The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program helps eligible families afford housing in the private rental market. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered locally by the Quincy Housing Authority (QHA).
Renting to a family with a Housing Choice Voucher is very similar to renting in the private market. Landlords retain the right to screen applicants, select tenants, collect rent, enforce lease terms, and manage their property. QHA provides a monthly Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) directly to participating landlords on behalf of eligible families.
Participating in the Housing Choice Voucher Program
When you rent an apartment to a QHA Section 8 Voucher holder you become a QHA landlord.
How it Works
Families approved for the HCV Program receive a voucher that indicates the bedroom size for which they qualify. They are responsible for finding a suitable rental unit and may present their voucher when applying for housing.
As a landlord, you may advertise your available unit and screen applicants using your normal rental criteria, provided those criteria comply with all applicable federal, state, and local fair housing laws.
Applicant Screening
QHA determines whether a family is eligible for rental assistance and calculates the family’s share of the rent. QHA does not screen tenants for suitability as renters. Landlords remain responsible for evaluating rental history, creditworthiness, housekeeping habits, references, and other factors they typically consider when selecting tenants.
What Steps are Involved in Renting to a Family with a Voucher?
Step 1: Request Tenancy Approval
If you choose to rent to a family with a Voucher, complete the Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) package and return the package to QHA. The RTA is the form that begins the leasing process. It provides QHA with information about the proposed unit, rent, utilities, and ownership so that we can determine whether the tenancy meets Housing Choice Voucher Program requirements.
QHA cannot approve a tenancy or schedule an inspection until a completed RTA package has been received.
QHA will review the proposed tenancy to determine:
- Whether the rent is reasonable compared to similar unassisted units in the area
- Whether the unit is affordable under program requirements
- Whether the owner and property meet program eligibility requirements
QHA may request documentation including:
- Proof of property ownership
- Completed IRS Form W-9
- Direct Deposit Authorization Form
- Voided check or bank verification
- Government-issued identification
Housing Assistance Payments are issued through direct deposit, providing safe and timely monthly payments. Participating landlords may also track payments through the online landlord portal.
Step 2: Agree on Rent
Under the Housing Choice Voucher program guidelines even if the rent is reasonable for that unit under the Fair Market Rates for the area, it must also be affordable for the tenant. You will make a rent agreement with QHA and the tenant that meets both of those goals. At this time, you will know how much QHA will pay you each month for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and how much the tenant will pay you. The HAP and tenant share will equal the total contract rent.
Step 3: Inspection
Before assistance can begin, the unit must pass a QHA inspection under HUD’s National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE).
The inspection ensures the unit is:
- Safe
- Habitable
- Structurally sound
- Free of serious health and safety hazards
Common inspection areas include:
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Electrical systems
- Plumbing
- Heating systems
- Windows and doors
- Kitchen and bathroom facilities
- General health and safety conditions
If deficiencies are identified, QHA will provide written notice and allow time for repairs before reinspection.Housing Quality Standards (HQS) The QHA Leased Housing Inspector will contact the landlord directly to schedule an inspection.
Step 4: Sign the Lease
.After the unit passes inspection and all program requirements have been met, the landlord and tenant sign a lease.
Landlords may use their own lease, provided it complies with program requirements and includes the HUD-required tenancy addendum.
Massachusetts law permits landlords to collect a security deposit and last month’s rent, subject to applicable state requirements.
Step 5: Sign the Housing Assistance Payments Contract
The Housing Assistance Payments Contract is your agreement with the Quincy Housing Authority. The contract outlines:
- Monthly subsidy payments
- Owner responsibilities
- Program requirements
- Conditions for continued assistance
The assigned Leasing Officer will coordinate execution of the HAP Contract.
Step 6: Your Tenant Moves In!
What Happens After I Rent to the Family?
Every year, QHA will determine whether the family is still eligible for the Housing Choice Voucher program and whether the apartment is still in compliance with the State Sanitary Code. A change in the family’s income or size may result in a change in their share of the rent and subsidy payment.
The unit will be inspected either annually or bi-annually, depending on the program. If the apartment is no longer in compliance with the State Sanitary Code or HQS standards, QHA will notify you in writing, and you will be given time to make the repairs. If repairs are not made in the prescribed timeframe, both the tenant and QHA may withhold payment under the HAP contract.
You may request an increase in the rent annually (as stated in your lease), but QHA must determine that the requested amount is reasonable in comparison to other market rate apartments in the same building and neighborhood.
Can the Lease be Terminated, if Necessary?
Whether you use your own lease or a standard lease provided by QHA, the lease will state what circumstances all for termination of the lease and how much notice you must give your tenant if you want to terminate the lease. The eviction process is the same for a family with a Voucher and an unassisted family. You may consult an attorney or bring the matter to the local Housing Court. You do not need QHA’s permission to evict a tenant who is in violation of the lease. You should send QHA copies of the eviction notice or any other lease violation documents.
Benefits and Responsibilities
What are the Benefits of Renting to a Tenant with a Housing Choice Voucher?
- QHA will pay the rent subsidy every month, on time and guaranteed, as long as the unit is in compliance with HQS standards.
- You are protected from financial loss if your tenant suffers unexpected financial hardship which reduces the tenant’s income. When this happens, the subsidy payment is increased to compensate for your tenant’s lower income, provided QHA is notified of the income change in a timely manner.
- QHA can help prevent your vacant apartments from remaining empty for too long since there are hundreds of qualified tenants waiting for housing.
- If you attempt to evict a tenant for good cause, you will continue to receive QHA’s portion of the rent until the tenant leaves the apartment or is evicted.
Are there any Additional Responsibilities Placed on Owners when Participating in the Housing Choice Voucher Program?
The Housing Choice Voucher program requires little beyond that which is required by law. Property owners have the same responsibility to enforce leases and maintain the property for Housing Choice Voucher subsidized tenants as they do for non-subsidized tenants.
Once a year, QHA will inspect the apartment and make sure that it complies with HUD’s minimum Housing Quality Standards, Chapter II of the State Sanitary Code, and laws regarding lead paint compliance. Please see the HQS Inspection Checklist reviewed during QHA inspection of apartments.
Similarly, Housing Choice Voucher tenants have all the rights and responsibilities of unassisted tenants, except that they are responsible for only paying a portion of the rent. As with unassisted tenants, irreconcilable differences between the owner and the tenant must be settled by the Housing Court.
Are there any Restrictions?
Federal law does not allow QHA to approve an apartment for rental when the owner is the parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sister, or brother of the Voucher holder or of any member of the Voucher holder’s family. The only exception is if the apartment would provide reasonable accommodation for a member of the Voucher holder’s family who is a person with a disability.
