What if my situation changes while I am waiting for a decision?
You should immediately contact the Transfer Process Coordinator if your situation changes after you have submitted your request but before you have received a response, or if you have been approved but have not yet moved. Be sure to contact the Coordinator if your medical condition worsens or improves. If you are the victim of additional incidents in the case of domestic violence, civil rights problems, or other threatening situations contact the police as well as the Civil Rights Department (if appropriate) and the Transfer Process Coordinator. If your family composition changes you need to tell both the Transfer Process Coordinator and your Manager in order for the BHA to appropriately process your request.
It is essential that we have your current contact information and that you inform us what is the best time and place or phone number(s) where we may reach you in order to either complete an investigation or obtain additional verification if needed. If the BHA staff is unable to contact you when needed, your request will be withdrawn.
What happens if I am approved?
Once you are approved for a transfer, you will receive a letter stating the approval and level of transfer you are approved for and you will be placed on a waiting list. Administrative transfers receive the highest priority. Special Circumstances transfers will be offered the next available every other fourth unit that is appropriate to the family size and needs documented anywhere in the city at a location that will meet the resident’s needs. The housing offers will be made in ranking order by bedroom size required and transfer application date. The timing of the On-site under/over housed transfers depends on the overall vacancy turnover of the development. Every eight unit will be offered to an approved over or under housed transfer in ranking order when the site is at least at a 98% occupancy rate.
Substantial cause transfers which are Internal Applicants due to being either over or under housed, or due to rent burden in the federal program because some households have eligible immigration status and other household members do not eligible immigration status have a lower priority. These residents are considered to be standard Applicants on the developments of choice and may wait some time for a transfer to actually take place. Internal Applicants are residents who want to move to another development of choice (non-Special Circumstances categories) and must successfully complete a final eligibility screening process which includes the review of the criminal record for all household members ages 14 and older (except for residents residing in state-aided developments who want to move to another state-aided development the transfer eligibility criteria will be applicable).
Once a housing offer is made, you will be given a period of five (5) business days starting from the date you are offered the apartment to accept or refuse the offer. Be reminded, the BHA regrettably does not have immediate housing. As units are vacated they are assigned and they must be prepared and made ready before any move-in may occur. Residents will have thirty (30) days to move to the offered and accepted unit from the date the housing offer was made unless a different period is agreed and approved by management.
What happens if I refuse the unit offered?
Administrative Transfers, Special CircumstancesTransfers , Over and Under Housed Transfers, and Internal Applicants who reject a housing offer without establishing a new good cause and or reasonable accommodation will be withdrawn and the resident may not re-apply for the same transfer type for a period of one (1) year from the date the last housing offer was rejected.
You will be informed of your right to appeal any negative decision.
Be advised per the BHA Lease requirements, residents who are over or under housed or residing in a wheelchair accessible unit and do not require these features will be subject to legal action for rejecting a housing offer to a unit of appropriate size and type. In addition, over housed residents in the state-aided developments will be required to pay 150% of their monthly rent if they reject a housing offer to a unit of appropriate size and type.
What happens if I am denied?
If you are denied a transfer, you will receive a letter stating that and the reasons for the denial. You may appeal the denial, and the letter you receive will provide information on how to request an appeal of the decision.
Questions?
If you have questions, start by asking your manager. If he/she is unable to answer your questions, contact the Transfer Process Coordinator at (617) 988-4545 or the Occupancy Status Information Line at (617) 988-3400.
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IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
BHA Office of Civil Rights TDD
(617) 988-4383 1-800-545-1833 Ext. 420
Boston Police BHA Police Department
911 (617) 423-1212
Occupancy Status Information Line Transfer Process Coordinator
(617) 988-3400 (617) 988-4545
Work Order Center
(617) 988-4357
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