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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> ,.''oF LOUi'' DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> e.( V11-0. <br /> r LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> .Fm,Iii``;�� P.O.BOX 4368 <br /> BATON ROUGE, LA 70821 <br /> MRIEEE o° (225)219-5600 <br /> • <br /> ♦ ' <br /> FAX (225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.eth ics.state.la.us <br /> January 24, 2017 <br /> Richard L. Murray <br /> Housing Authority of East Baton Rouge Parish <br /> 4731 North Blvd <br /> Baton Rouge, LA 70806 <br /> Re: Ethics Board Docket No. 2016-1111 <br /> Dear Mr. Murray: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its January 20, 2017 meeting, considered your request <br /> for an advisory opinion, submitted on behalf of the Housing Authority of East Baton <br /> Rouge Parish (Housing Authority), regarding whether Telford Williams may continue <br /> participating as a landlord in the Housing Authority's Section 8 program, following his <br /> marriage to Shenika Robinson, a Social Services Analyst 1 (Analyst) employed with the <br /> Section 8 Department of the Housing Authority, in June of 2016. You provided the <br /> following background information for consideration in connection with your request: <br /> Mr. Williams has been a landlord in the Section 8 program since October 2014. As a <br /> landlord in the Section 8 program, Mr. Williams entered into a lease agreement with the <br /> tenant and a Housing Assistance Payments Contract (HAP Contract) with the Housing <br /> Authority for the initial lease term running October 1, 2014 through September 31, 2015. <br /> By virtue of the lease agreement and the HAP Contract, the tenant and the Housing <br /> Authority are responsible for paying their portion of the rent directly to Mr. Williams. <br /> Both the lease agreement and the HAP Contract automatically renew on a month-to- <br /> month basis. Mr. Williams has the option to sign a new 12-month lease with the tenant, <br /> but he must also sign a new corresponding 12-month HAP Contract. <br /> Nevertheless, the Housing Authority is required to recertify the tenant annually. For the <br /> annual recertification, the Analyst reviews the income and household composition. The <br /> Analyst verifies all income sources and any eligible deductions (such as child care <br /> expenses, student status, etc.). After verifying the information, the Analyst completes the <br /> calculation then informs both the tenant and the landlord regarding the new respective <br /> shares of the rent payable by the tenant and Housing Authority and the effective date of <br /> the change. Additionally, in between the annual recertification, the tenant can also report <br /> changes in income, household composition, child care expenses, etc. If the tenant reports <br /> such changes, then the Analyst must complete an interim certification. Similarly, if the <br /> landlord wishes to renew the lease and/or request a rent increase, the Analyst processes <br /> that paperwork as well. Finally, there have been three certifications since the tenant <br /> moved into Mr. Williams' unit. However, another case worker will handle the <br /> certifications even though the tenant is in Ms. Robinson's caseload. <br /> • <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />