To be considered for eligibility and suitability in the public housing program, an applicant family must:

• Qualify as a family as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the AHA.
• Have income at the time of admission that is at or below HUD-specified income limits.
• Qualify on the basis of citizenship or the eligible immigrant status of family members.
• Provide social security number information  for family members as required.
• Consent to the AHA’s collection and use of family information as provided for on AHA consent forms.

In addition, the AHA must determine that the current or past behavior of household members does not include activities that are prohibited by HUD or the AHA.

Federal requirements prohibit housing authorities from providing assistance to the following individuals:

• Persons who are subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender registration program.
• Persons who are convicted for the manufacture or sale of methamphetamines.

The Athens Housing Authority (AHA) offers an affordable housing option for low-income families through its public housing program.  However, the AHA cannot provide emergency housing, nor does the AHA administer the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program.  For information on the Section 8 Voucher program, please contact the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) at (770) 806-5050.

We place applicants on the waiting list based on the local preferences you qualify for as well as the date and time your application is complete.  We maintain a substantial waiting list.  Due to the number of applicants on the waiting list and the nature of local preferences, we cannot estimate how long it will take any individual applicant to rise to the top of the waiting list.

Outline of Process

• Applicant family applies and is placed on the waiting list based on total preference points and date/time of application.
• Applicant family is selected once they are at the top of the waiting list and a unit is expected to come available.
• Applicant family verifies preferences still apply at time of selection and submits intake certification and required documentation and consent forms.
• Applicant family is interviewed.
• An eligibility determination is made and the applicant family is notified of the determination and subsequent steps.

Housing Authorities are permitted by HUD to establish local preferences and to give priority to serving families that meet those criteria.  As part of your application, you will be given the option to choose the preferences you qualify for.  Please note: if you are unable to prove you qualify for a chosen preference when you are selected to begin the housing process, you will be automatically removed and placed back on the waiting list with the appropriate preferences selected.  This can greatly increase the length of time you are on the waiting list, so please only select those preferences you actually qualify for.

Preference Description	Required Documentation
Employment
Head of Household or spouse has been consistently employed at least 20 hours per week at current minimum wage for a minimum of the previous 3 months.	Submit the 3 most recent continuous months of pay stubs.  For those who are self-employed, submit income tax records documenting income for the immediate, previous 3 months.
Age 62+ or Disabled
Families where the Head of Household and spouse (if married) is a person age 62 or older or where the head and spouse (if married) is a person with disabilities (meeting the HUD/Social Security Administration's definition of disabled family).	Proof of age: Submit a valid state issued driver's license or birth certificate for Head of Household and Spouse (if married). Proof of disabled family: Submit a current (last 60 days) SSA benefit verification letter for Head of Household and spouse (if married).
Victim of Domestic Violence
Families that include victims of domestic violence.	Submit written verification from police, social service agency, court, clergy, physician, and/or public or private facility giving shelter and/or counseling to victims verifying that the most recent act of violence occurred within the past 24 months and the applicant has been or is being displaced as a result. Applicant family must certify that the abuser will not return to the household without the advance written approval of the AHA.
Registered Voter
Head of Household is a registered voter within the areas of AHA's geographic operations.	Submit verification from the appropriate voter registration office that the Head of Household is a registered voter within the county where the housing application
Natural Disaster
Family displaced by a state or nationally declared natural disaster which has extensively damaged or destroyed the applicant's residence.	Submit documentation by the appropriate regulatory agency that the applicant has been displaced by a state or nationally declared natural disaster that has extensively damaged or destroyed the dwelling where the applicant has been residing.
Post-Secondary Education
Head of Household or spouse is currently enrolled and participating in a state-approved education training program that prepares the head of household or spouse for reentering the job market.	Submit documentation from the institution or accredited post-secondary education institution which states the Head of Household or spouse is currently enrolled and attending.
Veterans
Head of Household or spouse is currently a member of Armed Forces or has been honorably discharged from the Armed Forces.	Submit verification from the applicable branch of service that the Head of Household or Spouse is currently a member of the Armed Forces or that they have been honorably discharged. (DD214)
AHA-approved Coursework
Contact AHA Resident Support (706-425-5300) for course availability and/or approved courses.  Do NOT select this preference if you have received confirmation to do so from the Admissions Coordinator.	Submit documentation from the AHA or AHA-approved program provider that course work or training has been successfully completed within the last 12 months by the Head of Household or spouse.

We accept applications online through our website: application portal.

Here is a simple walkthrough to help you get started:

• Click on the Applicant Login link. 

• First time guests should choose Register Now.

• If you are a prior resident or prior applicant to AHA, you will need a registration code.  If you do not know your registration code, you will need to contact AHA at 706-425-5304 to ask for your code. 

• You must have a valid email address to create your portal account.  Your email address will be your username and will serve as the primary means of communication about your application.  If you need a free email address, you can get one at Google or Outlook.
• Once you have filled out the Personal Details and Account Information and accepted the Terms and Conditions, click the Register button.  This will send an email to confirm the email address you entered.  Once your user has been verified, you can login and begin filling out housing application.

All information about your application will be available in the Application Portal.  In the portal, you can click on My Waiting List Status to see any changes made to your position on the waiting list.  For the privacy of our customers, the Athens Housing Authority cannot provide application statuses over the telephone.

The waiting list is re-calculated once or twice per month.  When this happens, your position could change depending on the preference points of your application and those reported by other applicants.

You update your application through the Application Portal.  In the portal, select Update My Application to make any changes. 

It is important to keep your application updated so you can be housed as fast as possible.  Outdated information could cause more delays in getting housing.

All applicants selected from the waiting list will be mailed correspondence via USPS mail and/or email to the most recent addresses we have on file.  The letter will invite you to complete the final application to determine your eligibility for the program.  There is not a specific date when the letters are mailed.  Always remember to keep your mail and email addressed updated! Failure to do so could result in you missing an important deadline and the removal of your application from the waiting list.  Removal would require you to submit a new application and begin the process all over again.

On the Applicant Login screen, there is a link to reset your password.  This will send an email to the address you used to register with a link to reset the password.

You will need to contact the AHA Admissions department by phone at 706-425-5304 or by email admissions@athenshousing.org.