I received a termination letter and don’t know why: Failure to Recertify

If you have received a termination letter, it will state the reason for your pending termination. Please read the letter carefully:

As stated in the Family Responsibilities and Important Program Information form which is signed by you (the head of household) each recertification, the family is required to follow rules of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. If anyone living in the household violates any of these obligations, the family may be terminated from the program.

Part of this form and under the ‘The family must; section:

1. Supply any information that Metro Housing|Boston or HUD determines to be necessary, including evidence of citizenship or eligible immigration status, and information for use in a regularly scheduled reexamination or interim reexamination of family income and composition.
2. Disclose and verify social security numbers and sign and submit consent forms for obtaining information
3. Ensure that all information provided by the family is true and complete.

If you are receiving a letter for failure to recertify, it means you did not provide all requested documents and verifications for your annual/biannual/triennial recertification. This process is started four months in advance, and you receive several attempts to complete the recertification:

• Request one is the packet and general guidelines on what’s needed
• Request two will include what is missing or the entire packet and verifications
• Case conference letter this will be the last attempt to obtain missing and required information to complete the recertification process prior to termination
• Termination letter

If any paperwork is incorrectly filled out or if there is any verification missing or the verification was provided but is older than 60 days from the date of request or is missing the name/date of the recipient, this can lead to the termination process.

How to avoid a termination for failure to recertify? See this article!

How to Appeal a termination for failure to recertify

In the event you receive a termination letter and feel our decision to terminate you from the program is unjust, you can submit an appeal to our agency. To do this:

Click this link: https://forms.office.com/r/Lqr09ftJGw

OR Email form to: [e-mail]

OR Mail to: Appeals Coordinator 1411 Tremont Street Boston, MA 02120

OR Fax: [phone]

Appeal Hearing

You may be contacted to resolve the termination before an appeal meeting is scheduled. If the hearing is scheduled, you will need to attend virtually, in person or by phone and provide any supporting documents regarding your recertification or reason you were unable to do so. The Hearing officer will provide a determination after the hearing. If they uphold the termination, they will also communicate any additional appeals you may be eligible for.