FAQ
Citizens
Noise complaints, complaints of possible illegal activity, or other public safety concerns should be reported to the Washington County Sherriff's Department immediately at 478-552-4795. For any other complaints call the THA office at 478-552-0026 or send an email to tharent@yahoo.com. Anonymous complaints will not be addressed.
Applicants
Applications can be picked up at our office at 300 East Church Street, Tennille, Ga 31089 from the document holder beside the front door. An application can also be requested via email from tharent@yahoo.com. An application may also be downloaded from the forms section of this website.
In addition to a completed application the THA will also need driver's licenses for each adult member of the household, social security cards and birth certificates for all members of the household, & all income information for each member of the household (social security award letter, paycheck stubs, child support verification, TANF benefits, unemployment income, etc.).
That will vary, each unit size has its own waiting list, and apartments only become available when a tenant leaves, or is terminated. The timing of this is difficult to estimate. If you qualify for preferences on the waiting list your application may start higher on the waiting list than others. If you do not qualify for preferences, then your application may drop on the waiting list as those with preferences are added.
That will depend on which size unit you are in as well as how many allowances you qualify for. The determination for rent is based on a standard formula of 30%of your adjusted monthly income minus a utility allowance for the unit. For example, if your monthly income is $1,500, then your total tenant payment would be $450.00, after the utility allowance is subtracted, using $75 as an example, your rent would be $$375.00. Once your application and the accompanying paperwork is complete, we can give a fairly accurate estimate of what these actual numbers are. Rent is also capped at a flat rent amount that you can choose. For example, if flat rent for the unit size you qualify for is $400.00, and your income based rent comes to $450.00, then you may choose to be on flat rent, which would save you $50.00 per month. Flat rents change yearly and can be found in the documents section of our website.
Visitors are allowed as long as they are not violating the lease. Violations of the lease are things such as: staying more then 14 nights out of the year, engaging in criminal activity, parking on the grass, littering, infringing on the rights of other tenants/neighbors. If a person will be staying more than 14 nights a year they must be added to your lease, failure to do so will result in termination of your lease. You are responsible for the actions of anyone visiting your home.
Notice of New Policy on Preferences Effective: 12/09/2020
The Tennille Housing Authority will select families based on the following preferences within each bedroom size category based on our local housing needs and priorities:
Elderly/disabled 5 points
Working longer than 90 days 5 points
Veteran active or inactive 3 points
Local applicant 3 points
Victims of domestic violence 3 points
Homeless ( see ftnt) 3 points
Involuntarily displaced 3 points
All others 0 points
These point values are cumulative. For example, if a person who is elderly also lives locally, they would receive 8 points, whereas an elderly person who is not local would receive 5 points. Point values are calculated and then applications are sorted by date. These preferences would be applied to all applicants.
• “Homeless” is defined as any individual or family who: Lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, AND Is living in a homeless shelter (or other temporary housing provided by an agency serving the homeless) at the time of application as well as at the time of selection. The applicant must be living a homeless shelter (or other temporary housing shelter provided by an agency serving the homeless). An applicant family must also be referred by such agency. Referrals in this regard must be accompanied by an official certification by the referring agency as to the homeless status of the applicant. The Homeless Priority cannot be claimed by: An individual or family who is residing with relatives; or An individual or family who has created a homeless situation for the sole purpose of obtaining the priority. Creating a homeless situation includes, but is not limited to: purposely setting fire to existing shelter, being evicted from a rental unit for violation of the lease, voluntarily moving from an otherwise suitable unit. An applicant family, who qualifies for the Homeless Priority will receive only one offer for a public housing unit. If this offer is refused, the homeless priority is void, and the applicant will be ranked in the preference category for which they qualify. The date and time of application will be noted and utilized to determine the sequence within the above prescribed preferences.
Accessible Units: Accessible units will be first offered to families who reside in the development and who may benefit from the accessible features in the vacancy. If there are no families residing in the development needing the accessible unit, it shall be offered to applicants on the waiting list who may benefit from the accessible features. Applicants for these units will be selected utilizing the same preference system outlined above. If there are no applicants who would benefit from the accessible features, the units will be offered to the other applicants in the order that their names come to the top of the waiting list. Such applicants, however, will be requested to sign a lease rider stating they will accept a transfer (at the Housing Authority’s expense) if, at a future time, a family requiring an accessible feature applies or a family requires a transfer from a non-accessible unit. Any family required to transfer will be given a 30-day notice.
The Tennille Housing Authority will select families based on the following preferences within each bedroom size category based on our local housing needs and priorities:
Elderly/disabled 5 points
Working longer than 90 days 5 points
Veteran active or inactive 3 points
Local applicant 3 points
Victims of domestic violence 3 points
Homeless ( see ftnt) 3 points
Involuntarily displaced 3 points
All others 0 points
These point values are cumulative. For example, if a person who is elderly also lives locally, they would receive 8 points, whereas an elderly person who is not local would receive 5 points. Point values are calculated and then applications are sorted by date. These preferences would be applied to all applicants.
• “Homeless” is defined as any individual or family who: Lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, AND Is living in a homeless shelter (or other temporary housing provided by an agency serving the homeless) at the time of application as well as at the time of selection. The applicant must be living a homeless shelter (or other temporary housing shelter provided by an agency serving the homeless). An applicant family must also be referred by such agency. Referrals in this regard must be accompanied by an official certification by the referring agency as to the homeless status of the applicant. The Homeless Priority cannot be claimed by: An individual or family who is residing with relatives; or An individual or family who has created a homeless situation for the sole purpose of obtaining the priority. Creating a homeless situation includes, but is not limited to: purposely setting fire to existing shelter, being evicted from a rental unit for violation of the lease, voluntarily moving from an otherwise suitable unit. An applicant family, who qualifies for the Homeless Priority will receive only one offer for a public housing unit. If this offer is refused, the homeless priority is void, and the applicant will be ranked in the preference category for which they qualify. The date and time of application will be noted and utilized to determine the sequence within the above prescribed preferences.
Accessible Units: Accessible units will be first offered to families who reside in the development and who may benefit from the accessible features in the vacancy. If there are no families residing in the development needing the accessible unit, it shall be offered to applicants on the waiting list who may benefit from the accessible features. Applicants for these units will be selected utilizing the same preference system outlined above. If there are no applicants who would benefit from the accessible features, the units will be offered to the other applicants in the order that their names come to the top of the waiting list. Such applicants, however, will be requested to sign a lease rider stating they will accept a transfer (at the Housing Authority’s expense) if, at a future time, a family requiring an accessible feature applies or a family requires a transfer from a non-accessible unit. Any family required to transfer will be given a 30-day notice.
No. The Sandersville and Tennille Housing Authorities are two different entities and you have to fill out a separate application for each.
Applications should be updated anytime your personal information changes, such as address, income, phone numbers, etc. Checking on your status is something that can be done monthly since lists do not move very fast.
The THA provides water, sewer, streetlights, and trash pickup. You are responsible for electric and natural gas utilities. The electric provider for the City of Tennille is Georgia Power, they can be reached at 1 (888) 660-5890. There are numerous natural gas suppliers, click on the following link to see current prices. Natural Gas Prices You can also call Georgia energy Management to get assistance in natural gas supplier selection at 1-800-216-0359.
Tenants
Recertification falls on the anniversary of your move-in date. If you check your copy of your lease, the date is listed there.
Rent is due on the 1st of the month. $25.00 late fees are added on the 5th at 5 p.m. If the rent and late fee are not paid by the 24th at 5p.m. then a dispossessory will be issued by the THA with the local magistrate court. This adds an additional $91.00 charge to the balance owed. If these charges are not paid within the standard seven day period from the issuing of the dispossessory, then you will be evicted. If the balance is paid you will be allowed to stay. Two dispossessory notices in a 12 month period is an automatic eviction.
Primarily, recertification is to make sure we have correct income information for you, so we need updated paycheck stubs from all sources of income in your household, as well as updated social security letters, unemployment verification, etc. Recertification is also an ideal time to add or delete members from your household. If you would like to add someone to your household, we will need a photo id, social security card, birth certificate, proof of income, and background check consent form. Approval has to be given PRIOR to the person moving into the unit.
Changes in income, family makeup, damages to the unit, or police actions should be reported to the THA office within 10 days. Failure to do so can result in termination of your lease.
Contractors
Send an email to tennillehousingauthorityga195@yahoo.com, that includes your name, your business name, address, phone number, email, proof of general liability insurance at least $1,000,000.00 , and list at least three previous references of completed multi-family projects, and all previous housing authority references.