Report Fraud and Violations
Reporting Program Violations
EPCHA is committed to protecting the integrity of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program and Public Housing ensuring that only eligible families and property owners receive benefits in accordance with Public Housing and HCV Program rules and regulations. If you have reason to believe that any program violations are taking place in connection with EPCHA’s Programs, please call at 915-764-3559. As taxpayers, we all have a stake in ensuring that federal housing assistance funds are distributed properly. We encourage and appreciate your support in this matter.
What Constitutes a Program Violation?
A program violation may involve false statements, omissions or actions made with the intent to deceive or mislead, resulting in the misuse of funds or the violation or circumvention of the Housing Program rules at EPCHA. A program violation may be committed by a property owner/manager, applicant, voucher holder, housing participant, EPCHA employee or EPCHA subcontractor who helps administer the HCV Program. Examples of possible program violations committed by property owners and participants are shown below.
PUBLIC HOUSING / VOUCHER PARTICIPANT VIOLATIONS
- knowingly withholding or not reporting income or total amount of income including but not limited to wages, TANF, Child Support, etc.
- Transferring income or assets to obtain/retain eligibility under false pretenses
- Using false identifications cards or false social security number(s)
- Using flase documents such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, grant deeds, etc.
- Subletting the subsidized apartment/home
- not living in the subsidized unit or maintaining a second home
- Falsifying the number of household members
- Having unauthorized persons living in the unit
- Using a voucher from EPCHA while receiving rental assistance from another agency
PROPERTY/LANDLORD/OWNER VIOLATIONS
- Offering brides to EPCHA employees or subcontractors
- Accepting Housing Assistance Payments (HAPs) for properties that he or she does not own or represent as the legal agent
- Accepting HAPs for vacant apartments/homes
- Requesting rent payments from tenants in excess of the amount stated in the lease.
- renting to relatives without prior approval from EPCHA