(4) Within six months after February 21, 2003 the Rent Board shall implement a process for direct outreach to landlords and tenants whose primary language is not English, regarding availability and use of the hardship application procedure. Within three months of implementation the Board shall provide a report to the Board of Supervisors regarding this outreach program, describing the implementation process and any known results.
(i) Tenant Financial Hardship Application Standards and Process.
(1) Standards for Establishing Financial Hardship. A tenant will qualify under Subsection 37.7(h) for relief from payment of a certified capital improvement passthrough, if the tenant demonstrates that one of the following financial hardship situations applies:
(A) Tenant is a recipient of means-tested public assistance, such as Social Security Supplemental Security Income (SSI), General Assistance (GA), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKS); or,
(B) Gross household income is less than 80% of the current Unadjusted Area Median Income (AMI) as published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the "Metro Fair Market Rent Area" that includes San Francisco; and rent charged is greater than 33% of gross household income; and assets, excluding non-liquid assets and retirement accounts, do not exceed asset amounts permitted by the Mayor's Office of Housing when determining eligibility for below market rate (BMR) home ownership; or,
(C) Exceptional circumstances exist, such as excessive medical bills.
(2) Procedures for Filing. A Tenant Financial Hardship Application must be filed: