HRA Owner/Landlord Information

General Information

Affordable housing is essential to foster economic growth in the region and provide stability for our communities. By participating in the Section 8 Program, you can benefit from new incentives and help lay the foundation for a more competitive region and healthy communities.

The Section 8 Program is a three-way partnership between property owners, tenants, and the HRA. The success of the program at Metro HRA is due to the willingness and cooperation of more than 2,000 property owners and managers. Without this participation, the program would not exist.

The Metro HRA is committed to providing property owners and managers with the information needed to make a sound decision regarding participation in the Housing Choice Voucher Program. To ensure continued participation, the HRA staff welcomes ongoing feedback and suggestions for improvements from property owners in order to continually improve service delivery.

To request an Owner Handbook or to list a vacancy, please call HRA Programs Manager, Beth Reetz at (651) 602-1278.

Owner/Landlord Participation

Your decision to join other rental property colleagues in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program will make a difference in providing affordable housing in the Twin Cities' region. This program is historically the most successful, cost-effective and efficient way to assist individuals and families whose incomes are not sufficient to keep pace with rental costs. Providing the affordable housing in the region cannot occur without you. You offer the rental units. The HRA offers the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Let's work together to make this happen.

The following are the steps to begin renting with a Section 8 HCV participant:

Section 8 participant expresses an interest in the available rental unit.
The landlord screens the prospective tenant to determine if they are a suitable tenant. The HRA does not screen tenants. However, to assist you in your efforts, the HRA provides the last two known addresses of assisted tenancy.
Tenant supplies owner with "Request for Tenancy Approval" (RTA) form for completion. The RTA form is supplied by the Section 8 participant and is an inquiry of the rent amount, mailing address for payment, address of the unit, utility responsibility, etc.
Tenant returns completed RTA by the 15th of the month.
HRA "approves" rent and tenancy
HRA or City Inspector schedules and performs housing quality standards inspection. HRA staff prepares leasing and contract documents and mails to the owner for signature.
Owner reviews documents, signs and returns to the HRA.
Upon return of necessary contract documents and passed inspection, the HRA issues rent assistance payment to owner.

Inspection Requirements

The federal regulations for the program stipulate that each unit shall meet basic "Performance Requirements" with respect to the following:

Sanitary facilities
Food preparation and storage space
Space and security
Thermal environment
Illumination and electricity Structure and materials
Interior air quality
Water supply
Lead-based paint
Access
Site and neighborhood
Sanitary condition

Specifics

Each DWELLING UNIT must have a minimum of a living room, kitchen area, bathroom and one living/sleeping room for every two family members.

The BATHROOM must have a flush toilet, fixed basin and a tub or shower with hot and cold water, an operable window or fan vented to the outside, and a ceiling or wall type light fixture and one outlet.

The KITCHEN must have a stove or range, a refrigerator, a sink with hot and cold water, space for storage, preparation, and serving of food, facilities for sanitary disposal of food wastes, a ceiling wall type light fixture and one outlet.

The LIVING/SLEEPING ROOM(S) must have two outlets or one light and one outlet and an operable window large enough to be used as an emergency exit.

CEILINGS, WALLS, FLOORS, WINDOWS must be in good condition. There can not be any large cracks or peeling and/or chipped paint or plaster. Windows must open and close, cannot have cracked, broken or missing panes, and if accessible from the outside, must be lockable.

PORCHES, BALCONIES, DECKS which are more than 30 inches above ground must have a rail 36 inches high. All stairs (interior or exterior) with four or more steps must have a handrail.

SMOKE DETECTOR(S) must be present and functioning outside each sleeping area and on each level of the dwelling unit regardless of whether there are bedrooms on the level.

The SITE AND NEIGHBORHOOD must be free from conditions which could endanger the health, life, and/or safety of residents. The unit must be free of insect or rodent infestation.

All PAINTED SURFACES must be free of cracking, scaling, peeling, chipping, and loose paint or be adequately treated or covered to prevent the exposure of residents to lead based paint hazards.

Most Common "Fail" Conditions

Nonfunctioning smoke detectors
Missing or cracked electrical Peeling and/or chipping exterior and interior paint
Switch plate and outlet covers
Burners on kitchen stove/range not operating as designed
Cracked and/or broken window panes
Leaking faucets/plumbing
Inoperable bath fan
Carpet and vinyl conditions - safety issues
Railings on four or more steps not present

Important: If the unit was built before 1978 and the tenant has children under age six (6), no defective or peeling paint surfaces are allowed on either the interior or exterior of the building. If the rental unit has chipped or peeling paint, it must be removed using safe work practices, and some repairs will require a clearance test. Another option is to have paint samples tested to determine if its lead content is at an acceptable level. A certified testing lab must collect random samples of paint chips from the unit for this test. Landlords cannot collect and submit their own samples. Contact the HRA for additional information regarding this option.

Metropolitan Council