NEWS DETAILS

August 2020, Volume 5, Issue 3

August 1, 2020

Message From the Executive Director/CEO

We trust that you and your household are doing well and keeping safe during this continued global health crisis.

In March of this year, when the coronavirus became a pandemic in the United States, the federal government issued a moratorium on evictions for nonpayment of rent. The moratorium has now expired and we will resume normal operations with regard to the payment of rent per your lease. The moratorium clearly stated that rent was still due during the time of the temporary suspension of eviction for nonpayment of rent. Therefore, if you deliberately did not pay rent during the moratorium period you are responsible for the accumulated unpaid rent, and if you do not remit all of the unpaid rent, you will be evicted in accordance with MHA’s evictions policy.

Now that the moratorium has expired, we take the opportunity to remind you of your obligation to fully comply with the terms and conditions of your lease, including the program rules and regulations. There are a number of reasons families can lose their rental assistance. Here is a partial list of reasons that can cause a family’s rental as-sistance to be terminated

• Vacating the unit without proper notice
• Allowing unauthorized persons to live in the unit or use it as a mailing address
• Noncompliance with the terms of the Housing Choice Voucher Family Obligations
• Failing to report all changes of income or provide the information required by the authority
• Involvement in drug-related or violent criminal activities.Serious or repeated lease violations
• Causing significant damage to the unit
• Entering into “side deals” with the owner or manager to pay more than the MHA-determined rent amount

The Authority has the right to evict residents from its property if they do not abide by the lease. Typical reasons for eviction are non-payment of rent, destruction of property, poor housekeeping habits, keeping unauthorized pets, fighting, displaying weapons, and allowing people who are not on your lease to live with you. It is important to note that eviction may cause you to lose your rental assistance, and poor rental history will make it difficult to obtain future housing.

I take the opportunity to again remind you of my open-door policy. My door is always open, and I appreciate your thoughts and opinions on issues that matter most to you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at 309-277-0283 or email me at jfa@molinehousing.com or stop by at any time to see me.

However, if your concerns are particular to your tenancy, please first discuss the issue with the respective department and/or manager. If, after that, you are still not satisfied, then by all means come see me. I also take the opportunity to remind you that the Moline Housing Authority is an equal opportunity housing provider and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexuality, creed, age, color, or religion.

Thank you for your support and cooperation, and thank you for choosing the Moline Housing Authority as your housing provider. We are here to serve and provide housing and opportunities. Take care, be well and keep safe.

Tips from Housing—COVID-19 and Your Rent

Action to further reduce the rent: Many of our residents and Section 8 participants successfully obtained a significant rent reduction because of COVID, as was their right. How do we explain those residents who did not lose a job or request a rent reduction but still did not pay? Even though rent was due and owing every month, a temporary federal and state suspension of evictions allowed them to stay without paying. Those eviction protections have expired — we cannot allow residents to take advantage of, and abuse safeguards put in place by our government to maintain affordable housing in times of crisis.

Consequently, MHA is only days away from sending out eviction notices for those behind on their rent. All is not lost, however. While it is very, very late in the process, we hope anyone who has an unpayable rent balance with MHA will reach out to us immediately, BEFORE ending up in eviction court. We will do what we can to assist you with local rent assistance opportunities. After all, we are in the business of housing, not evicting.

We want to help.

We have all been suffering in some way from the impact of COVID-19. Paying your rent should not have been one of your problems. When it comes to renting, MHA and its affordable housing programs afford a number of advantages that other renters who have private landlords can only dream of. Those at MHA who lost income because of COVID-19, or for any other reason, were able to get their rent reduced through MHA’s “interim rent adjustment” process. In addition, public housing residents who could not afford the minimum $50 rent could request a “hardship exemption.”

Maintenance Corner – Cameras, Litter, and Tubs Cameras

The installation of new digital cameras at Spring Brook, Spring Valley, and Hillside Heights was completed in late August. They have proved invaluable in a number of incidents involving misbehavior and lease violations on our grounds. The Moline Police Department also has access to camera footage and has relied on it to prosecute crimes. We are committed to securing the safety of our residents and will continue to use the cameras as an investigatory tool to ensure objectivity and fairness in all matters involving our residents and property.

Litter

The MHA maintenance crew starts each morning with a walk around the grounds to pick up litter. The time spent doing so takes away from other important maintenance tasks. It is shameful to see how residents and their children treat their neighborhood: discarded bottles, cans, face masks, clothes, food wrappers, animal waste, papers, boxes, bags, balls, and toys are seemingly tossed about or left for someone else to worry about. It is your privilege to live here, not your right. Residents are responsible for their children and guests. If it is too difficult to pick up after yourself, we will assist you in relocating.

Please be neighborly and responsible by taking pride in where you live.

Tubs and Water Damage

Maintenance has observed that a number of residents use their bathtubs to wash clothes. This is not allowed for a number of reasons.

First, the harsh detergents and additives used for the wash eat into the protective enamel that coats the tubs, leading to costly and time-consuming repairs and recoating.

Second, the washing activities cause water to splash outside the tub and onto the bathroom floor. This in turn leads to deterioration of the floor and leaking onto lower levels.

Lastly, the constant moisture in the air from washing, wet floors, and wet items contributes to mildew and mold that can permeate throughout the apartment.

Next time you complain about the tub or rotting bathroom floor, remember that all tenants received an “as new” apartment when they moved in. Normal wear and tear are expected, and accidents happen, but the damage caused by washing in the tub is recognizable by maintenance staff and will become the full responsibility of the tenant.

Important Dates