Landlord Information
The DRHA Housing Choice Voucher Program (formerly Section 8) provides rental assistance to low-income families in the private rental market.
If you a landlord in the Danville area and are interested in participating in the DRHA’s Housing Choice Voucher Program, here are a few benefits for landlords to consider:
- Guaranteed Rent: Through this rent subsidy program, if a family experiences a loss of income, DRHA, in most instances, would increase its portion of the rent payment.
- Good Clients: DRHA conducts criminal history background checks on all potential Housing Choice Voucher clients. Landlords can develop their own selection criteria.
- A participating landlord is not required to rent to a family that does not meet all eligibility requirements.
- Low Vacancy Rates: Because clients are looking for quality affordable housing, a Housing Choice landlord may not frequently have a vacant property.
FAQs
The DRHA Housing Choice Voucher Program provides assistance for low income families in the private rental market through the Housing Assistance Payments Program.
Rental voucher holders select a unit from the private rental market. Rental assistance makes market rate housing affordable. Program participants normally pay no more than 30% of monthly adjusted income towards rent and utilities. The Housing Assistance payment subsidizes the balance of the rent to the property owner. The Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is administered by the Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority (DRHA).
Screen Tenants:
Landlord must screen the prospective tenant carefully to insure you are making a good selection. When one of our families contacts you, we can only certify to you their income eligibility for the program. We cannot provide a reference as to their expected behavior as tenants.
You may use any or all of the following screening Procedures:
- Credit Check
- Criminal Check
- Rent Paying Habits
- Landlord References
- Home Visits
- Housekeeping Habits
We encourage all of the above screening methods as long as you do not discriminate. Discrimination includes any tenant selection based in race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, country of birth, handicap or familial status. The prohibition against discrimination based on familial status makes it illegal, in most circumstances, to refuse to allow children to live in a residential unit.
Request for Tenancy Approval:
When you have selected a tenant he/she will have a “Request for Tenancy Approval” form for you to complete. When the tenant submits the Leasing Packet to our office, a housing representative will contact you to schedule an inspection, after all necessary information is verified.
Inspection and Rent:
The unit will be inspected to insure that it meets HUD Housing Quality Standards. You will also be given a copy of the inspection repair list, if applicable.
Lease and Contract
After the unit passes inspection and the rent has been approved, the landlord and tenant enter into a lease for an initial term of one year. The DRHA and the landlord sign a Housing Assistance Payments Contract through which the rent is assisted on behalf of the tenant.
Expect to:
- Maintain your property in good condition. Complete repairs within a reasonable amount of time upon request by the housing authority or your tenant, 24 hours for emergencies. The amount of time that is considered reasonable depends on the nature of the problem.
- Set reasonable rules about use of unit and common areas.
- Do not enter a unit without tenant’s permission and proper notice except for emergencies or tenant requested repairs.
- Collect appropriate security deposit as directed under the program and use it only as directed under the program and use it only as directed by state law.
- Comply with equal opportunity requirement.
- Enforce family obligations under the lease.
Expect your tenant to:
- Pay rent on time
- Keep unit clean
- Avoid illegal activity
- Permit access for repairs
- Avoid damage to property
- Refrain from disturbing others
- Allow only those occupants on the lease to reside in the unit.
- Comply with terms and conditions of lease and Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract.
- Take action through Magistrate’s Court to evict when tenant violates the lease.
The DRHA Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program is regulated by the Code of Federal Regulations – 24 CFR Part 982. Equal Housing Opportunity Program.