November 29, 2007
Petersburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority to begin issuing Late Fee refunds
Approximately 548 current and former public housing tenants of the Petersburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority will start receiving credits and/or refunds in December for late fees that were charged to them beginning in February, 2002. The average reimbursement per resident will be about $153.
In 2005, the Legal Aid Justice Center approached the Housing Authority with a claim that some tenants had been improperly charged late fees. After investigating the matter, the Housing Authority and Legal Aid officials discovered that a 14-day late notice on rental fees, required by HUD, was not being sent to tenants who were delinquent with payments. Instead the late fees were added on to the tenants next monthÔø?s rent. As soon as the Housing Authority was made aware of the problem, all late fee assessments were stopped.
After much cooperative work between the Housing Authority and Legal Aid, an agreement was reached in which those qualifying tenants will be reimbursed or credited for late fees charged from February, 2002 to February, 2007.
It is believed by the Housing Authority that the failure to send out the late notices to tenants was an oversight that occurred when the Authority updated some computer software. Executive Director of the Petersburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Julian Marsh, says Ôø?The Housing Authority has and will continue to strive to assure safe, decent and affordable housing to their constituents.Ôø?
Legal Aid attorney Steve Dickinson who worked with the Housing Authority on this matter says Ôø?I am pleased and impressed with the cooperation between the two agencies in solving and bringing a timely resolution to the problem.Ôø?
All current and former public housing residents who feel they may have a claim should contact the Legal Aid Justice Center at (804) 862-2205 or write to Legal Aid at 41 Bollingbrook Street, Petersburg, Virginia 23803. Proof that late fees were paid will be helpful.
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