PHA FAMILY HOUSING YARD POLICY

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PROVINCETOWN HOUSING AUTHORITY FAMILY HOUSING YARD POLICY

The following policy was revised by the Board of Commissioners of the Provincetown Housing Authority on June 14, 2017 and is now in effect.

The Provincetown Housing Authority (PHA) has an obligation under State and Federal regulations to provide decent, safe and sanitary housing. In order to achieve its objectives, maintain attractive neighborhoods and allow residents of family housing complexes private yard space, the PHA sets forward the following policy governing the use and upkeep of yards in family developments.

YARDS
Each family leasing a unit from the PHA will have a designated yard for private yard space for the leased family’s exclusive use. The designated yard is the 8 feet by 10 feet area directly behind/adjacent to your unit unless outlined differently by the PHA.
You are responsible for any items that are in your yard.
FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Each family will be responsible to maintain their yard in a clean, neat and organized manner, free of trash, debris or other hazards.
2. Families will be responsible for maintenance of their yard including keeping stairs, walkways and exits free of snow, ice and raking leaves.
3. Only items designated as allowable in this policy may be kept in yards.

ALLOWABLE ITEMS
All allowable items must be in good working order and both seasonally and age appropriate for the household. All allowable must be stored neatly in your designated yard behind your unit. No items (including trash barrels and recycling bins) may be kept in front of or on the side of your unit. Trash bags must be kept in covered garbage barrels when left outside the unit to prevent rodents from getting into the trash. Only the following items may be kept within the family’s designated yard;

1. Furniture manufactured for outside use – one table set per household. The number of chairs should be appropriate for the household size.
2. small yard ornaments – to be placed in landscaping beds only
3. rakes, gardening tools – to be stored in the back of the unit near the trash barrels
4. bicycles – one per household member, size and age appropriate, to be stored in the back of the unit
5. screen houses
6. plastic children’s slide – one per unit, provided that a child 6 years of age or younger resides in unit
7. small plastic children’s playhouse– one per unit, provided that a child 6 years of age or younger resides in unit
8. covered sandboxes– one per unit, provided that a child 6 years of age or younger resides in unit
9. portable basketball hoops (Not allowed in street)
10. small charcoal or gas grill – one per unit
11. Grills, propane tanks and charcoal may only be operated if they are kept and stored 10 feet from any building or flammable surface.
12. Small child wading pools, not exceeding 1’in depth and a circumference no greater than 8 feet, may be kept during the months of June 1st
– Labor Day (Unless the Town has declared an outside watering ban) provided that they are emptied
when not in use.
13. Small 4-man dome tents will be allowed for up to 24 hours during the period from June 1
st
– Labor Day.
14. Watering hoses may be kept as long as they are neatly rolled and stored near the outside faucet.
15. Families are encouraged to plant annual and perennial plants and flowers.
16. Shrubs and trees may only be planted upon written permission of the PHA.
17. Allowable items may not block walkways, entrances or otherwise obstruct unit access, and must be kept neatly in the rear of your unit when not in use.
18. All outdoor personal items must be placed neatly and secured in a six foot by eight foot area adjacent to the back of the unit from November 1 through April 30 each year. Anything outside of that are will be removed and disposed of by the PHA and the tenant will be charged for the removal and disposal.
19. No items shall be placed in the tenant’s yards that block either the dryer vent or the furnace vents.
20. Any trash not properly stored or not properly put out for collection on the appropriate day, will be removed by the PHA and the tenant will be charged without further notice.
21. No sharp or dangerous garden tools are to be left outside the unit.
22. Seasonally appropriate decorations.

TRASH
Each family shall be responsible to ensure that all trash is disposed of weekly and in accordance with Town of Provincetown ordinances. All trash is to be kept in barrels at the rear of the unit except for the 24-hour period beginning at 6:00 p.m. the day prior to trash pick-up when it may be placed curbside. Trash bags must be kept in covered barrels when place at the curb for pick up to prevent animals from getting into it. All curbside trash must be tagged with the appropriately priced Town of Provincetown trash sticker. Bulk items must also be properly tagged with a Town bulk item ticket and may only be placed outside at the curb after 6:00 p.m. the day prior to your trash pick-up day. Residents shall be responsible for promptly removing any trash, or other items, not taken by the Town’s trash hauler.

NO ALTERATIONS
No alterations, additions or attachments, including fencing, may be made to any building or installed in a yard without prior written consent and subsequent inspection of the PHA.

LIABILITY
The PHA is not responsible for the loss or theft of any family-owned yard items, or liability caused by family-owned yard items. All families are encouraged to maintain renters insurance, or other liability insurance.

VIOLATIONS
The PHA will perform regular inspections of all yards. Any items not allowed by the yard policy and/or items left outside of your designated yard area and trash/litter will be removed by the PHA and disposed of without further notice, and the tenant will be charged for such removal. The PHA reserves the right to immediately correct any violations, or remove any items, that it deems an immediate threat to the health and safety of its residents, guests, or staff. If the PHA is forced to correct any violations of this policy, the resident family shall be charged for the cost of such correction in accordance with the PHA’s Miscellaneous Charge Policy.
_________________________________________________________________________________

This is to certify that I have received and read a copy of the PHA Family Yard Policy and agree to
comply with all of its provisions during my tenancy in PHA housing.

Signed: ________________________________________________ Date: _________________