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3-III.D. SCREENING Screening for Eligibility PHAs are authorized to obtain criminal conviction records from law enforcement agencies to screen applicants for admission to the HCV program. This authority assists SAHA in complying with HUD requirements and PHA policies to deny assistance to applicants who are engaging in or have engaged in certain criminal activities. In order to obtain access to the records SAHA must require every applicant family to submit a consent form signed by each adult household member [24 CFR 5.903]. SAHA will perform a criminal background check through local law enforcement or other agencies for every adult household member during initial eligibility. Registered sex offender checks will be performed on minors 13-17 years of age, as well as on each adult. SAHA is required to perform criminal background checks necessary to determine whether any household member is subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender program in the state where the housing is located, as well as in any other state where a household member is known to have resided [24 CFR 982.553(a)(2)(i)]. If SAHA proposes to deny assistance based on a criminal record or on lifetime sex offender registration information, SAHA must notify the household of the proposed action and must provide the subject of the record and the applicant a copy of the record and an opportunity to dispute the accuracy and relevance of the information prior to a denial of admission. [24 CFR 5.903(f) and 5.905(d)]. Screening for Suitability as a Tenant [24 CFR 982.307] SAHA has no liability or responsibility to the owner for the family's behavior or suitability for tenancy. SAHA will not conduct additional screening to determine whether an applicant is likely to be a suitable tenant. SAHA will not conduct additional screening to determine an applicant family's suitability for tenancy. The owner is responsible for screening and selection of the family to occupy the owner's unit. SAHA must inform the owner that screening and selection for tenancy is the responsibility of the owner. An owner may consider a family's history with respect to factors such as: payment of rent and utilities, caring for a unit and premises, respecting the rights of other residents to the peaceful enjoyment of their housing, criminal activity that is a threat to the health, safety or property of others, and compliance with other essential conditions of tenancy. HUD requires SAHA to provide prospective owners with the family's current and prior address (as shown in PHA records) and the name and address (if known) of the owner at the family's current and prior addresses. HUD permits SAHA to provide owners with additional information, as long as families are notified that the information will be provided, and the same type of information is provided to all owners. SAHA will inform owners of their responsibility to screen prospective tenants, and will provide owners with the required known name and address information, at the time of the initial HQS inspection or before. SAHA will not provide any additional information to the owner, such as tenancy history, criminal history, etc. iii29i2oio Page 3-20