About Housing Choice Voucher
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Housing Choice Voucher
Rental Assistance in the Private Market
The Housing Authority of Brevard County (HABC) largest program provides federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance to more than 1,600 households with low incomes in Brevard County.
Many of HABC’s rental assistance households include seniors or individuals with disabilities, in addition to low-income families.
Rental housing assistance is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Because funding is limited, there is a wait list to receive federal rental assistance through HABC.
Benefits of Landlord Participation
- Consistent and On-Time Rent Payment – HABC pays its portion of the contract rent through direct deposit to the landlord’s bank on the first business day of the month, and holds tenants responsible for paying their monthly rent portion on time.
- Filling Vacancies Quickly – HABC maintains a wait list of families for the rental assistance program. Tenants are always available immediately.
- Free Listing Service – Landlords have free access to HABC’s online searchable listing service.
- Landlord Stays in Control – Landlords retain the right to pre-screen and select the tenants they want. A landlord may terminate tenancy at the end of any lease term without cause by providing the tenant and HABC at least a 30-day notice to vacate in writing.
- Enhanced Customer Service – Includes unit inspections every two years, electronic signature software for leasing documents, and self-certification of repairs for qualified landlords. A secure, online “Landlord Portal” provides account information around the clock.
- Personal Satisfaction – Participating landlords have the satisfaction of providing needed housing at market rates for low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.
Steps to Become a Landlord
Step 1
Advertise your property as accepting Section 8 assistance
You must first request to create an account with our system, please make sure to include your name or company name, contact email, and contact phone in your request email.
“Rent reasonableness” is the process by which we determine that the rent being charged is reasonable in relation to comparable units in the private unassisted market.
From this method we publish Rental Amount Guidelines which represent the maximum amount of subsidy a family would qualify for based on bedroom size and ZIP code.
You can view the current Rental Guidelines here. Please note that the amounts don’t include utilities, so if your rent includes them the amounts may be a little higher (generally, no higher than an additional $50).
OIG FRAUD ALERT
Landlords cannot charge tenants rent in excess of .what is authorized in the HAP contract and lease agreement.
Step 2
Screen potential tenants and submit completed RFTA (Request for Tenancy Approval) to HABC
HABC will provide upon request:
- The family’s current and prior address (as shown in HABC records)
- The names and addresses (if known) of the family’s current and prior landlords
The owner should certify the suitability of the prospective tenant using one’s own methods
- It is encouraged to perform a background check
- Search www.brevardclerk.us/case-search for evictions and criminal history
Request to see the voucher to verify the family has assistance and what their voucher size (bedroom size) is.
HABC is not responsible for the action or inaction of any tenant.
Also known as the Landlord Packet, an RFTA will be given to you by the tenant you have screened and are interested in leasing your unit.
This packet collects information about the rental unit, utilities, proof of ownership, as well as tax and bank account information so that you may receive a direct deposit of the rental assistance payment, called HAP or Housing Assistance Payment.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST NOTICE
The owner of the rental unit cannot be the parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sister, brother, husband, wife, or any other member of the tenant’s family (unless HABC has approved so as a reasonable accommodation for a family member with a disability).
Step 3
Unit inspection, execute lease and HAP contract, tenant moves in
Initial or move-in inspections occur after the RFTA has been submitted and processed (including rent reasonableness determination).
The inspection will be conducted by an HABC inspector, either Tom or Andy, before the beginning of the initial term of the lease.
Plan to be present at the inspection to sign the HAP contract, receive the rent calculation worksheet, and execute the lease with your tenant
The HAP contract is divided into three parts:
- A – Identifies the family, unit address, total rent, subsidy amount, and utilities
- B – Expectations and responsibilities of the owner
- C – Expectations and responsibilities of the tenant
The term of the lease must coincide with the term of the HAP contract.
The contract terminates at the end of the calendar month that follows the calendar month in which the PHA gives written notice to the owner.
The contract can be terminated at any time, regardless of whether or not the lease is at or nearing expiration if conditions apply.
The Tenancy Addendum (HAP-C) must be included in the lease. The tenant may enforce the addendum against the owner. The Tenancy Addendum supersedes the lease if there is a conflict between the lease and the addendum.
Some of the following is covered in the addendum:
- Rent to owner
- Family payments to owner
- Maintenance, utilities, and other services
- Termination of tenancy by owner
- Eviction
- Lease as related to HAP contract
- PHA termination of assistance
- Family move out
- Changes in lease or rent
Step 4
Collect rent and submit any rent changes or report lease violations to HABC
Rent cannot be increased during the initial term of the lease. To request a rent change, please access the form here.
You must notify us at least 60 days prior to the rent change taking effect.
We’ll calculate how much of the contract rent will be our responsibility and how much will be the tenant’s. In some cases, we pay up to 100% of the rent. The calculation is based upon the family’s income.
The family is not responsible for our portion and cannot be evicted or in violation of the lease.
Often times, landlords will forget to submit an executed copy of the lease and HAP contract. We must have these before any HAP (rental assistance) can be made. If our portion of the rent is late, the tenant cannot be held responsible. See HAP-C Tenancy Addendum for details.
We will recalculate how much of the rent the family is responsible for any time household income changes.
That means if your tenant loses their job or has any decrease in income, generally, we will pay more. However, the opposite is true if there is an increase in income.
If your tenant gets a pay raise, promotion, or higher paying job, you may want to advise them to enroll in our FSS program, which is designed to promote financial self-sufficiency. Any increase in their rent portion will be matched in an escrow account from which the family can draw money. Previous FSS participants have exited Section 8 and bought their own home with their escrow funds as a down payment!
Questions?
Please contact our HCV Program Landlord Liaison by calling our main line at (321) 775-1592 and selecting HCV Landlord – general questions or you can email us at landlord@habc.us.