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General Landlord Information

This section is a question and answer summary for owners, agents and managers of rental property.
Landlord Seminars are held in both east and west county. Dates of seminars

What is the Housing Choice Voucher Program?
The Housing Choice Voucher Program is a program funded by Congress and the President and under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and administered by the Housing Authority of the County of Riverside to provide decent, safe and sanitary affordable rental housing for very low income families. The Housing Authority (HA) assists these families by paying a portion of the contract rent to the landlord and the family pays a portion of the rent to the landlord. The family pays approximately 30 percent of their monthly income as their share of the rent.

Who is eligible for a Voucher?
Families with income that is 50 percent or less of the median income for the area qualify as very low income families. An eligible family can be a single person household that is elderly or disabled, as well as families of two or more. Please see the application and eligibility page for more information.

What does the landlord need to do?
The landlord must attract a family that has already been determined as eligible and has been issued a Voucher indicating eligibility by the Housing Authority. The landlord is responsible to screen the family for suitability as a tenant, just as they would any prospective tenant. Clicking on the link will allow you to check on criminal activity in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

If the landlord decides to rent to the family, a Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) is completed and submitted to the HA. Eligible families are given the RTA at the time they are issued a Voucher. The HA schedules an inspection of the rental unit in approximately seven days. If the unit meets HUD Housing Quality Standards and the rent amount is approvable by standards set by HUD, the lease is signed by the landlord and tenant and the contract is signed by the HA representative and the landlord.

The landlord is expected to collect a security deposit and the family's share of the rent. The landlord is expected to maintain the property's overall condition and see that the basic plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling systems, etc. are functioning properly. Should the family violate the terms of the lease or fail to pay the rent, the landlord would evict the family through the normal court eviction procedure and send the HA copies of any notices that the tenant is served as they are served.

The HA will process payment on the first business day of each month for the HA portion of the rent. Direct deposit of the HA portion is available and encouraged to prevent loss or theft of the payments for Voucher participants. See our Financial Services page.

May I rent my unit to a family member who is receiving rental assistance though the Housing Voucher Choice Program? 
No. Federal Regulations [24 CFR 982.306 (d)] prohibits the Housing Authority from approving a unit for assistance if the owner is the parent, child, grandparent, sister, or brother of any member of the family. The only exception to this regulation is when a family member is a person with disabilities and it has been determined that approving the unit would provide a reasonable accommodation for that family member.

What does the family need to do?
The participating family is responsible to pay the rent and the utilities for which they are obligated under the lease. They are also responsible to follow all the terms of the lease. The family is responsible for normal housekeeping maintenance of the rental unit. (Please see the Participant Obligations on our web site for additional program obligations for the family.) Serious or repeated lease violations can result in the termination of housing assistance under the federal regulations. If the family damages the rental unit beyond normal wear and tear, they are responsible to pay for the damages. Damaging the unit may also result in the termination of a family's assistance.

How do I get started?
You can choose to advertise your rental property however you prefer. Additionally, you can register your property on the AffordableHousing.com website. For the fastest service and to access all of AffordableHousing.com's free features, we recommend adding your listing online at www.affordablehousing.com.

If you do not have internet access then you can add a free listing by either fax or mail. If you wish to print and fax, or mail the Property Listing Form, it is available here: Property Listing Form - affrodable housing.com.  For verbal instructions on how to list by fax or mail please call Affordable Housing toll free at 866.466.SEC8 (7328) and press “2” for Landlord options. If you are having difficulty listing online and need technical assistance please press “4”.

The listing information is made available to Voucher families who are looking for a unit. An informational packet for new owners will be mailed to you at your request.

This is a COURTESY listing only. Landlords and tenants are not pre-approved or pre-screened by the Housing Authority. Tenants and landlords are responsible for doing their own background screening and for following their own approval process. It is expected that each party will sign at least a one year Lease Agreement. In addition, the landlord will sign a one year Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Contract with the Housing Authority.

What are the rent limits?
The contract rent represents the total monthly rent to the owner from both the tenant and the Housing Authority. The tenant share is the amount that the tenant pays plus any utilities that the tenant is required to pay. The Housing Authority pays part of the contract rent based on an income-based calculation that is tied to the tenant's income. No payments in addition to the contract rent are allowed. If any additional payments are made in excess of the contract rent it is considered fraud. 

What are the Voucher Payment Standards?
The Voucher Payment Standards are rent amounts at which the participating family would be paying 30 percent of their income toward the rent. Families may pay slightly more but they may not pay more than 40 percent of their income toward rent and utilities. The Housing Authority determines the maximum allowable payment to the owner. This amount cannot be increased even if the rent exceeds the payment standard. Voucher rents must also be certified as reasonable in comparison to other open market rents in the area. To view our current payment standards click here.