Landlords

We welcome your interest and participation in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program!

The HCV program, funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and managed by Chesapeake RHA, provides rental assistance to eligible low-income residents of the city of Chesapeake. The rental assistance is paid directly to the owner/landlord/managing agent each month. The amount of assistance paid of the family’s behalf depends upon a variety of factors based upon HUD regulations, factors include family income, number of people in the family and certain deductions.

 A family who has been determined eligible to lease under the HCV program is issued an original Housing Choice Voucher form (HUD form 52646). This form is signed by the voucher participant and CRHA representative. The form is not valid unless it is fully completed and signed. The form shows an expiration date in block 3; this expiration date may be extended in block 4.

 For brevity reasons, owner/landlord/managing agent will be termed as landlord.

 Documents required for each dwelling unit placed on our program
1. Proof of Insurance (Certificate of liability insurance)

2. Proof of Ownership (Deed)
3. Copy of landlord’s drivers license or ID card

 Basic Steps in leasing process
1. Voucher participants with completed, signed voucher finds a rental dwelling unit.

2. Voucher participant completes the landlord’s requirements and is approved by the landlord for leasing.
NOTE: It is the landlord’s responsibility to screen prospective tenants for leasing. Prior to program eligibility, CRHA does conduct a criminal and sex offender background check on the adult members of a voucher participant’s family. However, credit checks, previous rental history and other similar screening criteria is the responsibility of the landlord.
3. Landlord and voucher participant fully complete and sign Request for Tenancy Approval and the Lead Disclosure statement. In addition, the landlord provides a copy of the unsigned lease for the dwelling unit. This information is given to the voucher participant’s case manager.
4. The case manager does the following:
(a) Determines if the gross rent (contract rent and estimated utility costs) are affordable for the voucher participant (gross rent may not exceed 40% of a voucher participant’s monthly adjusted income).
(b) Reviews the lease to be in compliance with the Virginia Landlord and Tenant Act
(c) Ensures the Request for Leasing Approval is fully completed.
5. The case manager will then request that the dwelling unit be inspected and reviewed for rent reasonableness.
6. The inspector will inspect the unit for compliance with the HUD Housing Quality Standards. 
NOTE: An inspection will not be conducted if all utilities are not operating and/or if there is no refrigerator or stove/range present in the dwelling unit; this can delay an inspection for up to three weeks depending upon the inspector’s workload. Partial inspections will not be conducted.
7. The inspector will conduct a rent reasonableness assessment to determine that the contract rent is not excessive when compared to similar units that are not assisted through the voucher program.

8. Successful completion of the above steps results in a meeting between the case manager, landlord and voucher participant to sign all required documents.

 No Housing Assistance Payments may be rendered to the landlord until the case manager provides approval for the voucher participant to move into the dwelling unit.
 

If you have further questions concerning the program, please call 757-523-0401.

Infographic_Benefits of a CRHA Landlord_Moment