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AMHERST HOUSING AUTHORITY MANAGEMENT POLICIES approved March 27, 1989 amended December 16, 1991 updated February 15, 1994 amended December 6, 2000 amended June 16, 2003 The following management policies were approved by the Amherst Housing Authority Board of Commissioners and apply to all AHA owned property. These policies are posted in the AHA’s main office and in the community rooms. They are incorporated in tenant handbooks and will be given to tenants upon leasing an apartment. I. General Rules and Regulations Emergency Calls Lock Outs In the Event of Death Vacating the Apartment Alcohol and Smoking II. Upkeep of Property Apartment Interiors Apartment Exteriors Inspection Policy Maintenance Charges Snow Removal Painting Policy Move Out Cost Schedule I. GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS Emergency Calls Back to top The following situations are considered emergencies: No heat during the months of September through May Broken water pipes, toilet backed up and overflowing No electricity at all (if it is not due to a power outage) In apartments with elderly or handicapped tenants, it is also considered an emergency if both bathroom lights are out. Fire Non-functioning elevator at Ann Whalen or Jean Elder House In the event of one of these emergencies, call the AHA at 256-0206. After office hours, on weekends and holidays, the answering service will forward messages to the proper person. Do not call the Housing Authority personnel at their homes. Any other problems should be reported to the AHA office at the above number during office hours, which are: 8 AM - 4 PM Monday-Thursday 8 AM - 3 PM Friday Lock Outs Back to top During office hours, tenant should come to the office for a duplicate key. After office hours, the following procedures apply: Ann Whalen - Contact Police Department Chestnut Court - Contact resident with master key or Police Dept. Jean Elder, John Nutting, Watson Farms, Bridge Street House, and all 705 Tenants - Contact locksmith at tenant’s expense In the Event of Death Back to top In the event of a tenant’s death, the AHA staff will notify the person listed as the emergency contact on the most current lease, lease amendment, or other form will be notified. This person will be given access to the unit. Vacating the Apartment Back to top Upon moving out the tenant will: Give the AHA housing manager a 30 day written notice to vacate (per Section IV A of your lease). Bridge Street and Tamarack Drive tenants must give inform manager of intentions 60 days before renewal date. Vacate the apartment on the agreed upon date. Otherwise tenant will be charged rent for each day his or her belongings remain in that unit. Clean the apartment before he or she leaves. No junk, garbage or belongings should be left behind. Leave refrigerator running on “low” and heat at 60 degrees. Tenant will be charged for any cleaning or disposal that the AHA must do (see move out cost schedule.) Notify the electric company of his or her move out date if tenant lives at Bridge Street House, 705 housing, or at Watson Farms. Turn in all copies of apartment keys (and mailbox keys if applicable) to the AHA office on the move out day or be charged for replacement locks and keys. Pay the bill for damages or unpaid rent. Alcohol and Smoking Back to top The use of alcohol is prohibited in all of the AHA buildings’ public areas. No drunkenness will be allowed in any public areas on AHA property, including, but not limited to: Parking lots, grass, sidewalks Outside sitting areas Lobbies Recreation and laundry rooms Hallways Elevators The following procedure will be followed if a person is acting in an inebriated manner and in any public area: The AHA staff or a tenant will call police. Whenever a person is put into police custody, the AHA staff will provide written information to that person regarding area counseling and rehabilitation agencies. A list of area social service agencies will be posted in a public place. If a person is taken into police custody for being drunk twice within six months, the AHA will notify the person that he/she faces eviction following the third offense within six months. If a person is taken into custody a third time within six months, eviction procedures will proceed. The AHA may proceed with immediate eviction in cases of physically abuse behavior either witnessed or where police see evidence of abuse. This policy shall be posted in all appropriate common areas, distributed to all tenants, and sent as a reminder to persons as deemed necessary by the AHA. SMOKING: Smoking is prohibited in all public areas of Amherst Housing Authority buildings II. UPKEEP OF PROPERTY Apartment Interiors Back to top Tenants must keep apartments in clean, safe and sanitary condition, as described in “Housekeeping Standards for Amherst Housing Authority Tenants,” which is given to tenants upon leasing an apartment. Wallpaper, contact paper, and stickers will not be permitted. Unauthorized painting is not permitted (see painting policy). Restoration of the walls following unauthorized painting will cost the tenant $15 per hour labor plus materials. To attach pictures and posters to walls, please use push pins or picture hangers. Do not use tape or glue. Do not attach anything to the woodwork or cabinets. No waterbeds are allowed on the premises. Apartment Exteriors Back to top Tenants are required to keep the exterior of their units, patios, yards, balconies or common hallways in safe and sanitary condition. Storage of items in these areas is prohibited unless approved by the AHA in writing. The AHA will notify tenants, in writing, of the necessity to remove such items. If the item is not removed within 15 days, the AHA will remove and dispose of the item. Tenant will be charged for maintenance labor and disposal fees. Tenants are not allowed to attach anything to outside walls or to fences unless approved by the AHA in writing. Unregistered, uninsured vehicles are prohibited from AHA property and parking areas. After 48 hour notice, vehicles will be towed at owner’s expense. Tenants are prohibited from parking on the grass, and will be charged for restoring the grass if the vehicle has damaged the lawn. Trampolines, swingsets, and wading/swimming pools are prohibited from AHA property due to liability issues. Inspection Policy Back to top State and federal regulations and tenant/owner lease provisions require that every unit be inspected on an annual basis to determine compliance with the State Sanitary Code (state funded programs) and HUD Housing Quality Standards (federally funded programs). In order to comply with these requirements, the Amherst Housing Authority has adopted the following policy for conventional housing inspections. The AHA Housing Inspector will schedule and notify tenants in writing of the annual inspection 10 days prior to the inspection date. If the inspection date is not convenient for the tenant, the tenant must call the Housing Inspector immediately and reschedule. Tenants or their designee must be present at the annual inspection. His/her designee can be a family member over the age of 18 or a friend. If the tenant gives the AHA his/her permission, the Housing Inspector will enter the unit without the tenant’s presence. If the tenant or designee is not present, has not rescheduled, or has not given the AHA permission to enter, a second letter will be sent to the tenant notifying him/her of the date and time of the next inspection. The letter will state that failure to comply with the inspection policy will result in eviction. If the tenant does not comply with the second inspection attempt, the Housing Manager will send tenants in state funded housing a conference letter as a first step in an eviction process for failure to comply with the lease. For tenants in federally funded housing (Watson Farms), a 30 day notice to quit for failure to comply with the lease will be mailed. The inspector will conduct re-inspections when the unit is found in non compliance with applicable regulations. The Housing Manager and Housing Inspector will establish a re-inspection schedule which may include a one time special inspection, monthly inspections, or quarterly inspections depending on the severity of the conditions of the unit. Maintenance Charges Back to top If a tenant, a household member, or a guest damages AHA property the tenant is responsible for paying the cost of labor and materials to replace, restore, or repair the damaged property. Labor charges are $15 per hour during regular working hours. On weekends, evenings, and holidays, labor charges are $22.50 per hour, with a three hour minimum call-in charge ($67.50 per call in, minimum). General charges: Duplicate keys can be made for tenants for $2 per key. At Ann Whalen, an air conditioner can be installed by the maintenance staff in the fixed lower window in the bedroom for $55. It can be removed upon vacancy for $35. An air conditioner can be installed in the moveable window by maintenance for $15 and removed for $15. Snow Removal Back to top The AHA is responsible for removal of snow from sidewalks and parking lots at Ann Whalen, Chestnut Court, Jean Elder, John Nutting, Bridge Street House,and Watson Farms. When snow is falling, depending on the accumulation, the maintenance staff will shovel sidewalks and will plow around tenant cars in parking lots on a continual basis. Tenants are required to remove their cars from the parking areas on the day following the end of the snow storm so that the maintenance staff can clear the entire parking lot. For example, if the storm subsides during the night, the maintenance staff will plow the next day. The schedule for plowing the parking lots on the day after a storm is the following: Watson Farms parking lots 8:30 AM Jean Elder parking lots 9:30 AM Chestnut Ct. and JCN parking lots 10:30 AM Ann Whalen parking lot 1:00 PM Bridge Street House 2:00 PM Tenants who fail to cooperate in moving their cars when plowing is scheduled may be towed at owner expense. Tenants are responsible for moving their guests’ cars when snow removal is scheduled. Painting Policy Back to top After five years of occupancy, a tenant may elect to repaint his/her apartment. Tenants who are interested in repainting must contact the AHA Housing Manager who will provide written instructions on proper painting procedures. The AHA requires that the tenant follow the written procedures as they will enable the tenant to obtain the best quality job for their efforts and prevent future problems such as peeling and chipping paint. The AHA will provide the tenant with paint, one gallon at a time, after the walls in the apartment have been washed. The AHA will specify the color, type, and brand of paint that will be used. The AHA will assist those tenants who repaint their apartments in the following manner: After the apartment has been prepared according to the written procedures, the maintenance staff will inspect the preparation work and provide further instruction as needed. The maintenance staff will also patch holes in walls, stain seal potential trouble spots, and sand patches. Tenants will be charged for patching in excess of one hour of labor per room. The AHA will also furnish the following tools and supplies: Paint Roller extension handle Paint pan Drop cloth Roller covers Masking tape The tools are to be returned, clean and operable, to the AHA upon completion. The AHA will charge tenants the replacement value of any tool not returned in the above manner. Move Out Cost Schedule Back to top Cleaning and repair charges: If the items listed below are not cleaned and left in working condition upon on your move out date, you will be charged the listed amount for each instance in which an item must be cleaned or repaired. Similarly, if any items are missing or damaged to the point that they must be replaced when you move out, you will be charged for the current cost of the item, plus labor and service charges, if any. The prices listed below represent average costs: if the AHA incurs a higher cost for cleaning, repairing or replacing an item, you will be responsible for paying the higher cost. Please note that this is not an inclusive list. You can be charged for cleaning, repairing, or replacing items that are not on the list. Kitchen Cleaning Oven $30 Refrigerator $40 Cabinet/counter $30 Stove fan/vent $20 Miscellaneous Cleaning and Repair Removal of wallpaper or contact paper $150 Holes in wall $75 Trash removal $60 (large items will be extra) Wash tiles floors $25 (per room) Vacuum carpets $25 Bathroom Cleaning Sink/counter/cabinets $35 Tub/shower $20 Toilet $10 Replacement Charges Countertops $50/linear ft Window glass $150 Slider door $300 Window screen $35 Slider screen $100 Door $100 Disposal $100 Bath mirror $60 Light fixtures $70 Refrigerator shelf $30 Ice trays $3 Lost mailbox key $25 Lost door key (rekey door) $55 Back to top

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