Fraud
Housing fraud is any action, or failure to act, that allows a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program participant or landlord to receive benefits for which they don’t qualify. The PHA will have a department that will initiate an investigation of a participating family in the event of one or more of the following circumstances:
Referrals, Complaints, or Tips
The department will take action on referrals from other agencies, companies or persons which are received by mail, by telephone, or in person, which allege that a family is in non-compliance with, or violating the family obligations or any other program rules. Follow up may be made if the referral contains at least one item of information that is independently verifiable. A copy of the allegation will be retained in the family’s file.
Internal File Review
If department staff discover, through a certification, recertification, an interim recertification, or a quality control review, that there are facts in conflict with previous file data, the department will take into consideration the following:
In the case of owner-caused errors or program abuse, the department will take into consideration the following:
The department will inform the relevant party in writing of its findings and upon conclusion of the investigation. The notice will include:
Allegations of Possible Abuse and Fraud
Participating families will also be encouraged to report suspected abuse to the HCV Program. The PHA will take one of the following actions on allegations that appear to be verifiable:
If it is determined that an allegation or referral warrants action, the department will initiate an investigation. The department is required to secure a written authorization from the program participant for the release of information. If the participant does not sign the release, the family’s assistance can be terminated.