HOUSING GLOSSARY



Accessible Housing - Housing with features needed by persons with physical disabilities.*

Affordable Housing - Housing that costs no more than 30-40% of a household's income.*

Assisted Living - Services provided within a housing site that assists residents with daily living activities (such as bathing, dressing, cooking, etc.).*

CRF - Community Residential Facility-a group living environment, either a house or apartment building, that provides on-site staff, supportive services and several common areas for programs and activities. Many CRF's are for people with disabilities or seniors.

Credit Report - A report produced by a credit bureau detailing an individual's credit history and used to determine an applicant's ability to make rental and utility payments.*

Crime Victims Composition - A program administered through of the DC Superior Courts that assists innocent victims of violent crime and their families with crime-related expenses. For victims of domestic violence who engage the criminal justice system, this program can provide emergency housing through the provision of a hotel voucher for approximately 28 days.

DC Housing Authority - Funded by HUD to provide housing assistance for low income families in DC.

DV Emergency Housing - Housing, typically in confidential locations, for victims of domestic violence (DV) and their children to go to in the event that they must escape DV and have no safe place to go.

DV Transitional Housing - Housing programs that offer comprehensive supportive services for victims of DV and usually their children, for 1 to 2 years, sometimes longer.

Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) - This program assists with first month's rent, security deposit, back (owed) rent and prevention of evictions in DC. Contact 202-479-2845.

Fair Housing - Federal law that makes discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status, or disability illegal when trying to rent or buy a home.*

Fair Market Rent (FMR) - Rent guidelines for various size units (studio, 1BR, 2BR, etc.) set by HUD for their affordable housing programs based on market rents for the area. (Sec. 8, S+C, etc.). FMRs are published annually by HUD.*

Family Resource Center - The central intake office for all homeless families requesting emergency and transitional housing through the DC Department of Human Services. The address is: 920-A Rhode Island Avenue, NE, Washington, DC. 20018, near the Rhode Island Ave. metro stop on the red line.

HOPWA - Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS is federal funding that is administered by individual states, aimed to provide long-term, comprehensive strategies for affordable housing and supportive services for low-income persons with HIV/AIDS in their family.*

HUD - The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the government department responsible for housing in United States.*

Landlord - A property owner who rents part or all of their property to one or more individuals.*

Lease - A legal agreement between a landlord and tenant giving the tenant the right to occupy a unit.*

Public Housing - Public housing is operated by public housing authorities and is typically financed with State or Federal funds. The purpose of public housing is to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.*

Rental Assistance - A subsidy such as Section 8 or Shelter Plus Care, that helps a tenant pay for housing expenses.*

DV Safe Housing - A place where a survivor of domestic violence can feel safe and secure, and free from violence or abuse.

Safety Plan - A very detailed plan for increasing safety when escaping DV and for protecting oneself in case of further abuse.*

HCVP - Housing Choice Voucher program (formerly known as Section 8) is a tenant based rental assistance program that provides the user the flexibility to secure housing in the private market that meets their affordability limits. Under this program, tenants are required to pay 30% of their household income and HUD pays the rest through the Public Housing Authority or administering agency.*

Shelter Plus Care - A federal subsidy program that provides rent subsidies for permanent supportive housing for homeless persons who struggle with mental illness, HIV/AIDS and or substance abuse.

SRO - Single Room Occupancy units are private rooms that contain either food preparation or sanitary facilities, or both, and are designed for occupancy by a single individual.*

Subsidy - A portion of the rent that is paid by a third party, other than the actual tenant.*

Supportive Services - Assistance made available to residents to help them maintain housing stability and/or achieve improvements in health, wellness, independent living skills, income, employment, socialization, and quality of life.*

Transitional Housing - Housing that has a time limitation on occupancy, usually of no more than two years. The goal of transitional housing is to provide the support needed for participants to move into permanent housing.*

*Select information retrieved from www.ctpartnershiphousing.com