Bloomington Housing Authority
Bloomington Housing AuthorityBrowse Frequently Asked Questions in the sections below.
General Questions
General Questions
The Bloomington Housing Authority does not provide immediate emergency housing. Call the Indiana 2-1-1 hotline or view the City’s Resource Directory to learn about emergency shelter options in the greater Bloomington community.
When a waitlist is open, interested applicant may apply. To check the status of program waitlists, click here.
Residents can learn more about services and programs available by visiting the Resident Services webpage or by contacting the Administrative Director, at 812-339-3491 x 115 or lgordon@blha.net.
Public Housing Questions
Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Questions
Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
Please click here to be directed to the online waiting list check.
Requests need to be submitted in writing which includes fax, email, etc. This statement must be submitted before your voucher expires. Calling to make a request for an extension will not be accepted.
You will need to give the landlord your RFTA when you are certain that this is the unit/location for you and after they have approved you to utilize this unit.
Your landlord will know whether or not your unit passed inspection. Please contact your landlord for inspection results.
If your unit has passed inspection, you will need to get in contact with your landlord to sign your lease. If your unit has not passed inspection, it is recommended that you do not sign a lease with the landlord until the unit passes inspection. If the unit fails an inspection for a second time, the BHA will not assist the unit and you may need to seek other options.
Your case manager will not know the rent amount until after the unit passes inspection and up to 10 days thereafter.
It is up to your landlord to notify you of the scheduled inspection. Please ensure the inspector can access all outlets and windows, and move any furniture which is blocking outlets or windows.
Yes, please sign in any time you enter the BHA for any reason.
Multiple calls will delay the move-in process as case managers are currently assisting over 300 families each. Case managers have a 24 business hour response time allotment and emailing your case manager will typically result in a quicker response time.
Yes, if the two-bedroom unit is within the one-bedroom payment standard (utilities plus rent), you may qualify for the two-bedroom unit. However, if after one year of residing in the unit, the landlord chooses to request a rent increase of up to the two-bedroom payment standard, you will be responsible for the amount that exceeds the one-bedroom payment standard.
You must give your landlord a notice as stated in your lease agreement. Move-ins for new admissions to HCV Program are done the 1st or the 15th of the month. You must turn your keys in at least one day prior to your Section 8 move-in date. Failure to give your notice and turn in your keys prior to this date will result in delayed assistance.
For current information on all HCV waiting lists, please navigate to the Waiting List by clicking here.
To report any changes, increase or decrease, you must complete an interim change form that is available online by clicking here.
For your convenience, once you have completed the fillable PDF Interim Change Form, you may save the document to your computer, tablet, or smartphone and then email the document to your case manager. Click here for the BHA staff email directory.
You may also obtain and complete the interim change form at the front desk of the BHA main office. Changes to income and/or family composition must be reported in writing within fourteen calendar days of the occurrence. If you begin working, an interim change form must be completed within fourteen calendar days from the hire date. Calling to report a change will not be accepted.
Click here to be directed to the HQS Inspection Guidelines.
You will first need to schedule an appointment with your HCV Case Manager to be certified to move. A staff directory with contact information can be found here. Your case manager will assist you with providing your current landlord the required notice to vacate. Please note you may be ineligible to move with continued assistance if you are within your initial 12 month lease term, if you owe money to the BHA, or if BHA has filed for termination of your assistance.
Yes, your voucher assistance is portable and can be used anywhere within the United States served by a Public Housing Authority. For more information regarding the portability process, please navigate to the Portability section by clicking here.
You will need to request an appeal in writing within 14 calendar days from the date of your termination notice. The written appeal request must be submitted to BHA within the 14-day window. Once BHA has received your written request for an appeal, a hearing will be scheduled.
Family Self-Sufficiency Program Questions
Family Self-Sufficiency Program
The purpose of this program is to connect our clients with public and private employment, social and economic resources to affect positive changes in their lives, leading to independence from all forms of public assistance. FSS is ultimately an employment focused program.
To participate in the FSS Program, the head of the household must be a tenant of the Housing Choice Voucher Program, be 18 years of age or older, be committed to entering a job training and/or educational program, be currently in “good standing” with the BHA and be willing to enter into a FSS Contract of Participation. Other members of the household may participate and receive social services as well.
FSS can help families become self-sufficient by helping you to create an Individual Training and Services Plan (ITSP) that will encourage progress towards your educational and career goals. The BHA’s FSS Coordinators will work with each family to identify the barriers they may have encountered in becoming self-sufficient and determine possible solutions.
Yes! If the family’s earned income increases, the BHA compares the family rent to the baseline rent when a Contract of Participation (COP) is signed, and in most cases the difference is escrowed. Upon the successful completion of the FSS program, the family will be given a check for the amount in their escrow account which they can spend towards whatever they choose. Many families have spent their escrow funds towards paying off credit card debt, school loans, purchase of a car or down payment for a home.
When you first decide to participate in the program, you will have an appointment with a FSS program coordinator. In that appointment, you will be helped in identifying your needs, goals and identifying obstacles. Your coordinator will network with other agencies to help you overcome those obstacles and to achieve your goals. You will also be signing an Individual Training and Services Plan (ITSP) and be expected to seek and maintain employment.
An ITSP is a specific plan designed to assist you with identifying your strengths, goals, challenges, needs and abilities. Once identified, together we have a realistic idea of what it is going to take and possibly how long it will take to accomplish the goals to ensure your long and short-term success. The following criteria are necessary to create an ITSP:
- An ITSP is essential and must coincide with your Contract of Participation (COP).
- Other adult family members can choose to have an ITSP. Available resources and services will be noted.
- Your ITSP it will have short and long term goals. O
- One final goal is always obtaining and maintaining suitable employment. Another final goal is to be free from all TANF (welfare) 12 months before your COP expires (typically a COP is for five years).
The Contract of Participation is a signed agreement between the BHA and the participant acknowledging the client’s desire and willingness to work with the FSS coordinator to achieve self-sufficiency over a 5 year period of time.
Earned income includes income from wages and salaries, overtime pay, commission, tips, bonuses, military pay, self-employment and other compensations for personal services. Only adult household member (over 18 years of age) income counts towards earned income.
An escrow account is a special savings account created specifically and only for FSS participants as an incentive reward for attaining self-sufficiency. As a Section 8 recipient and FSS participant, you are eligible to escrow a percentage of any increase in your earned income since your Contract of Participation date. If the families earned income increases, the BHA compares the family rent to the baseline rent, and in most cases, is escrowed.
Your escrow stops until you find another job and earn income. It will remain “frozen” until then.
No. If there is no increase in earned income, then there will be no savings account.
Upon graduation from the FSS program, you will have a check issued to you in the amount you have escrowed since you began your contract plus interest.
Remember, this isn’t your money until you complete the program. If you quit or don’t complete the program, the money is forfeited and lost to you and your family.
Yes, upon graduation, the escrow can be used for anything you like, including paying debts, buying a home or car and paying school loans. If you owe money to the housing authority however, we will automatically deduct the amount owed from your escrow before giving it to you.
It simply means that the head of the Section 8 household is obligated to find and continue to be gainfully employed. If employment is not met, then it is up to the head of the household to prove that they have made consistent attempts at employment. We do this through written and verbal notice. Employment is based upon each individual’s applicable circumstances and is defined by those circumstances. It is acceptable to work part-time and go to school part-time, or even go to school full-time. Participants must obtain employment before their contract expires.
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