What is the Housing Choice Voucher Program?
What are the requirements?
How do I make a unit available to voucher holders?
What do I do when contacted by a voucher holder about my unit?
Request for Tenancy Approval?
Inspection of Property?
Lease and Contract?
Can I collect a security deposit?
What is the term of the lease and contract?
What are my rights and responsibilities as a landlord?

 

 

 

What is the Housing Choice Voucher Program?
The Housing Choice Voucher Program provides housing assistance for low-income families in the private rental market. Rental voucher holders select a unit from the private rental market. Rental assistance makes market rate housing affordable. Program participants typically pay no more than 30% of adjusted monthly income towards rent and utilities. The Housing Assistance Payment subsidizes the balance of the rent to the property owner.(Return to Top)

What are the requirements for my unit to be rented to an assisted family?
The unit must meet HUD Housing Quality Standards and the rent must be reasonable for the jurisdiction and approvable within HUD fair market rents. (Return to Top)

How do I make a unit available to voucher holders?
Call the PGHA office to have the unit listed on our list of available units.  Landlords may also advertise in the newspaper with the phrase "will accept Housing Choice Voucher Program". Click here for Landlord Information form. (Return to Top)

What do I do when contacted by a voucher holder about my unit?
Landlords must screen the prospective tenant carefully to insure making a good selection. When a voucher holder contacts the landlord, PGHA recommends that the landlord  perform credit checks, landlord reference checks and home visits to the familiy’s current residence, if possible. PGHA will verify family income eligibility for the program and PGHA  investigators will do a criminal background check prior to eligibility determination. PGHA encourages the landlord  to screen the voucher holder. PGHA cannot provide a reference as to the family’s expected behavior as tenants.  Remember, the lease is between the landlord and the tenant. Treat the tenant  the same as a non-assisted tenant. Check on the family and inspect  the property as appropriately needed. Do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, country of birth, handicap or familial status. "Familial status" means a landlord may not refuse to allow children to live in a residential unit.(Return to Top)

Request for Tenancy Approval
When Landlord has selected a tenant, the family  will have a "Request for Tenancy Approval" form for Landlord to complete. When the tenant submits the form to the PGHA office, a housing representative will contact the Landlord  to schedule an inspection. (Return to Top)

Inspection of Property
The unit will be inspected to insure that it meets HUD Housing Quality Standards.  Once the inspection is completed Landlord will be mailed a copy of the inspection repair list, if applicable.(Return to Top)

Lease and Contract
After the unit passes inspection and the rent has been approved, the landlord and tenant enter into a lease for an initial term of one year. The PGHA and the landlord sign a Housing Assistance Payments Contract through which the rent is assisted on behalf of the tenant.(Return to Top)

Can I collect a security deposit?
Yes.  However, regulations prohibit security deposits in excess of private practice, or in excess of amounts charged by the owner to unassisted tenants. The usual amount is one month's rent.(Return to Top)

What is the term of the lease and contract?
After one year, the lease can be renewed on a month-to-month basis. The tenant may vacate with a notice after the term of the lease expires. If the tenant remains in the unit, the tenant is recertified for eligibility and the unit is inspected for HQS annually, at which time the landlord may request an annual adjustment rent increase which must be approved by the PGHA  This request must be submitted in writing to the housing authority and tenant sixty days prior to renewal. Ask our housing representative about these procedures. (Return to Top)

What are my rights and responsibilities as a landlord?
Maintain the property in good condition. Complete repairs within a reasonable amount of time upon request by the housing authority or tenant, 24 hours or less for emergencies. The amount of time that is reasonable depends on the nature of the problem.

• Set reasonable rules about use of unit and common areas.
• Do not enter a unit without tenant's permission and proper notice except for emergencies or tenant requested repairs.
• Collect appropriate security deposit as directed under the program and use it only as directed by state law.
• Comply with equal opportunity requirements.
• Enforce tenant obligations under the lease.

Expect the tenant to:

• Pay rent on time
• Keep unit clean
• Avoid illegal activity
• Permit access for repairs
• Avoid damage to property
• Refrain from disturbing others
• Allow only those occupants on the lease to reside in the unit
• Comply with terms and conditions of lease and Housing Assistance Payment Contract with PGHA
• Take action through District Court to evict when tenant violates the lease.(Return to Top)

(Some of this information reprinted from Housing Forms, Inc. Copyright 2001)