HOUSING AUTHORITY OF TRAVIS COUNTY

Transcription

1 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF TRAVIS COUNTY Imprving Quality f Life fr a Better Tmrrw! 502 East Highland Mall Blvd. Ste. 106 B Austin, Texas Phne: Fax:

2 What are the benefits fr a participating Landlrd? Steady Mnthly Rental Payments The rent subsidy r the Husing Assistance Payment (HAP) is directly depsited int the landlrd s bank accunt n r abut the first f every mnth but n later than the 5th. Ptential Greater Pl f Tenants Families mve frequently making the vucher prgram a significant pl f ptential tenants. Stability Once Husing Chice Vucher families find a gd place t live, they tend t stay, which translates t less turnver. Free Rental Advertising Landlrds can utilize t advertise the rental prperty. Each participating family wanting t relcate t anther unit receives a listing f available units frm gsectin8.cm. Free inspectins Landlrds may request cmplaint inspectins thrughut the lease term t ensure tenant is cmplying with HQS and repairing items beynd nrmal wear and tear. Fr landlrds willing t participate in the Cntinuum f Care Prgram (COC), the fllwing benefits are applicable: Upn landlrd request, HATC may pay up t tw mnths f rent fr the tenant s security depsit; Upn landlrd request, HATC may pay equivalent f 1 mnth advance payment fr the last mnth s rent; and Upn landlrd request, HATC may pay equivalent f 1 mnth f rent fr damages caused by the tenant upn mve ut. What are Payment Standards? A Payment Standard is defined as: the maximum mnthly assistance payment fr a family assisted in the vucher prgram befre deducting the ttal tenant payment by the family (24 CFR 982.4). The payment standards reflect rents if the landlrd paid all the utilities fr the prgram participant. Additinally, the rent must be reasnable cmpared t ther similar unassisted units. Can I increase the rent after the first year? Yes. Federal Regulatin 24 CFR (g)(4) states the wner must ntify the PHA f any changes in the amunt f the rent at least (60) sixty days befre any such changes g int effect, and any such changes shall be subject t rent reasnableness requirements. Hw d I becme a Husing Chice Vucher Landlrd? Simply list yur rental prperty n and ptential tenants will have access t yur listing. What frms/ dcuments are required t lease a unit under the 2

3 HCV prgram? A direct depsit authrizatin frm, cmpleted W-9 Taxpayer frm, banking infrmatin such as a vided check r direct depsit slip, and prf f wnership r management agreement will be required. Additinally, the tenant interested in yur prperty will prvide yu with a Landlrd Packet which includes frms t be cmpleted such as: Request fr Tenancy Apprval (RTA) and Lead Base Paint Certificatin. Hw d I find a Husing Chice Vucher Participant? The Husing Authrity f Travis Cunty serves ver 700 tenants annually. Each mnth husing specialists recertify tenants based n the end f their lease. Re-certificatin s ccur days prir t the end f their current lease. Once a tenant specifies that they wish t relcate t anther unit, a vucher is issued t the tenant. Each tenants vucher amunt varies depending n their individual circumstances. The tenant will reach ut t yu by yur advertisement n If they are interested in renting yur hme, a Landlrd Packet will be prvided t yu by the tenant fr cmpletin. Cmpliance with Husing Quality Standards The husing authrity will inspect the unit biennially after the first year f tenancy. The husing authrity may als cnduct a cmplaint inspectin if it is determined that an wner r tenant is nt maintaining the unit. If deficiencies are fund, a ntice will be mailed t the wner and the tenant with a deadline t cmplete the repairs. The wner r prperty manager is required t repair any failed items within 30 days r 24 hurs fr life-threatening deficiencies. The family is respnsible fr any tenantcaused damages beynd nrmal wear and tear. If the landlrd des nt cmply, the husing assistance payment will be abated n the first f the mnth fllwing the crrective perid and the HAP cntract will be subject t terminatin. If the tenant des nt cmply, the tenant wuld be subject t terminatin fr failing t maintain the unit accrding t HQS. Key Pints: ü Yu are respnsible fr screening the tenant s credit and criminal backgrund. ü The husing authrity is nt respnsible fr tenant s behavir r cnduct during tenancy. ü Yu must fllw the terms f yur lease. ü Yu must cmply with fair husing practices and equal pprtunity requirements. ü Yu must prvide any evictin ntices r lease vilatins t the husing authrity. ü The husing authrity is nt respnsible fr damages caused by husing chice vucher recipients. At what pint d I knw if a Sectin 8 client is apprved t mvein? Once the landlrd packet is cmpleted, return t the husing authrity. An HQS Inspectr will schedule an initial inspectin and review the prpsed rent fr rent reasnableness. If the inspectin passes and yu agree with the apprved rent, then the tenant is eligible t mve in n the date f passed inspectin r after. 3

4 What are the steps after inspectin has passed in rder t receive rental payment? A final lease signed by the tenant and the landlrd must be prvided t the husing authrity. A Husing Assistance Payment (HAP) Cntract will then be executed by the Husing Specialist and submitted t yu fr review and signature. The HAP cntract is an agreement between the Husing Authrity and wner f the unit ccupied by the assisted family. The cntract must be executed within 60 days frm the beginning f the lease term. The first payment can take up t 60 days depending n hw quickly the frms are signed and returned. Rental payment will be direct depsited retractively frm the date f mve in after a passed inspectin and a signed HAP cntract and lease is executed. Key Pints: ü The lease is between yu and the tenant and each f yu must agree t thse terms. ü A lease must be executed the first year f tenancy. It is yur chice t execute anther lease after the first year r renew based n the terms f the first lease. ü An HQS Inspectin must pass befre the tenant mves in and if the tenant decides t remain in yur unit, an inspectin will be cnducted yearly. ü The unit must be maintained accrding t HQS standards during the term f the cntract and lease by bth tenant and landlrd. ü Only tw inspectins will be cnducted n any unit. ü A Husing Assistance Payment Cntract must be executed between the landlrd and the husing authrity befre any rental payments are issued. ü The lease terms and the cntract must be the same. ü The tenant s rental prtin will be determined by the husing authrity and ntice will be prvided t yu. ü The landlrd may nt cllect rent r late fees frm the tenant fr nn- payment f rent frm the husing authrity. Nn payment f rent frm the husing authrity des nt cnstitute an evictin r a lease vilatin fr the tenant. ü If a tenant fails t meet his/her bligatin t pay his/her prtin f the rent, the wner/agent may initiate evictin prceedings. All evictins must be by a curt actin. The tenant must be ntified and a cpy f all written ntices and lease vilatins must be frwarded t the husing authrity. HUD requires that all units ccupied by families receiving Husing Chice Vucher (HCV) assistance meet HUD s Husing Quality Standards (HQS). The unit must pass an HQS inspectin. There are fur different types f inspectins: Initial, Annual, Cmplaint and Quality Cntrl. The initial inspectin is cnducted prir t the tenant mving int a new unit. An annual is cnducted each year a tenant decides t remain in the same unit. A cmplaint inspectin can be requested by either the tenant r landlrd fr breach f HQS. A sample f inspectins will be selected and cnducted by a supervisr randmly every year fr quality cntrl. 4

5 Living Rm: Space and Security The unit must have a living rm. It must have at least ne bedrm r a living/ sleeping rm fr every tw persns. There must be at least ne windw in bth the living rm and each sleeping rm and they must pen if designed t be pen. Unit windws that are accessible (within 6 feet ff grund) frm utside must be lckable. Exterir drs t the unit must be lckable and cmpliant with current Texas Prperty Cde requirements (Keyless deadblt lcks are required). The living rm and each sleeping space/bedrm must have at least tw electrical utlets in prper perating cnditin r ne utlet and ne permanently installed ceiling r wall light fixture. Kitchen The dwelling must have an perable ven and a stve r range. All knbs and handles must be present n stve/ven/range. An perable refrigeratr must be present and must maintain a temperature lw enugh t prevent fd frm spiling ver a reasnable perid f time. It must have sme capacity fr string frzen fds. The unit must have an perable kitchen sink with ht and cld running water and a drain, prperly cnnected t an apprvable system, with a gas trap r P trap. It must have ne electrical utlet and an perable permanent ceiling r wall light fixture. Facilities and services fr the sanitary dispsal f fd waste and refuse is required. Bathrm Each unit must have a bathrm and it must be in a separate rm with a flush tilet in perating cnditin. The unit must have a fixed basin with a sink trap and ht and cld water in perating cnditin. The unit must have a shwer r tub with ht and cld water in perating cnditin. These facilities must be cnnected t an apprvable dispsal system. Bathrm must have ne windw able t pen r adequate exhaust ventilatin. Electricity and Illuminatin The bedrm/sleeping rm must have at least tw electrical utlets in perating cnditin. Permanently installed verhead r wall munted light fixtures may cunt as ne f the required utlets. All ther rms used fr living require a means f natural r artificial illuminatin such as a light fixture, a wall utlet, a windw, r adequate lighting frm an adjacent rm. Each electrical utlet must be permanently installed in the basebard, wall, r flr. Structure and Building Exterir Interir ceilings, walls, and flrs must nt have any serius defects such as severe bulging, leaning, large hles, severe buckling, missing parts, lse surface materials, r ther serius damage. Flrs, stairs, halls, prches, and walkways must be free f tripping hazards. The rf must be structurally sund and weather prf. The exterir wall structure and fundatin must nt be unsund r hazardus and must nt have any serius defects r damages that may result in air infiltratin r vermin infestatin. Elevatrs must be wrking safe and cmpliant with lcally enfrced cdes. Manufactured hmes must be securely anchred by a tie dwn device which distributes and transfers the lads impsed by the unit t apprpriate grund anchrs s as t resist wind verturning and sliding. 5

6 Heating and Plumbing There must be a safe perable system fr heating and cling that adequately prvides heat and cling t each rm directly r indirectly. The unit must nt cntain unvented rm heaters that burn gas, il, r kersene. Electric heaters are acceptable. General Health and Safety The unit must have private access. The building/unit must have an alternate means f exit that meets lcal r state regulatins in case f fire such as fire stairs, fire escape r fire ladder, a back dr pening n t a prch with a stairway leading t the grund, r an pen able windw if easily accessible t the grund. The unit must have at least ne battery perated r hardwired sme detectr that is in prper perating cnditin n each level f the unit. Smke detectrs must be installed in accrdance with and meet the requirements f the Natinal Fire Prtectin Assciatin Standard 74 r its successrs. Fr hearing impaired tenants, smke detectrs must have an alarm system designed fr hearing impaired persns as specified in NFPA 74. The unit must be free frm dangerus air pllutin levels frm carbn mnxide, sewer gas, fuel gas, dust, r ther harmful pllutants. There must be adequate air circulatin in the dwelling unit. The unit must be free f rdents and accumulatins f trash, garbage, r ther debris that may harbr vermin. Entry/Exits must nt be blcked by debris, stred items, nn wrking lcks, r drs nailed shut r therwise bstructed. The site and neighbrhd may nt be subject t serius adverse natural r manmade envirnmental cnditins such as dangerus walks r steps, instability, flding, pr drainage, sewer hazards, vermin, r fire hazards. Lead Based Paint A dwelling unit cnstructed befre 1978 that is ccupied by a family that includes a child under the age f six years must include a visual inspectin fr deterirated paint surfaces. Deterirated paint includes any painted surface that is peeling, chipping, chalking, cracking, damaged r therwise separated frm the substrate. Deterirated paint, if fund, must be treated. Utilities All utilities must be n befre an inspectin can be cnducted. All gas appliances must have pilts lit befre an inspectin can be cnducted. Rent Reasnableness The requested rent amunt must be reasnable as cmpared t ther similar unassisted units. All prpsed rent amunts must be apprved by the inspectr. Cmmn HQS Failed Items: Ø Missing r cracked electrical utlet cver plates Ø Trip hazards caused by imprperly installed flr cverings 6

7 Ø Cracked r brken windw panes Ø Lse wires such as electrical r cable that may pse a trip hazard n flr Ø Missing knbs r handles n stve Ø Inperable burners n stve r inperable range hd Ø Leaking faucets r plumbing issues Ø N ventilatin system in bathrm such as windw r exhaust fan Ø N temperature pressure relief valve n water heaters with an apprpriate discharge line Ø Cracked dr jambs Ø Missing keyless deadblt lcks n all exterir drs Ø Missing peephle/dr viewers n all exterir drs unless the dr has a windw Ø Missing sliding dr pin lcks n each exterir sliding glass dr; Missing a sliding dr handle latch r a sliding dr security bar n each exterir sliding glass dr Ø Nn functinal smke detectrs Ø Railings nt present where required Ø Utilities shut ff/ n running water Ø Gas leak Ø Expsed electrical wiring Inspectin prcess If a unit fails the inspectin, an inspectin reprt with all failed items will be mailed. When the repairs are cmpleted, the landlrd must cntact the husing authrity fr a re-inspectin. The repairs must be cmpleted within 30 days r 24 hurs fr life threatening emergencies. The family is respnsible fr any family caused damages beynd nrmal wear and tear. Fr annual inspectins, if repairs are nt made by the specified deadline, the husing assistance payments will be abated. The unit must be mve in ready and either vacant r ccupied by the tenant applying fr the unit fr the inspectin t be cnducted. Thank yu fr participating in the Husing Chice Vucher Prgram! 7