INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING
Welcome to the Housing Authority of the County of Lebanon (HACL) and its managed housing programs. HACL owns and manages a wide range of housing developments for families, senior citizens, and people with disabilities throughout Lebanon County. Specifically, HACL operates the Public Housing Program and the Section 202 Housing Program.
The information on this page applies to you if you live in any of the following developments: Webster Manor, Washington Arms, Stevens Towers, Gloninger Meadows, Cedar Court, Lafayette Street, Steckbeck Street, Meily Street, Federal Street, South 11th Street, East Cherry Street or Weidman Street.
Please note that if you participate in HACL’s Section 8 program, the information on this page does not apply to you. If you are a Section 8 participant, please click here to visit the Section 8 Housing page.
While the specific rules and regulations for each managed housing program are somewhat different, we believe the information presented below will give you a general understanding of how our managed housing programs work and point out your rights and responsibilities as a participating family. We recommend that you consult your lease for specific details. Do not hesitate to ask our management personnel whenever you have any questions.
What you may expect from the Housing Authority
- To sign a lease with you which sets forth what you and the Housing Authority agree to do while you are a resident
- To supply you with utilities as specified in the lease
- To review and verify your income and family size annually
- To make repairs and improvements when required
- To cooperate with other agencies which offer health, recreational, educational, or other beneficial services to the residents
- To counsel residents on solving unique problems.
What the Housing Authority expects from you
- To accept the requirements and responsibilities of the lease
- Do not assume the answers to any questions. Contact your management office if you do not understand your lease or conditions of occupancy
- To pay rent on or before the FIRST of each month
- To respect your neighbors’ right to live in peace. Exercise a little effort to control loud radios or TVs, overtime parties, shouting, slamming of doors, and unsupervised children. Please remember that its residents create a neighborhood environment. The ordinary rules of conduct that govern the average citizen are applicable. Your consideration for your neighbors’ rights and cooperation with the Housing Authority will result in a pleasant relationship for everyone
- To keep your home and immediate surroundings neat and clean. Mow your lawn regularly, and remove snow or ice from sidewalks when necessary
- To report accidents, emergencies, and property damage immediately. To use the dwelling equipment carefully and to be careful in the consumption of all utilities
- To report immediately any change in family income or size
- To assume full responsibility for your children. Don’t forget that you will be required to pay for any damage caused by you, your children, or your guests
- To NEVER allow unauthorized boarders, lodgers, or long-term guests to stay in your dwelling
- To provide the required 30-day written notice before you move and to take all of your belongings with you when you leave. Remember, you must provide the Authority with a forwarding address so that your Security Deposit can be returned to you
The Lease
The lease is a formal and legally binding agreement between you, as the tenant, and the Housing Authority, as the landlord. It is important that you read and understand the lease. If you have a question regarding any of the lease provisions, please contact our management representatives. They will obtain an answer for you.
Security Deposit
In addition to your initial rental payment, a security deposit is required when you sign your lease. The security deposit will be returned to you, with interest, within 30 days after you move, provided:
- You do not owe any rent or other costs to the Authority
- You have paid for all damages for which you are responsible
- You have cleaned your dwelling thoroughly so that there is no extraordinary cleaning to be done after you leave that would involve an unusual expense to the Authority and
- You have given us thirty (30) days’ notice in writing that you intend to move
Rental Payments
Please remember that rental payments are due on or before the FIRST day of each month. If your rent is not paid in full by the fifth day of the month, you may be subject to a late fee.
Did you know that the Housing Authority offers all our residents an electronic rent payment option to help assure timely rental payments? Any residents can request that their monthly rental payment be deducted electronically directly from their checking or savings account. You may enroll in the electronic rent payment program by contacting your management office or by completing the Direct Debit Rent Enrollment Form located in the Document Library.
Rent types, Reexamination & Reporting Changes
The Public Housing Program
If you participate in the Public Housing Program, you have a choice of paying either a flat amount of rent each month or having the amount of rent you pay based on a percentage of your income. You will be given the choice to pay the flat or income-based rent when you move in and again once each year on your lease anniversary date. The Housing Authority is required by law to review your family income and family size annually if you have decided to pay an income-based rent. Once each year, you will be required to submit verification of your income or any other circumstances that might affect your residency status.
The Housing Authority will only review your family income once every three years if you have chosen to pay the flat rent rate. However, you may request the Authority to review your circumstances at any time. Generally, you would ask for a review if you believe you would pay less rent by converting from flat rent to income-based rent. However, you may only convert from the income-based rent to the flat rent on your lease anniversary date.
Inspections
When you move into your new home, don’t neglect to call your Project Management office promptly to schedule a move-in inspection.
A Housing Authority’s Management staff member will go through your new home with you and mark a checklist noting any defects existing in your dwelling. This move-in inspection is your protection at the move-out time against being unfairly charged for damages not caused during your family’s occupancy. In addition to the move-in inspection, the Authority will perform other routine inspections during your tenancy. From time to time, members of the Authority’s Management and Maintenance staff will call on you to make periodic inspections or perform maintenance. Our Property Management office will schedule an appointment with you in advance of any inspection.
Family Composition and Transfer
You have been leased a home that accommodates the size and composition of your family. Only registered family members on our records are permitted to reside there. You must report marriages, births, deaths, or any other changes in your family composition to your development’s management office. As the size of your family increases or decreases, it may be necessary for you to transfer to a dwelling of appropriate size when it becomes available. If you desire a transfer for some other reason, you may submit a written request to your Property Management office for consideration.
If You Decide to Move
When you decide to move out, please notify your Property Management office in writing at least thirty (30) days before your departure. Notice is essential for your home to be rented promptly to another family in need of housing. A convenient “Notice To Vacate Form” is available in the Document Library section of this website and the management offices.
If you do not give us 30 days advance notice in writing, we may have to charge you for 30 days’ rent unless the unit becomes occupied in less time than that. In that case, we charge you for the number of days for which the unit was vacant. When you leave, please clean your home thoroughly; try to leave the unit as you wanted it to look when you moved into it.
Here’s a quick move-out checklist for you:
- Give the Authority notice that you intend to move
- When you leave, close and lock all doors and windows
- Leave your refrigerator plugged in and set at the warmest setting
- Leave your house or apartment clean and free of trash
- Contact the Management Office to arrange for the return of your keys and to schedule a move-out inspection at least two working days in advance of your departure
If you have provided HACL with a valid forwarding address, you will receive (within 30 days of vacating the dwelling) a statement of any charges due or a refund of your security deposit.
From the above, it is easy to see that vacating your unit is serious and should be given your strict attention. If you have any problems or questions when you are vacating, please call your Project Management office for help and advice to leave with a clear record.
Request for Repairs
Members of our maintenance team make the necessary repairs when something leaks, breaks, or is otherwise damaged. Please request their services promptly by contacting 717-274-1403 to request a work order. An early repair often saves a lot of trouble and expense. The Authority will attempt to provide maintenance services at a time that is convenient for you. However, you should be aware that your request for maintenance services constitutes permission for Authority personnel to enter your dwelling, even if you are not at home. Damage due to normal wear and tear is our responsibility. Damage done by you, your family, or your visitors is your responsibility, and you will be charged for it.
Maintenance Emergencies
Maintenance emergencies include gas leaks, failure of water pumps during heavy rainfall, broken sewer pipes, loss of heat in winter, serious damage to roofs as a result of storms, any failure of electricity that occurs in more than one home, or any other situation that is dangerous to life, health or property.
If any of these situations arise during office hours, call your Project Management Office immediately to make repairs. If the office is closed, call 717-274-1403 for 24-hour emergency maintenance. Hearing-impaired residents can contact the Authority by TDD 24 hours a day by calling 800-545-1833 ext 826.
Lawn Care and Snow Removal
Keeping up the appearance of your neighborhood is a job that you and the management share. Management is responsible for the care of all grounds and sidewalks used by the community as a whole. Your help is requested in seeing that your development never has that “after the picnic” look and that new grass is allowed a chance to grow. Even if you are not personally responsible for the orange peels, paper, or other kinds of litter that spoil the appearance of a neighborhood, pick them up anyway. After all, this community is your home, and it is to your advantage to see that it looks neat and well cared for at all times. Each tenant is responsible for mowing the grass in their yard and clearing snow and ice from walks promptly in the wintertime.
Lockout
If you are one of those people who never forgets his or her keys, don’t read any further. However, those of you who forget their keys will want to know how to get into your homes in case you forgot your key. If you are locked out of your home during regular business hours, you should call your Management Office. When your management office is closed, you should call the 24-hour emergency number. A maintenance staff member will be sent to unlock the door for you. You will need to show identification for the door to be unlocked. There will be a charge for this service (including an overtime surcharge for service after normal business hours). These charges can be avoided by remembering your keys!
Utilities
When you move in, you will be told which utilities (if any) you will be responsible for paying to the utility company and which are in your rent. It is the responsibility of every resident not to waste any utility. The following suggestions will help keep your utility consumption at a responsible level:
- Turn on only those lights which you need
- Do not use higher-wattage lamps than you need
- Make sure the refrigerator door is closed
- Do not use the kitchen range for heating purposes
- Keep thermostats at the lowest comfortable setting
- Report all dripping faucets and leaks immediately
- Immediately report commodes that do not shut off properly
- Do not overload circuits with electric appliances
- Keep doors and windows shut in winter
Telephones and Television
Telephone installation is optional, and all costs become the resident’s responsibility. If cable television is available, a connection may be made at the resident’s expense. A satellite dish may be erected on Housing Authority property but only per the Authority’s installation guidelines. If you want to install a satellite dish, you must obtain advance permission from your management office.
Absence from Home
If you plan to be absent from your home, even if it’s only for 24 hours, let us know that your dwelling will be empty. Plumbing has a way of acting up in vacant houses, and gas or electricity may require attention. It is also important to know who is on the premises for rescue purposes in the event of a fire or other disaster. You may not allow friends or relatives to use your dwelling while you are gone, as your lease forbids subletting. Also, senior tenants are asked to notify the office in your building so that we will know that you are not ill, and we will be able to keep an eye on your apartment for you.
Not Responsible for Personal Property
The Housing Authority and its employees are not responsible for the loss of or damage to any personal property of residents or their guests for any cause whatsoever. Although the Housing Authority carries fire and extended coverage insurance and liability insurance in connection with the operation of its housing units, your furniture and any other personal property are not covered and the Housing Authority is not liable for any injuries due to negligence of residents. Each family is advised to obtain an adequate amount of insurance covering their personal property and liability. Renter’s insurance is a smart and affordable coverage for you to carry.
Boarders and Lodgers
Your home was assigned to accommodate the size of your family. Allowing others to move into your home limits the space available to your family members and makes it difficult to keep the dwelling in good condition.
You and your neighbors also deserve to know that persons regularly staying in your development have met the Authority’s screening standards. Therefore, we must insist that you do not take lodgers, boarders, or other persons who are not named on your lease as members of your household into your home. Failure to comply with this rule would be grounds for eviction. If you do have someone coming to visit you from outside of the area for a brief stay, they are welcome to stay if you have filled out in advance a simple request form available at your Management Office.
Automobiles and Parking
Observe the “No Parking” and “Restricted Parking” rules in your neighborhood. Also, please do not park on lawns. Family housing dwellings are provided with one off-street parking space per unit. If your household has more than one vehicle, please park it on the street. Please remind your guests never to park in spaces designated for residents. Although there are off-street parking lots at all of our apartment buildings, unfortunately, space limitations at some facilities prevent us from guaranteeing a parking slot for every tenant. Those with a vehicle will be issued an Authority parking sticker entitling them to use one parking space on their building’s lot. There are no assigned spaces for specific tenants. If, and when, your building’s tenant parking reaches capacity, new tenants with vehicles will be placed on a waiting list to receive a parking sticker for when the next tenant space becomes available. If you live at Stevens Towers, Washington Arms, or Markethouse Place, please advise your visitors that the parking lots are only for tenant and staff use. We know they will be able to find ample parking on the surrounding streets.
Animals
Residents of Public Housing developments may keep pets per the Housing Authority’s Pet Policy. Permission must be obtained from the Authority before getting a pet.
No Business or Advertising Signs
Because our developments are residential properties, no one is permitted to operate a business in them. An exception may be made if a tenant has obtained the proper clearance from local officials, as well as advance approval from the Housing Authority. In any event, we ask you not to make billboards of your homes – no advertising signs, please.
Underground Utilities
Throughout our family developments, you will see large green metal boxes. These are electrical transformer enclosures. Alongside your home, you also see gas and electrical risers protruding from the ground. Do not tamper with these in any way, and do not allow your children to play near them. You will notice there are no overhead wires in the area. Underground facilities provide all utilities – gas, electric, television cables, water, and sewage. For this reason, never dig holes or drive stakes for any purpose.
Burglary, Vandalism, and Disturbance of the Peace
These are situations for the police to handle, so they are the ones to call. For lease violations, also contact the Management Office. Our goal is to keep your development a place that you can be proud to call home. If you have a problem with a neighbor, please go to them and try to talk it out in a friendly manner. If this approach fails, contact your Project Management Office for advice. Please remember – we can’t help solve problems we don’t know about!
Smoke Detectors
Every Housing Authority dwelling is equipped with at least one smoke detector. The smoke detector is possibly the most important item in your home in the event of a fire. It can save your life. If your smoke detector is not operating correctly, please contact the Management Office, and it will be repaired. Do not remove detectors or their batteries. A smoke detector that is not working may result in your death or the death of one of your family members! Tampering with a smoke detector is a serious violation of your lease, which may result in eviction.
Who to Contact
During your tenancy, you will probably find it necessary to contact the Housing Authority. Your central point of contact with the Authority is your Project Manager. Your manager can answer questions about all aspects of your tenancy.
After-Hours Maintenance Emergencies 717-274-1403
Call for: After-hours maintenance emergencies when your management office is closed.
Telecommunications for the Deaf
The Authority maintains a TDD for those residents who are deaf. You can reach the Authority through its TDD service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling: 800-545-1833 ext 826.
Email You can also contact the Authority by email. The Authority’s general email address is info@lebanoncountyhousing.com. Specific email addresses for all Authority staff members can be found in the Authority Information section of this website.