When Resident Must Perform Community Service Activities or Self-Sufficiency Work Activities

24 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart F
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

24 C.F.R. § 960.600 Implementation.

PHAs and residents must comply with the requirements of this subpart beginning with PHA fiscal years that commence on or after October 1, 2000. Unless otherwise provided by § 903.11 of this chapter, Annual Plans submitted for those fiscal years are required to contain information regarding the PHA's compliance with the community service requirement, as described in § 903.7 of this chapter. Non-public housing over-income families are not required to comply with the requirements of this subpart.

24 C.F.R. § 960.601 Definitions.

(a) Definitions found elsewhere—(1) General definitions. The following terms are defined in part 5, subpart A of this title: public housing, public housing agency (PHA). (2) Definitions concerning income and rent. The following terms are defined in part 5, subpart F of this title: economic self-sufficiency program, work activities. (b) Other definitions. In addition to the definitions in paragraph (a) of this section, the following definitions apply: Community service. The performance of voluntary work or duties that are a public benefit, and that serve to improve the quality of life, enhance resident self-sufficiency, or increase resident self-responsibility in the community. Community service is not employment and may not include political activities. Exempt individual. An adult who: (1) Is 62 years or older; (2)(i) Is a blind or disabled individual, as defined under Section 216(i)(1) or Section 1614 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 416(i)(1); 1382c), and who certifies that because of this disability she or he is unable to comply with the service provisions of this subpart, or (ii) Is a primary caretaker of such individual; (3) Is engaged in work activities; (4) Meets the requirements for being exempted from having to engage in a work activity under the State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or under any other welfare program of the State in which the PHA is located, including a State-administered welfare-to-work program; (5) Is a member of a family receiving assistance, benefits or services under a State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or under any other welfare program of the State in which the PHA is located, including a State-administered welfare-to-work program, and has not been found by the State or other administering entity to be in noncompliance with such a program; or (6) is a member of a non-public housing over-income family. Service requirement. The obligation of each adult resident, other than an exempt individual, to perform community service or participate in an economic-self sufficiency program required in accordance with § 960.603.

24 C.F.R. § 960.603 General requirements.

(a) Service requirement. Except for any family member who is an exempt individual, each adult resident of public housing must: (1) Contribute 8 hours per month of community service (not including political activities); or (2) Participate in an economic self-sufficiency program for 8 hours per month; or (3) Perform 8 hours per month of combined activities as described in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section. (b) Family violation of service requirement. The lease shall specify that it shall be renewed automatically for all purposes, unless the family fails to comply with the service requirement. Violation of the service requirement is grounds for nonrenewal of the lease at the end of the twelve month lease term, but not for termination of tenancy during the course of the twelve month lease term (see § 966.4(l)(2)(i) of this chapter).

24 C.F.R. § 960.605 How PHA administers service requirements.

(a) PHA policy. Each PHA must develop a local policy for administration of the community service and economic self-sufficiency requirements for public housing residents. (b) Administration of qualifying community service or self-sufficiency activities for residents. The PHA may administer qualifying community service or economic self-sufficiency activities directly, or may make such activities available through a contractor, or through partnerships with qualified organizations, including resident organizations, and community agencies or institutions. (c) PHA responsibilities. (1) The PHA policy must describe how the PHA determines which family members are subject to or exempt from the service requirement, and the process for determining any changes to exempt or non-exempt status of family members. (2) The PHA must give the family a written description of the service requirement, and of the process for claiming status as an exempt person and for PHA verification of such status. The PHA must also notify the family of its determination identifying the family members who are subject to the service requirement, and the family members who are exempt persons. The PHA must also notify the family that it will be validating a sample of self-certifications of completion of the service requirement accepted by the PHA under § 960.607(a)(1)(ii). (3) The PHA must review family compliance with service requirements and must verify such compliance annually at least 30 days before the end of the 12-month lease term. If qualifying activities are administered by an organization other than the PHA, the PHA may obtain verification of family compliance from such third parties or may accept a signed certification from the family member that he or she has performed such qualifying activities. (4) The PHA must retain reasonable documentation of service requirement performance or exemption in a participant family's files. (5) The PHA must comply with non-discrimination and equal opportunity requirements listed at § 5.105(a) of this title and affirmatively further fair housing in all their activities in accordance with the AFFH Certification as described in § 903.7(o) of this chapter.

24 C.F.R. § 960.607 Assuring resident compliance.

(a) Acceptable documentation demonstrating compliance. (1) If qualifying activities are administered by an organization other than the PHA, a family member who is required to fulfill a service requirement must provide one of the following: (i) A signed certification to the PHA by such other organization that the family member has performed such qualifying activities; or (ii) A signed self-certification to the PHA by the family member that he or she has performed such qualifying activities. (2) The signed self-certification must include the following: (i) A statement that the tenant contributed at least 8 hours per month of community service not including political activities within the community in which the adult resides; or participated in an economic self-sufficiency program (as that term is defined in 24 CFR 5.603(b)) for at least 8 hours per month; (ii) The name, address, and a contact person at the community service provider; or the name, address, and contact person for the economic self-sufficiency program; (iii) The date(s) during which the tenant completed the community service activity, or participated in the economic self-sufficiency program; (iv) A description of the activity completed; and (v) A certification that the tenant's statement is true. (3) If a PHA accepts self-certifications under paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section, the PHA must validate a sample of such self-certifications using third-party certification described in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section. (b) PHA notice of noncompliance. (1) If the PHA determines that there is a family member who is required to fulfill a service requirement, but who has violated this family obligation (noncompliant resident), the PHA must notify the tenant of this determination. (2) The PHA notice to the tenant must: (i) Briefly describe the noncompliance; (ii) State that the PHA will not renew the lease at the end of the twelve month lease term unless: (A) The tenant, and any other noncompliant resident, enter into a written agreement with the PHA, in the form and manner required by the PHA, to cure such noncompliance, and in fact cure such noncompliance in accordance with such agreement; or (B) The family provides written assurance satisfactory to the PHA that the tenant or other noncompliant resident no longer resides in the unit. (iii) State that the tenant may request a grievance hearing on the PHA determination, in accordance with part 966, subpart B of this chapter, and that the tenant may exercise any available judicial remedy to seek timely redress for the PHA's nonrenewal of the lease because of such determination. (c) Tenant agreement to comply with service requirement. If the tenant or another family member has violated the service requirement, the PHA may not renew the lease upon expiration of the term unless: (1) The tenant, and any other noncompliant resident, enter into a written agreement with the PHA, in the form and manner required by the PHA, to cure such noncompliance by completing the additional hours of community service or economic self-sufficiency activity needed to make up the total number of hours required over the twelve-month term of the new lease, and (2) All other members of the family who are subject to the service requirement are currently complying with the service requirement or are no longer residing in the unit.

24 C.F.R. § 960.609 Prohibition against replacement of PHA employees.

In implementing the service requirement under this subpart, the PHA may not substitute community service or self-sufficiency activities performed by residents for work ordinarily performed by PHA employees, or replace a job at any location where residents perform activities to satisfy the service requirement.

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