselor for a copy. Submit it to your property manager and make sure that they date stamp it and give you a copy. Keep a copy for your records. Be aware that because of the limited number of available units, standard transfer requests rarely result in offers of housing. The type of transfers that get addressed first are:
Transfers to Senior/Disabled
buildings: For those who are living in family housing but are
eligible to be in Senior/disabled housing
Reasonable Accomodation Transfers:
When your housing does not match the medical needs you have because of
your diagnosed disability.
Relocation transfers: The
SFHA needs to move you to do major repairs, demolish units or perform
rehab work.
Health and safety transfers:
when the SFHA determines that your unit is so unsafe that they need to
move you.
Over/underhoused transfers:
when your family size has changed so that your unit is overcrowded or
you have too few people living in a unit that is too large.
Priority Transfers: If you face immediate danger or have serious health problems that require you move quickly you can request a Priority Transfer. The types of reasons why priority transfers are granted include: • A life threatening medical problem (including disability needs that cannot be accommodated in the current unit). If you apply for this type of transfer, you must submit a "reasonable accomodation" packet first. • Domestic violence • Witness protection • Family member was a victim of a hate crime • Victim of violent crime To get a Priority Transfer, you must be able to provide evidence of "the immediate existence of a life threatening condition". This means you will need to make a good argument about why you need to move immediately and you must provide documentation to support it. In addition to your written statement explaining why you are in danger and need to move immediately, you need other documentation. Examples of documentation include: • Police Reports (Can be obtained at 850
Bryant or
if
you are working with the Victim Witness program, you may receive it
faster through them)
• Medical reports• Letters from medical professionals, therapists, social workers, etc. • Restraining orders • Letters from law enforcement The transfer application asks you to state where you are able/willing to go. If there are other SFHA buildings that are unsafe for the same reasons and so would be unacceptable to move to, you should state which ones and why as well. Step 2: Your application then goes that day from the Property Manager to the District Director and (within 48 hours) it is sent to the Transfer Coordinator, who must notify you of your status within 14 days. Follow up with the property office to make sure that they actually forward the transfer application to the District Manager. You should check with the property office a few days after submitting your application. If you have not heard within 14 business days, you should contact Amanda Vernon at 241-1081 or vernona@sfha.org, the Transfer Coordinator, to follow up. Step 3: • If you are denied a transfer, you have the right to appeal the decision. The letter you are sent from the SFHA should state your right to do this and how to file a grievance. You have 14 days from getting the denial to file an appeal. If your appeal is denied, you can request a Fair Hearing. See the Housing Right's Committee's brochure on the Housing Authority's Grievance process or talk to one of our counselors to find out more about how to do this. • If your transfer application is approved, you should receive a letter stating which waiting list you are placed on and what number you have been assigned. Step 3: When an actual unit is available, you will be notified of the offer in writing. You must accept this offer or provide "good cause" as to why it is unsuitable in writing. Rejecting an offer: You can only reject a unit for "good cause". If you do not accept a unti offer but you have not made a case for why it is unnaceptable, you will be dropped from the transfer waiting list. Be careful. There are only specific grounds that will be considered "good cause” by the SFHA. You must provide documentation showing that your reasons for rejecting the housing meet these specific grounds, such as letters from police officials, social service providers, community agencies, medical professionals, etc. " Good cause" includes : • The unit is the wrong size or type • Too far from job, school, or job training programs • Lead paint in the unit (if you have small children) • A family members life, health or safety will be in jeopardy if the unit is accepted • The unit offered does not meet the needs of a tenant with disabilities Step 4: If it is determined that you have rejected the unit without good cause, you will receive a letter stating so. You are still entitled to a grievance hearing to appeal the decision , if you believe that you were denied unfairly. If you are found not to have good cause, you cannot apply for another transfer for 12 months from the date of the transfer offer. If good cause is granted, you will be returned to the wait list. |
