Landlord Information

Owner’s have numerous responsibilities under the program, including screening and leasing of families, maintaining the dwelling unit, enforcing the lease, and complying with various contractual obligations.

The basic owner responsibilities are outlined in the regulations as follows:

• Performing all of the owner’s obligations under the Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract and the lease
• Performing all management and rental functions for the assisted unit, including selecting a voucher-holder to lease the unit and deciding if the family is suitable for tenancy of the unit
• Maintaining the unit in accordance with the Housing Quality Standards (HQS) including performance of ordinary and extraordinary maintenance
• Complying with equal opportunity requirements
• Preparing and furnishing to the Public Housing Authority (PHA) information required under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract
• Collecting from the family the security deposit, the tenant’s contribution to rent - that part of rent to owner not covered by the housing assistance payment from the Public Housing Agency (PHA), and any charges for unit damage by family
• Enforcing tenant obligations under the dwelling lease
• Paying for utilities and services (unless paid by the family under the lease)
• Making modifications to a dwelling unit occupied or not to be occupied by a disabled person [24CFR 100.203]

The Public Housing Agency (PHA) also elects the following additional requirements to the Housing Quality Standards (HQS)

• Water test for rural areas not tied to a city system
• Heating inspection on the furnace system required every two years