Frequently Asked Questions

If your question is not listed above, please contact the Housing Manager at (505) 894-2244 ext 25 or manager@torchousing.org or by mail or in person at 108 S. Cedar Street, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico 87901.

Call, write or drop in to request an application from the Truth or Consequences Housing Authority, 108 S. Cedar St., Truth or Consequences, New Mexico 87901, telephone (505) 894-2244 or you can download the application. Note, when using Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can fill out the form and print it, but the information will not be saved -- it saves only the blank form.

Villa de Sol Apartments - Seventy Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) assisted public housing apartments for senior citizens (50 or older) or disabled persons (as defined by Social Security disability). Located in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

Hacienda Orgullo Apartments - Thirty-two Rural Development assisted 515 housing apartments for senior citizens (62 or older) or disabled persons (as defined by Social Security disability). Apartments Location: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

Vista del Cerro Apartments - Thirty Department of Housing & Urban Development assisted public housing apartments primarily for families and single parent households. Apartments Location: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

Puesta de Sol Apartments - Twenty Rural Development assisted 515 housing apartments primarily for families and single parent households. Apartments Location: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

WHAT IS SECTION 8 PROJECT BASED HOUSING? Housing Authority managed apartments intended to provide decent, safe and sanitary housing to low income families. Under the project-based voucher program, the assistance is tied to the Housing Authority managed unit, a family who moves from the project-based unit does not have any right to continued housing assistance. However, they may be eligible for a tenant based voucher when one becomes available. HUD pays the difference between 30 percent of family income and the gross rent for the unit. The tenant pays 30% of the annual adjusted income. The following are Section 8 Project Based Housing:

Tradewinds Carriage Apartments - Thirty-two US Department of Housing & Urban Development assisted Section 8 Project Based apartments primarily for families and single parent households. Apartments Location: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

Deming Manor Apartments - Fifty-two US Department of Housing & Urban Development assisted Section 8 Project Based apartments primarily for families and single parent households. Apartments Location: Deming, New Mexico.

King Arthur's Court Apartments - Twenty-eight US Department of Housing & Urban Development assisted Section 8 Project Based apartments primarily for families and single parent households. Apartments Location: Lordsburg, New Mexico.

WHAT IS HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER (formerly Section 8)? HUD's program managed by the Housing Authority for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to rent decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private market (privately owned housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments). The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements and can find housing not only in Truth or Consequences but anywhere in Sierra County. These are tenant based vouchers and after satisfying certain requirements, assistance can move with the tenant.

PUBLIC HOUSING: Only thirty percent (30%) of your monthly adjusted income (annual adjusted income divided by 12 months to obtain your monthly adjusted income, or flat rent, whichever is lower.

RURAL DEVELOPMENT 515: Only thirty percent (30%) of your monthly adjusted income (annual adjusted income divided by 12 months to obtain your monthly adjusted income. There is no flat rent provision with Rural Development properties.

HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER (formerly Section 8): The adjusted annual income is divided by 12 months (monthly adjusted income), times 30%, subtracted from the payment standard of a bedroom size for which the tenant is eligible, to show the maximum housing assistance payment from the Housing Authority. If the gross rent is higher than the initial payment standard, the Housing Authority will not pay anything over the standard amount and the tenant will have to pay all excess rent in addition to the 30% of the adjusted monthly income. Note: this is a simplified explanation, but will give an idea of how the assistance is calculated.

Annual income means all amounts, monetary or not or which are anticipated to be received during the 12-month period following admission or assets to which the family has access, which are not specifically excluded such as earned income by children under 18 years of age (including foster children); foster care payments; payments reimbursing medical expenses; income of a live-in aid; and student financial assistance, etc.

Adjusted income means annual income less deductions for which a person or family may qualify, such as:

For All Households: a) $480 for each dependent; b) Childcare expenses; c) Handicap assistance expenses;

For Elderly Households only: a) $400 for an elderly household deduction; b) an allowance for a portion of their medical expenses.

Income eligible is the adjusted annual income in the low and very low range (see below for income limits).

	1 PERSON	2 PEOPLE	3 PEOPLE	4 PEOPLE	5 PEOPLE
EXTREMELY LOW INCOME 30% Median Income	$8,200	$9,400	$10,550	$11,750	$12,650
VERY LOW INCOME 50% Median Income	$13,700	$15,650	$17,600	$19,550	$21,100
LOW INCOME 60% Median Income	$21,900	$25,000	$28,150	$31,300	$33,800

	1 PERSON	2 PEOPLE	3 PEOPLE	4 PEOPLE	5 PEOPLE
VERY LOW INCOME 50% Median Income	$13,950	$15,950	$17,950	$19,950	$21,550
LOW INCOME 60% Median Income	$22,350	$25,550	$28,750	$31,900	$34,450

EFFICIENCY	1 BEDROOM	2 BEDROOM	3 BEDROOM
$200	$250	$300	$350

A utility allowance will be deducted from the flat rent for the total tenant payment (ttp)

INITIAL PAYMENT STANDARDS (HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER (formerly Section 8)-SIERRA COUNTY)

EFFICIENCY	1 BEDROOM	2 BEDROOM	3 BEDROOM	4 BEDROOM
$292	$330	$422	$568	$641

These amounts are used in determining the housing assistance payment (commonly known as HAP).

Generally, the rule is one bedroom to two people within the following guidelines:

Persons of different generations, of the opposite sex (other than spouses and children under 7), and unrelated adults should have separate bedroom.

Live-in attendants usually will have a separate bedroom (but not members of their families).

Bedroom Size	0	1	2	3	4	5	6
Minimum Persons	1	1	2	3	4	6	8
Maximum Person	1	2	4	6	8	10	12

As of July 1, 2003, the Truth or Consequences Housing Authority no longer uses a local preference system to move applicants up on the waiting lists. Applicants are listed by date and time application is received. We are required to house individuals with extremely low income prior to those with very low or low income. It is possible that everyone on the list may be housed, depending on housing availability, however, the order in which they are placed into housing goes by income, then by date and time the application is received. The sooner it is received, the sooner the family will be placed.

A utility allowance is added to the rental assistance and deducted from the amount the tenant has to pay.

EFFICIENCY	1 BEDROOM	2 BEDROOM	3 BEDROOM
$23	$25	Family $25	$27
		Senior $27

2 BEDROOM	3 BEDROOM		1 BEDROOM
$77	$93		$48

The utility allowance is added to the rental assistance and varies according to whether or not the tenant pays utilities, to bedroom size, what utilities are being paid by the tenant, if it's natural gas, bottle gas, electric, etc.

There is no financial assistance for security deposits and it is the full responsibility of the tenant.

CAN I MOVE? The rental voucher program is designed to allow families to move without the loss of rental assistance, however, they must initially lease a unit within Sierra County for the first twelve months of assistance. Moves are permissible as long as the family notifies the Housing Authority ahead of time, terminates its existing lease within the appropriate provisions, and finds acceptable alternate housing.

WHAT IS THE TENANT'S ROLE? The family signs a lease with the landlord for at least one year. The tenant may be required to pay a security deposit to the landlord, is expected to comply with the lease and the program requirements, pay its share of rent on time, maintain the unit in good condition and notify the Housing Authority of any changes in income or family composition.

WHAT IS THE LANDLORD'S ROLE? To provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing to a tenant at a reasonable rent. The dwelling unit must pass the program's housing standards and be maintained up to those standards as long as the owner receives housing assistance payments. In addition, the landlord is expected to provide the services agreed to as part of the lease signed with the tenant and the contract signed with the Housing Authority.

WHAT IS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S ROLE? To administer the rental voucher program locally, provide a family with the rental assistance that enables the family to seek out suitable housing and the Housing Authority enters into a contract with the landlord to provide rental assistance payments on behalf of the family. If the landlord fails to meet his/her obligations under the lease, the Housing Authority has the right to terminate assistance payments.

WHAT IS HUD'S ROLE? To cover the cost of the program, HUD provides funds to allow the Housing Authority to make housing assistance payments on behalf of the families and HUD pays the Housing Authority a fee for the costs of administering the program.

Truth or Consequences Housing Authority108 S. Cedar StreetTruth or Consequences, NM 87901(505) 894-2244 ext 21 Fax: (505) 894-0756FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Truth or Consequences Housing Authority
108 S. Cedar Street
Truth or Consequences, NM 87901
(505) 894-2244 ext 21 Fax: (505) 894-0756
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS