901.125—PHA right of appeal.
(a)
A PHA has the right to appeal its PHMAP score to the State/Area Office, including a troubled designation or a mod-troubled designation. A PHA may appeal its management assessment rating on the basis of data errors (any dispute over the accuracy, calculation, or interpretation of data employed in the grading process that would affect a PHA's PHMAP score), the denial of exclusion or modification requests when their denial affects a PHA's total weighted score, the denial of an adjustment based on the physical condition and neighborhood environment of a PHA's developments, or a determination of intentional false certification:
(1)
A PHA may appeal its management assessment rating to the State/Area Office only for the reasons stated in paragraph (a) of this section:
(i)
A PHA may not appeal its PHMAP score to the State/Area Office unless it has submitted its certification to the State/Area Office.
(ii)
A PHA may not appeal its PHMAP score to the State/Area Office if the reason the PHA received a deficient grade in any indicator or component was due to the fact the PHA did not submit a required report in a timely manner or without an approved time extension.
(iii)
A PHA may not appeal its PHMAP score to the State/Area Office if the reason the PHA received a failing grade in any indicator or component was due to the fact that the PHA did not provide justifying documentation to the independent auditor for any indicator(s) or component(s) the PHA certified to.
(2)
The appeal shall be submitted to the State/Area Office and shall include supporting documentary justification of the reasons for the appeal.
(3)
The State/Area Office will make determinations on initial appeals and will transmit the determination of the appeal to the PHA in a notification letter that will also include the date and place for submitting any further appeal.
(4)
Appeals submitted to the State/Area Office without appropriate documentation will not be considered and will be returned to the PHA.
(b)
Appeals of rescission of high performer designation shall be made directly to the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
(c)
A PHA may appeal the denial of an initial appeal by the State/Area Office to the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing for the following reasons:
(6)
The denial of exclusion or modification requests when their denial affects a PHA's total weighted score;
(7)
The denial of an adjustment based on the physical condition and neighborhood environment of a PHA's developments;
(8)
The refusal of a petition in accordance with § 901.140 to remove troubled or mod-troubled designations.
(d)
A PHA may appeal its management assessment rating to the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing only for the reasons stated in paragraph (c) of this section.
(e)
A PHA may not appeal its PHMAP score to the Assistant Secretary unless it has submitted its certification to the State/Area Office.
(f)
Appeals submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing without appropriate documentation will not be considered and will be returned to the PHA.
(g)
The date and place by which any appeal must be submitted will be specified in the letter from the State/Area Office notifying the PHA of any determination or action. For example, the State/Area Office initial notification letter or denial of initial appeal letter will specify the date and place by which appeals must be received. The date specified will be the 15th calendar day after the letter is mailed, not counting the day the letter is mailed. If the 15th day falls on a weekend or holiday, the date specified will be the next day that is not on a weekend or a holiday. Any appeal not received by the specified time and place will not be considered.