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PART III: INFORMAL REVIEWS AND HEARINGS <br />16-III.A. OVERVIEW <br />Both applicants and participants have the right to disagree with, and appeal, certain decisions of <br />SAHA that may adversely affect them. SAHA decisions that may be appealed by applicants and <br />participants are discussed in this section. <br />The process for applicant appeals of SAHA decisions is called the "informal review." For <br />participants (or applicants denied admission because of citizenship issues), the appeal process is <br />called an "informal hearing." PHAs are required to include informal review procedures for <br />applicants and informal hearing procedures for participants in their administrative plans [24 CFR <br />982.54(d)(12) and (13)]. <br />16-III.B. INFORMAL REVIEWS <br />Informal reviews are provided for program applicants. An applicant is someone who has applied <br />for admission to the program, but is not yet a participant in the program. Informal reviews are <br />intended to provide a "minimum hearing requirement" [24 CFR 982.554], and need not be as <br />elaborate as the informal hearing requirements [Federal Register 60, no. 127 (3 July 1995): <br />34690]. <br />Decisions Subject to Informal Review <br />SAHA must give an applicant the opportunity for an informal review of a decision denying <br />assistance [24 CFR 982.554(a)]. Denial of assistance may include any or all of the following [24 <br />CFR 982.552(a)(2)]: <br />• Denying listing on SAHA waiting list <br />• Denying or withdrawing a voucher <br />• Refusing to enter into a HAP contract or approve a lease <br />• Refusing to process or provide assistance under portability procedures <br />Informal reviews are not required for the following reasons [24 CFR 982.554(c)]: <br />• Discretionary administrative determinations by SAHA <br />• General policy issues or class grievances <br />• A determination of the family unit size under SAHA subsidy standards <br />• SAHA determination not to approve an extension or suspension of a voucher term <br />• SAHA determination not to grant approval of the tenancy <br />• SAHA determination that the unit is not in compliance with the HQS <br />• SAHA determination that the unit is not in accordance with the HQS due to family size <br />or composition <br />SAHA Policy <br />SAHA will only offer an informal review to applicants for whom assistance is being <br />denied. Denial of assistance includes: denying listing on SAHA's waiting list; denying or <br />4-39 <br />