One Strike & You're Out Policy

A. PURPOSE

It is the policy of the Housing Authority of the Town of Beaufort (Housing Authority) that all residents, guests, staff or contractors shall enjoy decent, safe, and sanitary living conditions.

B. AUTHORITY
Drug-related criminal activity, other criminal activity, and alcohol abuse in public housing
and assisted housing communities increase resident fear and decrease unit marketability.
Therefore, the Housing Authority will not tolerate such behavior from its applicants, residents or any covered persons.

C. DEFINlTIONS
Drug-related criminal activity is defined as the illegal possession, manufacture, sale, distribution, use, or
possession with intent to manufacture, sell, distribute, or use a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia.
Covered Person is defined as me and any member of my household, a guest or another person under my control.

D. PROCEDURES FOR APPLICANTS
1. The Housing Authority shall screen out and deny admission to any applicant whereby
either the applicant or authorized occupants proposed by applicants:
a.       Has a recent history of criminal activity involving crimes to persons and/or other
          criminal acts that affect the health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment of the
          premises by other residents, guests, staff or contractors;
b.       Was evicted from assisted housing within seven years of the projected date of
          admission because of drug-related or violent criminal activity. This requirement may be
          waived if:
1.      The person demonstrates successful completion of a rehabilitation program
          approved by the Housing Authority; or,
2.      The circumstances leading to the eviction no longer exist. For example, the
         individual involved in drugs is no longer in the household because the person
         is incarcerated; If an applicant is approved then the individual involved in drugs will be                                                               
         immediately banned from Housing Authority property.

c.       The Housing Authority has determined the applicant to be illegally using a
          controlled substance;
d.      The Housing Authority has determined the applicant to be abusing alcohol in a way
         that may interfere with the health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment of the
         premises by other residents, guests, staff or contractors;
e.       The Housing Authority has determined that there is a reasonable cause to believe the
          applicant's pattern of illegal use of a controlled substance or pattern of abuse of
          alcohol may interfere with the health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment of the
          premises by other residents, guests, staff or contractors.
2. The Housing Authority may waive policies prohibiting admission in these
    circumstances if, the applicant demonstrates to the Housing Authority's satisfaction that
    the applicant is no longer engaging in illegal use of a controlled substance or abuse of
    alcohol, and;
            a. The applicant has successfully completed a supervised drug or alcohol rehabilitation
                program; or,
            b. The applicant has otherwise been rehabilitated successfully.

E. PROCEDURES FOR RESIDENTS
1. The Housing Authority shall terminate the tenancy/rental assistance of any resident
    who:
a.       The Housing Authority has determined that the resident or a covered person is illegally using a controlled substance; or,
b.      The Housing Authority has determined that the resident or covered persons’ abuse of alcohol interferes
         with the health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other
          residents, guests, staff or contractors; or,
c.       The. Housing Authority has determined the resident or covered persons to be engaging In drug-related criminal activity, either          
          on or off the premises; or,
d.      The resident or covered persons engages in any criminal activity that threatens the health, safety or right to peaceful                    
         enjoyment of the premises by other residents, guests, staff or contractors

F. PROCEDURES FOR HOUSING AUTHORITY
1.      The Housing Authority shall track crime-related problems at it develops and
         report any incidents to the local police authorities in order to improve law enforcement
         and crime prevention.
2.      The Housing Authority will forward any resident complaints received concerning
         crime-related problems to the local police authorities.
3.      The Housing Authority will review police reports and newspaper articles concerning
         crime-related problems with its residents or covered persons, and bring such problems to the attention of
         local police authorities.
4.      The Housing Authority shall document its progress toward meeting its goals under the
         implementation plan for any drug prevention or crime reduction program funded by the
         Department of Housing and Urban Development and being administered by the
         Housing Authority.

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