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Potential and Current Housing Choice Voucher Landlords
OHCD conducts landlord briefings to assist landlords in becoming familiar with the Housing Choice Voucher program and regulations. The briefings are held periodically at 15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Suite 112, Woodbridge, VA 22191. Briefings include such topics as rent increases, landlord-tenant legal responsibilities, and eviction procedures. Call 703-792-7530 to make an appointment, if you would like to learn more about the program. How do I lease to a Housing Choice Voucher Family?
After the forms are submitted, OHCD will conduct a Housing Quality Standards inspection as soon as possible, usually within two to five days. If the unit passes inspection, OHCD will enter into a contract with the landlord. The landlord and tenant enter into a lease contract and supply a copy to OHCD. The beginning date of the lease must coincide with the beginning date of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Contract. After submission of the signed contract and a copy of the signed lease, HAP payments will be mailed to the landlord. Basic Program Leasing
Program participants will present prospective landlords with a Voucher, which indicates their estimated contribution and the number of bedrooms for which their families qualify. Tenants will pay 30 percent of their adjusted income, 10 percent of the gross income, or $25, whichever is higher. In addition, they can choose to pay up to 10 percent of their adjusted income in order to rent a unit in which the gross rent exceeds the payment standard. OHCD will pay the remainder of rent directly to the landlord up to the payment standard for the bedroom size of the unit, or the bedroom size to which the family is entitled, whichever is lower. Features of the Housing Choice Voucher Program Advantages of Leasing to a Housing Choice Voucher Participant
Payment Standards
Note: Payment Standard (PS) for unit sizes larger than 6 Bedrooms are calculated by adding 15% to each extra bedroom. MANUFACTURERED HOUSE SPACE (FMR's) - HCVP- Effective Dec. 1, 2008. Space Rent -PS (100% of FMR) 530 OHCD must approve the contract rent for the unit. The payment standard includes rent and utilities. Prince William County's payment standards are set at 10 percent above the Fair Market Rent (FMR) established by the local HUD office.
Current Federal Income Limits
Please click the link to view current local income limits: Federal Income Limits
Housing Quality Standards Inspection (HQS)
Federal regulations require that prior to an initial move-in, OHCD must perform an inspection to ensure the unit is decent, safe, and sanitary. The tenant should not sign a lease until the unit has passed inspection. Following the initial inspection, OHCD is required to do an annual inspection to coincide with recertification of the tenant. If there are deficiencies, landlords are given a minimum of thirty (30) days written notice to make repairs, unless the repairs are "life-threatening." Items that normally present a problem are: 1) inoperable or missing smoke detectors, 2) burners on the stove or oven which do not light, 3) chipping or peeling paint, and 4) screens which are not in good condition on all windows. The HQS inspection covers basic items in the home such as hot and cold water, electrical outlets in each room, refrigerator and stove, heating, etc. Landlords are encouraged to inspect their units on a regular schedule to monitor how the tenant is maintaining the unit, and to inspect the property each year prior to the OHCD inspection to make any repairs that might cause the unit to fail inspection. Effective Sept. 15, 1999, HUD published regulations concerning the abatement of lead paint in all types of housing. The rule became effective Sept. 15, 2000. The rule covers the elimination of possible lead poisoning from houses built before 1978. If you have concerns about HUD's rule concerning lead paint, contact HUD at: Lead Paint Compliance Center
Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control Department of Housing and Urban Development 451 7th Street, SW Room P3206 Washington, DC 20410-0500 Toll-Free Number: 1-866-HUD-1012 or contact the Environmental Protection Agency or HUD Resources for Landlords (source: Washington Post):
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