Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
a)
Housing for older persons pursuant to Section 3-106(I)(1)(a) of the Act. To
ascertain whether housing for older persons provided under a federal program is
"specifically designed and operated to assist elderly persons", the Department
will obtain a determination from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development as to whether the housing is in accordance with federal law,
regulations and standards.
b)
Verification of occupancy pursuant to Section 3-106(I)(1)(c)(iii)(aa) of the
Act.
1) In order for a housing facility or
community to qualify as housing for persons 55 years of age or older, it must
be able to produce, in response to a charge filed under Article 3 of the Act,
verification of compliance through reliable surveys and/or
affidavits.
2) A facility or
community shall, by January 27, 2009, develop procedures for routinely
determining the occupancy of each unit, including the identification of whether
at least one occupant of each unit is 55 years of age or older. These
procedures may be part of a normal leasing or purchasing arrangement.
3) The procedures described in subsection
(b)(2) of this Section must provide for regular updates, through surveys or
other means, of the initial information supplied by the occupants of the
housing facility or community. The updates must take place at least once every
two years.
4) Any of the following
documents are considered reliable documentation of the age of the occupants of
the housing facility or community:
A) Driver's
license;
B) Birth
certificate;
C) Passport;
D) Immigration card;
E) Military identification;
F) Any other state, local, national or
international official documents containing a birth date of comparable
reliability; or
G) A certification
in a lease, application, affidavit or other document signed by any member of
the household age 18 or older asserting that at least one person in the unit is
55 years of age or older.
5) A facility or community shall consider any
one of the forms of verification identified in subsection (b)(4) as adequate
for verification of age, provided that it contains specific information about
current age or date of birth.
6)
The housing facility or community must establish and maintain appropriate
policies to require that occupants comply with the age verification procedures
required by this Section.
7) If the
occupants of a particular dwelling unit refuse to comply with the age
verification procedures, the housing facility or community may, if it has
sufficient evidence, consider the unit to be occupied by at least one person 55
years of age or older. Acceptable evidence may include:
A) Government records or documents, such as a
local household census;
B) Prior
forms or applications; or
C) A
statement from an individual who has personal knowledge of the age of the
occupants. The individual's statement must set forth the basis for that
knowledge and be signed under the penalty of perjury.
8) A summary of occupancy surveys shall be
available for inspection upon reasonable notice and request by any
person.
c) Examples of
the types of policies and procedures relevant to a determination of compliance
pursuant to Section 3-106(I)(1)(c)(iii)(bb) of the Act.
1) In order for a housing facility or
community to qualify as housing designed for persons who are 55 years of age or
older, it must publish and adhere to policies and procedures that demonstrate
its intent to operate as housing for persons 55 years of age or older. The
following factors, among others, are considered relevant in determining whether
the housing facility or community has complied with this requirement:
A) The manner in which the housing facility
or community is described to prospective residents;
B) Any advertising designed to attract
prospective residents;
C) Lease
provisions;
D) Written rules,
regulations, covenants, deed or other restrictions;
E) The maintenance and consistent application
of relevant procedures;
F) Actual
practices of the housing facility or community; and
G) Public posting in common areas of
statements describing the facility or community as housing for persons 55 years
of age or older.
2)
Phrases such as "adult living", "adult community" or similar statements in any
written advertisement or prospectus are not consistent with the intent that the
housing facility or community intends to operate as housing for persons 55
years of age or older.
3) If there
is language in a deed or other housing facility or community documents that is
inconsistent with the intent to provide housing for persons who are 55 years of
age or older, the Department shall consider documented evidence of a good faith
attempt to remove that language in determining whether the housing facility or
community complies with the requirements of this Section, in conjunction with
other evidence of intent.
4) A
housing facility or community may allow occupancy by families with children as
long as the requirements of Section 3-106(I)(1)(c)(i) of the Act and subsection
(c)(1) of this Section are met.