Agenda - 04-20-2004-9b - Laserfiche WebLink

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Additionally, local advocates have asked that "any applicants who were dropped from the list, whose failure to respond to PHA requests for information or updates were due to his/her disability be reinstated in the order they were originally wait-listed". This would be a huge administrative task given the number of persons that have been selected from the list during the life of this program -approximately 20 years. As an alternative, staff recommends that any previous program applicant that wants the agency to review their withdrawal from the list due to the failure to respond submit a request to the agency as a reasonable accommodation due to a disability. Additionally, staff recommends a proactive approach that will reduce the likelihocd of this occurrence as discussed in Comment #4 that will address the needs of the disabled population at the time the agency resumes accepting applications. Comment #4: Lack of local agency policies for the disabled population Staff Response: In response to concerns regarding local policies to accommodate persons with disabilities, county staff has reviewed the current Administrative Plan to identify current policies regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations for the disabled population. These provisions are articulated throughout the existing Plan that support the general Reasonable Accommodations Policy included in the Administrative Plan's Statement of Policy that follows.. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS POLICY [24 CFR 100.202] It is the policy of this PHA (Public Housing Agency) to be service-directed in the administration of our housing programs, and to exercise and demonstrate a high level of professionalism while providing housing services to families. A participant with a disability must first ask for a specific change to a policy or practice as an accommodation of his or her disability before the PHA will treat a person differently than anyone else. The PHA's policies and practices will be designed to provide assurances that persons with disabilities will be given reasonable accommodations, upon request, so that they may fully access and utilize the housing program and related services, The availability of requesting an accommodation will be made known by including notices on PHA forms and letters. This policy is intended to afford persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same level of achievement as those who do not have disabilities and is applicable to all situations described in this Administrative Plan including when a family initiates contact with the PHA, when the PHA initiates contact with a family including when a family applies, and when the PHA schedules or reschedules appointments of any kind. If the PHA finds that the requested accommodation creates an undue administrative or financial burden, the PHA will deny the request and/or present an alternate accommodation that will still meet the need of the person. An undue administrative burden is one that requires a fundamental alteration of the essential functions of the PHA (i.e , waiving a family obligation). An undue financial burden is one that when considering the available resources of the agency as a whole, the requested accommodation would pose a severe financial hardship on the PHA..