Plano Housing Authority

IMPORTANT TIPS FROM HQS

(Housing Quality Standards Inspections)

Inspections Checklist

Avoid the hassle of a scheduled re-inspection by passing the first time:

PHA HQS Inspections department will not perform nor schedule additional inspections on any property or unit that has failed inspection on two different occasions. The scheduling of inspections will remain consistent with HUD regulations as well as the PHA Administrative Plan.

PHA strongly encourages owners to inspect their own units and make repairs prior to our inspection both initial and Annual.

For more information and tips go to HQS Inspections under the Landlords Program

To review Inspection Form HUD 52580 go to http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=DOC_11742.pdf

LANDLORDS PROGRAM UPDATE

BRIEFINGS

Property owners or a representative are encouraged to attend at least one briefing per year.

Briefings will be held the second Tuesday of each month beginning January 2013.  This partnership and commitment is essential to our mission of “providing quality affordable housing to low income families while offering opportunities that enable families to achieve self sufficiency.”

The briefing is a one hour orientation that will help you understand the Housing Authority policies and procedures.  We encourage you to attend in order to get vital information that will assist in a successful Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) tenancy.

Landlord Briefings for 2013 will be held at the Administration Building at 5:30pm.

 

INFORMATION HOTLINE:

Call Plano Housing Authority at 972.423.4928 and go through the automated system for a list of information and service assistance options:

• Press  DIRECTORY LISTING BY DEPARTMENTS prompt
• Press RESIDENT & REAL ESTATE SERVICES & LANDLORDS
• PROGRAM  prompt
• Listen carefully to make your selection for services needed

 

KEY POINTS OF INFORMATION

1.    PROPERTY OWNER INTERESTED IN LISTING YOUR PROPERTY OR WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM:

All property owners need to sign up with GoSection8.com.  You can link from our website at www.planoha.org or pick up a form at the administrative building Monday through Thursday from 8am until 6:30pm.  Forms will not be faxed.

The Housing Authority has partnered with Gosection8, which provides an enhanced program to list rental properties on line.  Through http://www.planoha.org/ listings are available to potential Housing Choice Voucher tenants seeking apartment units, duplexes, single-family homes or townhomes in the private market. List your unit now for FREE.  GoSection8.com provides additional services for property owners that have a fee -- visit the website.

Rental properties are required to be rent reasonable.  We follow the guidelines of fair market rents.  The new Small Area Fair Market Rents Payment Standard Chart is located on our website under the Landlords Program link and Allowances.

The FMR is subject to change and the payment standard is not the basis to determine your rent.  This is the amount a tenant is eligible to receive for rent & utility allowance.

Tenants interested in your unit will contact you directly to view your property.  Once you've interviewed the tenant and you have entered into a tentative agreement, the tenant will provide you with an RFTA, a red packet of information that must be completely filled out and returned to our administrative building during office hours.  When the inspection has been approved, the landlord and tenant will be notified by the tenant's counselor to execute a lease, turn it in to the tenant’s counselor and the counselor will process a HAP Contract.  Landlords are paid the first of the month through direct deposit only.  

For additional and extensive information you are invited to attend the 2nd Tuesday monthly one hour landlord briefings.   All landlords or representatives are encouraged to attend at least one landlord briefing per year.

2.    LANDLORD CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING IN OUR PROGRAM:

Q. Who do I call when I don’t receive my HAP payment?

A.    If you haven’t received your HAP payment by the 3rd business day from the ACH transmission (Direct Deposits), contact Dave Young, Finance Director at dyoung@plahnoha.org, or 972.423.4928, ext. 200 to determine if the contract is on hold due to abatement, missing HAP contract, or unsigned lease, etc.

Q.    I just spoke with my tenants’ case manager and was informed that my HAP payment was held due to missing/ omitted information or failed inspection; I have since forwarded those documents or corrected the problem and have had the unit re-inspected; how soon can I expect payment?

A.    Checks are processed the 1st, 15th, and 30th of each calendar month; if you have resolved the matter which prevented your HAP payment from being disbursed you may want to follow-up with the counselor at least three (3) business days before the next check-run to make sure that a check request has been submitted and approved in time to be included in the following check-run.  If the request hasn’t been submitted in time to be processed with the next proceeding check-run it will not be paid until it has been approved.

Q.    What do I need to submit if I’m a landlord whose property will be managed by agent? Or I am the landlord and I want to change my management company, what should I do to update my information?

A.    If you are acting as a representative of a landlord, you need to submit:

• A copy of the proof of ownership (recorded title, deed, etc);
• A copy of the management agreement (MA must include information on who is authorized to sign leases, who is authorized to accept rent payments, and the name of the party rent checks will be made payable to, etc.);
• W-9 (TIN or SSN provided must match the name that will be shown on your income tax return);
• Owner Information Form (lists contact information of owner/agent and remittance address of HAP payments); and
• Direct Deposit Authorization (are mandatory for all HCV/Section 8 payments) along with a voided check/deposit slip.

All of the documents needed to update this information can be obtained on the ‘Forms’ section of our agency’s website: www.planoha.org.

3.    LANDLORDS REQUESTING A RENT INCREASE:

ALL REQUESTS MUST BE SUBMITTED ON THE PHA FORM PROVIDED.  REQUESTS FOR A RENT INCREASE MUST BE SUBMITTED A MINIMUM OF 60 DAYS PRIOR TO THE TENANT’S RECERTIFICATION DATE.  The Request for Rent Increase form is available at the Administrative Building and on-line at www.planoha.org. Print, sign, and fax to 972.516.0251 or you may return by mail or email to dbundgus@planoha.org.  Our office will not fax this form, nor will we accept email requests that do not have the request form filled out and attached.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

• You cannot evict tenants for non-payment of the rent portion paid by PHA,  if they have paid their portion of rent for the month – Read your HAP Contract.


• e-invoice: This email copy of your monthly invoice also keeps you informed of upcoming PHA news.  Because we make direct deposit payments and send you a copy of your check stub, it is your responsibility to keep your bank account information and your email address current and on file with the finance department.   Please fill out an Owner Information form and return as soon a possible.


• Foreclosures: The HCV HAP Contract is entered into with the “Owner” of the property, and payments can only be made to the Owner.  Should you lose the property through foreclosure, it is critical that you let us know immediately.  Once you lose ownership, you are not entitled to any further rental assistance payments, and must immediately return any payments made in error.  We are required to take action to recover any payments made to someone who is no longer the owner.


• Renters Rights in Foreclosure of Section 8/HCV Voucher Properties (PIH Notice 2009-17 (FR) Entitled Protecting Tenants At Foreclosure:  The new law provides renters with a minimum of 90 days notice before a tenant must vacate a property.  Program participants are asked to contact their counselor if the unit they are renting is under foreclosure.  They must be allowed to remain in the unit until their current lease expires unless the lease is month to month or a new buyer wishes to occupy the home; under the new law you must be given at least a 90-day notice to vacate.


• You are subject to FRAUD if you do not inform PHA that a tenant has moved out and PHA has paid rent on the unit for the month in question. You must report changes to the Unit to the tenant's counselor.  The counselor terminates your HAP contract and processes a credit request with finance – a reimbursement/hold check on your account. If you do not provide the date the tenant moved out we will automatically access a 3 month penalty until you provide proof of the move out date.


• Landlords do not have the authority to move tenants in a unit without approval. Requirements include a signed executed lease by the tenant and landlord, and a HAP contract from PHA


• Plano Housing Authority has the right to terminate contracts with landlords as well as deny approval of a unit with good cause.


• Landlords are responsible for correcting HQS failed deficiencies in order to prevent abatement. Corrections not made will cause abatement of the unit which means we will not pay during the time period the unit has failed inspection.  UNITS THAT DO NOT PASS THE SECOND INSPECTION WILL BE ABATED.  There is no 3rd inspection.  The tenant will be moved or terminated.


• It is your responsibility to notify PHA of the sale or transfer of a property where PHA is paying a tenant's housing assistance. You may not accept payment after the sale date.


• Do not make changes to the HAP contract – it is considered void. Contact the tenant's counselor for HAP amendments.


• Contact Us: When you need assistance and leave a voice message or email, please provide the tenant's full name and address, not just the address, so that staff can properly assist you:

RESIDENT & REAL ESTATE SERVICES THANKS YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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