FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                CONTACT:   Susan Krimer Yancy

Monday, August 23, 2004                                                       301-962-5505

HOC TO OPEN PUBLIC HOUSING WAITING LIST SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

The Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) will open its Public Housing Waiting List on Monday, September 20, 2004. The waiting list will stay open for two weeks, closing on Monday, October 4, 2004.

Applications will be available at all Montgomery County public libraries, county government service centers, county senior centers and on the HOC website (www.hocmc.org). Website visitors will be able to apply online. Applications will be available beginning September 20, 2004.

Public housing is available to anyone 18 years of age and older whose income falls below 50 percent of the County's median income range. The following chart shows the maximum income allowed for households to be eligible for public housing in Montgomery County:

In general, HOC opens the Public Housing Waiting List once per year. Last year, the list opened for senior applicants only on September 20, 2003 and closed October 3, 2003. This year, the list is being opened to all income-eligible applicants, including seniors.    

The average income for a family of 4 on the HOC waiting list is $19,013. The average income for a family of 2 on the list is $15,429.

Once the list closes, all applicants' names are put into a pool from which names are drawn at random throughout the year, as public housing units become available. Generally, 150 units become available each year. Residents of public housing typically pay 30 percent of their gross income for rent and utilities.

HOC currently owns 1,539 units of public housing at sites throughout Montgomery County.  That number includes 12 multifamily buildings and 625 individual units that are scattered throughout the county. Last year, HOC served 3,886 persons through its public housing program.

In line with HOC's belief that supportive services play an important role in families' well being, HOC offers a range of resident services to its public housing families. Residents may enroll for employment training; job counseling; recreation programs and other programs. Each multifamily public housing community is served by a Family Resource Center, which provides recreation, youth, education and health programs for public housing families. HOC has four family resource centers located throughout the county.

A hotline will be activated on September 17, 2004 for the public to call with questions, or to request applications. The hotline number is: 301-929-2341. Information about HOC’s public housing program is also available on the agency’s website: www.hocmc.org.

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