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KCHA

KCHA

What is the KCHA?
The KCHA or King County Housing Authority is a Washington state-run agency that plays a key role in providing affordable housing options for residents of King County. Since it was created in 1939, KCHA, through its partnerships with nonprofit organizations and local communities, provides affordable housing options and support services (educational resources, social services and job training) to approximately 50,000 residents who earn below the state’s median income. 
KCHA provides the aforementioned resources to approximately 20,000 households in 23 suburban towns and cities. King County, with a population of approximately 2 million people, is currently the 14th most populous county in the United States.
Since the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development began recording statistics on housing authorities in 1992, King County has been regarded as one of the nation’s “highest performers.” KCHA has earned a perfect score on the Housing and Urban Development’s Management Assessment scale for four consecutive years. The government developed the Housing Assessment System to evaluate housing authorities, gauging their performance in four fundamental areas: resident services, financial condition, physical condition of the homes and management operations. 
KCHA: Recent Construction Efforts
KCHA provides new housing units through detailed planning and subsequent construction efforts. In July of 2011, KCHA opened the doors to 25 new rental units at Seola Gardens. This community is equipped with an abundance of educational and recreational opportunities for the region’s children. North of this complex is the Greenbridge region, which is a newly constructed 900 rental lot and for-sale homes for a variety of household incomes. This community will feature schools, trails, parks, libraries and a community center. Moreover, KCHA spent over $55 million refurbishing the Birch Creek Apartments in East Kent. KCHA tore down the previous run-down apartment complex to build a new vibrant community with a central park and dozens of energy-efficient apartment homes with raised patios and pitched roofs. 
KCHA Portfolio:
KCHA actively owns and manages approximately 3,500 units of federally subsidized housing for families, people living with disabilities, the elderly and approximately 4,500 units of workforce dwellings, financed primarily through tax-exempt bonds and tax credits. An additional 9,800 units were developed through the Section 9 program, which subsidizes families to rent dwellings within the private sector. 
KCHA, in partnership with an assortment of local service agencies, provides an additional 130 units for transitional families and individuals with special needs. KCHA will provide repair and weatherization services to low-income families, owners of mobile homes and landlords who rent to income-eligible persons living in the county. KCHA will also provide tax-exempt financing to affordable and efficient housing developers in the region.

DCHA

DCHA

The District of Columbia Housing Authority, DCHA, is a division of the District of Columbia government whose mission it is to provide affordable housing to those individuals, and families with low to moderate income levels.  The DCHA is, essentially, the largest landlord in the District of Columbia, offering 8,000 apartments and townhouses on 56 locations throughout the District of Columbia, Alexandria, and Arlington.  The DCHA serves more than 20,000 people in the District of Columbia.  
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for housing through the DCHA the applicant must meet specific income and family size requirements.  When you file your application you will be asked a number of questions about certain aspects of your family including: income; past criminal history; rental history; and family composition.  The income standards for eligibility require a single family to have an income of less than $21,750 and an 8 person family to have an income of less than $41,000.  If you are eligible for DCHA housing then you will be put on a waiting list that gives priority based on need and on other characteristics.  Preference for DCHA housing is given to working families; then to the elderly and disabled.
Individuals who qualify for DCHA housing will be required to pay 30% of their gross annual salary towards rent and utilities.  For example, if a family living in DCHA housing makes $1,000 a month they will be required to pay $333 a month for rent and utilities.
Application
The application process for DCHA public housing is a long form that includes information on family composition, income, former housing locations, etc.  To download an application you should go to www.dchousing.org or go to the client placement center at:
1133 North Capitol St. NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
If you are having trouble with the application process you may reach a representative of the Client Placement Center at 202-435-3245.
DCHA Resident Support
Aside from supplying housing to low and moderate income families the DCHA also offers support for those residents of DCHA housing for job training, literacy, and parenting programs.  The following organizations work with the DCHA to help individuals meet these needs.  
1. Family Enhancement Center at Lincoln Heights (202) 724-8627
2. Park Morton Neighborhood Network Center (202)576-3113
3. Garfield Neighborhood Network Center (202) 234-3657
You can also find a list of other organizations at www.dchousing.org

THA

NYCHA

NYCHA

The NYCHA, New York City Housing Authority, has the mission of providing decent and affordable housing to individuals and families in a secure living environment for low to moderate income families within the five boroughs.  The NYCHA, not only offers housing, but also offers educational, community and recreational opportunities to residents of NYCHA housing; including job training programs.  The NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in the United States with over 175,000 apartments available for those individuals and families eligible for public housing.
Application
In order to apply for public housing assistance from the NYCHA you must request an application from the NYCHA.  You will not be able to apply for NYCHA housing online.  You can order a public assistance housing application in one of three ways.  First, you can call 718-707-7771 and request an application be sent to your home; secondly, you may fill out an application request form at www.housingauthority.nyc.gov; lastly, you can mail an application request form to one of the three customer contact centers.  These three mailing addresses are:
Bronx/Manhattan Customer Contact Center
478 East Fordham Rd. , 2nd floor
Bronx, NY 10458
Brooklyn/Staten Island Customer Contact Center
787 Atlantic Ave., 2nd floor
Brooklyn, NY 11238
Queens Customer Contact Center
90-27 Sutphin Blvd., 4th floor
Jamaica, NY 11435
Once you have received your application form from NYCHA you will be asked to enter information based on your total household income, family size and current living situation.  You will be asked to request two boroughs of choice for possible admittance into public housing through the NYCHA.  Waiting lists for housing in Manhattan and Queens are longer than those in other boroughs.  These completed applications should be mailed to:
New York City Housing Authority
P.O. Box 19205
Long Island City, NY 11101-9998
The next step after sending you completed application is to await an interview with the NYCHA to discuss your eligibility for public housing.  Waiting periods for an interview can be long and if you have not received an interview for an interview a year after you have applied you may lose your place in line.  In order to avoid this you must file a new application within 30 days of the expiration of the 1 year anniversary of filing your NYCHA application.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for housing under the NYCHA you must meet a number of requirements.  You must: 
1. meet the definition of “family” which is one of the following:
a. two or more people related by blood, marriage, domestic partnership, adoption, guardianship, or custody.
b. a single person
2. the admission will not endanger the other residents of the public housing
3. must be 18; for senior buildings at least one member of the family must be 62 or older
4. the income of your family does not exceed the income limits prescribed by the NYCHA. 
The eligibility based on family income is based on the number of members of the family and the family’s annual income.  The NYCHA prescribes that the maximum income that a single individual can make, and still be eligible for NYCHA housing is $48,000.  For families of 10 that maximum amount is $97,000.
What does NYCHA afford eligible residents?
Depending on your status you will be required to pay rent based on 30% of you gross adjusted family income; usually including gas and electricity.  

DHA

DHA

SHA

SHA

The SHA, Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey, is a statewide non-profit organization in New Jersey whose sole purpose is to help those with disabilities gain access to affordable housing in the State of New Jersey.  
Eligibility
The SHA operates with the New Jersey State Assistance program, at www.state.nj.us, in allocating affordable housing to members of the New Jersey community who cannot afford housing on their own.  In order to be eligible for public assistance from the State of New Jersey individuals must have an income of less than 30% of the area income based on family size.  This applies to 75% of applicants.  The other 25% of applicants’ annual income shall not exceed 40% of the area income based on family size.  
Assistance through the New Jersey State Assistance Program prioritizes assistance in the following way:  Individuals who are 62 years of age or older get top priority; after that the homeless have secondary priority; family assistance is third; and finally the disabled have access to the affordable housing.  
The purpose of the New Jersey State Rental Assistance Program is to help low income families attain or retain housing until there applications for Section 8 housing, through the federal Housing and Urban Development program, have been processed and receive housing vouchers through the federal government.
If you, or a family member, are disabled and are about to age out of the foster care system then you should contact the SHA to discuss relocation to a shelter, treatment home, group home, short term group home, or independent living program.  The Volunteers of America will work with you and the SHA to help find a living facility for those youth that cannot fend for themselves and, thus, help to avoid homelessness.  
When you are looking for housing because of a disability or special need the SHA recommends that you look through a number of sources including The New Jersey Housing Resource Center, Developers of Supportive Housing, Craigslist, and Social Serve.
How to Apply
To apply for support from the SHA you should call 908-931-1131 or go to their headquarters at 29 Alden St., Suite 1B, Cranford, NJ 07016.

Harvard University Police Department

Harvard University Police Department

 


Where is the Harvard University Police Department located?

The HUPD’s address is 1033 Massachusetts Avenue, Sixth Floor.  If you’re walking toward Central Square from the Holyoke Center, you’ll find the HUPD as you walk past the Crate and Barrel Furniture store. 

If you’re involved in an emergency, call 911 and you’ll be directed to the Cambridge Police Department or the Boston Police Department.  If you want to reach the HUPD directly, call (617) 495-1212. 

What types of crime does the Harvard University Police Department handle?

The HUPD handles the majority of crimes that happen on campus except for serious crimes like homicide.  About 95 percent of all crimes committed on campus involve property theft.  The HUPD still works with the Cambridge Police and Boston Police in most investigations though. 

What Should I do if I believe I’m being followed?

The Harvard University Police Department recommends that you trust your instincts.  If you suspect something is wrong, you’re probably right.  You can call a dispatcher using one of the phones on campus with a blue light.

You should also consider entering a public location like a restaurant or a heavily traveled part of campus.  The HUPD suggests that you program their phone number in your cell phone in case of an emergency. 

What should I do if I have lost a piece of property?

The Harvard University Police Department suggests you call the Property Custodian at (617) 495-1783.  The custodian will tell you if the lost property was turned in, and you can leave your contact information and description of the property for any future findings. 

What does the Harvard University Police Department suggest for scheduling a party?

The HUPD suggests that you visit the Office of Student Activities website or call the Dean’s Office at (49) 5-1558.  Remember, if you ever see anyone at a party who is very drunk, unconscious, and unresponsive, you need to call the HUPD right away at (617) 495-1212. 

 

Alabama Judicial Building

Alabama Judicial Building

 


What is the Alabama Judicial Building?

The building in Montgomery houses the Unified Judicial System, and the building is still referred to as the Heflin-Torbert Judicial Building.  It houses the Supreme Court of Alabama, the Court of Civil Appeals, the Court of Criminal Appeals, and the State Law and Supreme Court Library.  Tourists are known to admire the state building’s neoclassical architecture. 

Glassroth v. Moore

The famous “Ten Commandments Case” involved the Alabama Judicial Building after Chief Justice Roy Moore of the Alabama Supreme Court installed a 2 ½ ton monument of the Ten Commandments without notifying any of the other justices. 

A group of lawyers sued Chief Justice Moore because they claimed their clients may not receive fair hearings because of Moore’s personal religious beliefs.  The lawyers claimed that Moore’s actions violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause in the U.S. Constitution which calls for a direct separation of church and state. 

The case concerning the Alabama Judicial Building was eventually brought forth in front of U.S District Court Judge Myron Thompson and received a huge amount of media attention.  Myron ordered the removal of what he called “a religious sanctuary within the walls of a courthouse,” and the case was appealed by Moore. 

The case was affirmed in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals on July 1, 2003.  Moore continued to refuse taking down the monument at the Alabama Judicial Building, and he was eventually suspended as Chief Justice.  The justices ordered that the monument be removed on August 27, 2003, and Moore was removed from office due to ethics violations in November of 2003. 

Alabama Judicial Building Information

You can reach the separate Courts at the phone numbers below:

Supreme Court: 334-229-0700

Court of Civil Appeals: 334-229-0733

Court of Criminal Appeals: 334-229-0578

Administrative Office: 334-954-5000

 

California Department of Real Estate

California Department of Real Estate

The California Department of Real Estate (or Department of Real Estate, California, as it is sometimes called), is an organization devoted to protection of the consumers within the real estate markets of California. The California Department of Real Estate describes its own primary goals as helping to monitor and regulate the practices within the real estate markets of California; raising public awareness of issues within the real estate markets of California; and providing any necessary or important services to consumers as well as licensees of the Department of Real Estate, California.

The California Department of Real Estate indeed must spend a large amount of its resources and time in regulating those with a California real estate license, as well as issuing further such licenses to those who apply. A California real estate license is required for those who wish to act as real estate brokers and real estate salespeople within California. A California real estate license is also significant in that only those individuals who both show themselves to have the appropriate and necessary knowledge and who show themselves to have the proper character will receive such a California real estate license. In this way, the Department of Real Estate, California, is able to maintain some control on the real estate market of California in order to protect the consumers.

Understanding Civil Service

Understanding Civil Service

What is Civil Service?
Civil Service carries the following definitions: 
o Government or public service where individuals are employed based on professional merit as proven by actions and examinations 
o Any organization in any government agency other than the armed forces
The term “civic” or “public servant” refers to any individual in the public sector who is employed by a government department or agency. As stated above, the term “civil service” excludes all members of the military; however, public servants may be employed in various defense branches as civilian aides. 
Public service employees always include individuals employed by the state; the term encompasses all government workers, including sub-state, regional or municipal employees. A number of people consider the study of civil service to be placed within the field of public administration—employees in a non-departmental public body may also be grouped as civil servants for the purpose of statistics. 
Civil Service in the United States:
In the United States, the civil service industry was formally established in 1872. The Federal Civil Service agency, as a whole, is regarded as the complete series of “appointive positions in the executive, judicial and legislative branches of the Government of the United States, with the exception of the uniformed service branches.”
In the early part of the 19th century, government jobs were held at the discretion of the President—a government employee could be fired at any time. This system ultimately stripped the government of an efficient civil service sector—these jobs were used to support the political parties. The spoils system was eventually replaced by the passing of the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883 and subsequent legislation. 
By 1909, approximately 2/3 of the United States federal work force was appointed based on merit—qualifications were measured by government-administered tests. Other senior civil service positions, including various heads of diplomatic missions and executive agencies were filled through political appointments. 
Presently, the United States Civil service includes the Excepted and Competitive service. The majority of civil service appointments are made under the Competitive service but certain categories in the Diplomatic Service—including jobs within the FBI—are made under the Excepted Service. The majority of state and local governments will utilize a competitive civil service system modeled after the federal system. 
As of 2007, the Federal Government of the United States (excluding the postal service) employed approximately 1.8 million civilian workers. These statistics make the government the Nation’s single largest employer. 
Although the majority of federal agencies and departments are based in the Washington D.C. region, only 15% of the federal government workforce is employed in the area. 
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