SCCHA Alleged Abuse Reporting Process
We place a high priority on program integrity – preventing fraud and assuring that housing assistance payments are paid only on behalf of qualified and eligible participants. When people cheat the Housing Choice Voucher program, they’re taking resources from families who need affordable housing.
If you see Housing Choice Voucher program violations, please report it so we can investigate further. You are encouraged to report incidences of potential abuse/program violations promptly. Anything you report is confidential.
Report Suspected Program Violations![](https://www.scchousingauthority.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/reporting-fraud-process-illustration.png)
SCCHA wants to get help to families who need it.
Please help us keep the system honest.
There are three ways to report fraud:
![](https://www.scchousingauthority.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/computer-illustration.png)
![](https://www.scchousingauthority.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/mail-illustration.png)
In Person
Visit our offices at 505 W. Julian Street
San Jose, CA 95110 to speak to our staff
![](https://www.scchousingauthority.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/phone-illustration-v002-@2x.png)
Call
Call our main line at (408) 275-8770. You may also request a form to be mailed to you
We investigate all allegations of program abuse on rental subsidies within Santa Clara County only, including: San Jose, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San Martin, Milpitas, Campbell, Los Gatos, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Saratoga, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Monte Sereno, and unincorporated areas of the County.
Once we get a report, we’ll look into it. A specialized department staff gets assigned to the case. If they find program abuse is taking place, they’ll take appropriate action against the participant or owner.
No, all reports are kept confidential. The information you provide is strictly confidential. When information is brought forward about possible program abuse, we conduct an independent investigation--without revealing the name of any person who brought it to our attention.
No. Because of confidentiality requirements, we’re not able to make any statements regarding the status of any investigation or results.
Fair and thorough investigations take time. Be assured that every allegation will be investigated, and if program abuse is found, we will take the appropriate action.
To learn more about the requirements of our program, policies can be found within our Administrative Plan. Examples of violations include:
- Unreported income
- Extra people in the unit
- Landlord accepting extra money on the side
- Household member no longer living in the unit
- Renting from a relative
- Owner accepting Housing Assistance payments for a vacant unit
- Owner living in the same rental unit as the program participant
- Additional people living in the home without approval from the Housing Authority and landlord
- Tenant subleasing all or part of the rental unit
- Side payments. This is when the tenant is paying more rent to the landlord than the amount stated on the Tenancy Addendum to the Lease
- Tenant charging a live-in aide rent
- Committing a serious criminal act
- Misstatements of facts
- Omission of facts
- Making false statements
- Lying on personal declaration forms
- Failure to comply with program requirements
- Failure to report all income and/or assets
- Failure to report changes in income or household composition
Report program abuse – it matters. If you suspect someone is abusing the Santa Clara County Housing Authority's rental assistance programs. All the information you provide will be gathered in the strictest of confidence. Please be specific and include the facts to back up your claim; information that’s too vague or cannot be supported can result in a closed report, without any action taken.