Housing Program Training Session

1. Welcome Please silence cell phones and feel free to help yourself to refreshments at any time.

2. Landlords, Office Staff, and Maintenance Jerome Franks, Program Supervisor

3. Introductions • Name • Position/Title • What did you come here to learn today?

4. Landlord Roles • Approve tenant according to your preset standards • Fill out the Request for Tenancy and return to tenant • Make unit ready for inspection • Lease up tenant according to the pre discussed terms with the Occupancy Specialist • Manage tenant and unit the same as Market Tenants • Tenant and Occupancy Specialist must receive all the same notices

5. Housing Authority Roles • Calculate tenant’s total income • Run criminal background check • No Sex Offenders • No current or ongoing drug or violent offenses • Issue voucher and Request for Tenancy • Process returned Request for Tenancy • Make sure unit meets program standards • Make sure unit and utilities are affordable for tenant • Generate Housing Assistance Payment Contract • Must have copy of Lease signed by both parties • Lease must match the HAP Contract • Continue to manage participant to ensure they meet program requirements • Manage income increases and decreases • Adjust each parties rents accordingly

6. Tenant Roles • Abide by Tenant Obligations • Find an affordable unit • Sign Lease once told to do so by Occupancy Specialist • Abide by the Lease • Keep Housing Authority informed of current financial status • Pay portion of Rent and Utilities calculated by Occupancy Specialist • Occupy unit • Have utilities on and in Tenant’s name • Cause no further damage to unit beyond normal wear and tear • Make unit available for inspections • Provide Occupancy Specialist and Landlord notice of moving

7. What is Rent • Rent is the total amount paid to the landlord • Admin Fees • Pest Fees • Set Utility Fees • Any set fee listed in the lease that is to be paid to the landlord

8. What is a Side Payment • Any set amount charged to the tenant monthly and not included in the rent amount • Admin Fees • Pest Control Fees • Set Utility Fees • Additional Rent The housing authority must be made aware of all payments going to landlord.

9. Rent Increases • Tenant must be given 60 day notice of requested rent increase • Many times this increase effects the tenant paid portion only • Tenant must be given time to decide if they want to pay the new amount or start the moving process • Occupancy Specialist must be given 60 day notice of requested rent increase • The Housing Authority has the right to approve or deny requests • Rent may not be increased the first year of the lease • Rent increase requests will go into effect at least 60 days from the Tenant and Housing Authority receiving the request

10. Abatements • Upon leasing to a Housing Choice Voucher Participant, every Landlord signs a Landlord certification and Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Contract for every tenant they have leased on our program • These state that the landlord must keep the unit in compliance to the Housing Quality Standards • According to the HAP Contract, the Housing Authority will not pay for a unit which does not meet the Housing Quality Standards after 30 days. This is known as an Abatement • Abatement not only means stopping any future payment, it also means collecting over paid amounts • Tenants must continue to pay their portion of the rent to the landlord in accordance to the lease • Landlords may not charge the tenant the Housing Authority’s portion of the rent when a unit goes into Abatement. This would be an illegal Side Payment • According to the HAP contract, if a unit continues to not meet the Housing Quality Standards after 30 days of abatement, the HAP contract and Lease will be terminated, and the Tenant will be given notice to move

11. New Lease Ups • Ready for Initial Inspection • Fresh Paint • Clean Carpet/Floors • Clean unit to move in condition • Move in Date vs Inspection Date • Inspectors must be given proper notice to accommodate an Initial Inspection in their schedule • Please allow more than 48 hours between the Ready for inspection date and the requested lease start date • Lease Start Date • Individuals already on our program are usually only allowed to start a new lease on the 1st of a month • Individuals coming onto our program are allowed to start leases between the 1st and the 15th of each month

12. Update your Information • Please fill out this form in the back if your information has changed • Current Address • Current Phone Number • Current Email Please make sure the owner name you are operating under for our program matches the owner name on the tax record

13. Take One If you know someone who is interested in being a landlord to a Housing Choice Voucher participant, please pass along our information.

14. Contract Rent Increase Request Form If you do not already have a standard Rent Increase Form, feel free to use ours. This form is also on our website for easy access!

15. Apartment Listing If you are on our apartment listing, please make sure your information is up to date. If you would like to be added to our apartment listing, please fill out this form for review.

16. Thank you all for coming today. Your effort and continued dedication does not go unnoticed.Feel free to stay for questions and answers.Please keep all questions general.If you need help with a specific situation, Jerome is available to talk one-on-one at a later time.