Rental Property Owners in Duluth, Southern St. Louis County, Lake
and Cook County can participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program
(also known as Section 8) by providing affordable, safe
and adequate housing for Voucher Program participants.
How can I participate in the Voucher Program?
1. Market to Voucher holders
When advertising, add "Vouchers Accepted" to your advertisement. The Duluth
HRA can also assist you by advertising your vacancy for
free in our weekly vacancy listing that is available in the HRA lobby.
To list a vacancy with the HRA, call 218-529-6300
or fax the information to the HRA at 218-529-6344.
Since the Voucher Program is tenant -based, your ablility to participate is dependent on your unit being
selected by a voucher-assisted tenant.There Is no separate pre-qualification process for an owner or
rental unit. Approval of your unit by the HRA is initiated through a unit-specific request by a voucher holder.
2. Screen Prospective Renter
Property owners and managers are responsible for screening
renters for credit, rental and criminal history. The HRA does not
screen program participants for suitablilty as a prospective renter.
3. Complete Request for Tenancy Approval; (RTA) Form
Complete the Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) Form. Once you have approved the voucher holder as a renter, they will request that you complete the RTA. An the RTA form you will list the rent amount, mailing address for payment, phone number to contact for inspection, unit address, types of utilities and who is responsible to pay them, etc. The renter will return this form along with a lease and other required forms.
How much can I charge for rent?
You should research what comparable units are generating for rent in the private market.
. The HRA cannot approve a rent that exceeds what comparable unassisted units in the market
receive. The tenant is eligible for a maximum subsidy, based on household income and
the applicable HRA payment standards. The maximum assistance a household is eligible
to receive is equal to the difference between 30% of a household's monthly
adjusted income and the applicable payment standard for their voucher size. The tenant must
pay the difference between the maximum subsidy and the rent you are charging.
Therefore, affordability may become an issue for the tenant if the rent you charge
is above the payment standard. Under the Voucher Program, a renter is prohibitied
from leasing a unit where their portion of the rent exceeds 40% of their monthyly adjusted income.
4. CDA Inspection
How Much Can I Charge for Rent? You should research what comparable units are renting for in the area of the unit. The HRA cannot approve a rent that exceeds what a comparable unassisted unit in the market receives. Affordability may become an issue for the tenant if the rent you charge is above the payment standard because the tenant must pay the difference between the maximum subsidy and the rent you are charging. Under the Voucher Program, a participant is prohibited from leasing a unit where their portion of the rent exceeds 40% of their monthly adjusted income during the first year of the lease.
5. Signing of Program Contracts
You will receive a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract that shows the tenant's
and the HRA's monthly payment obligation. Once you have signed and returned
the HAP Contract and provided a copy of an executed lease with the tenant,
the HRA will start sending a check for its portion directly to you on
the 1st of each month. (If you have not done business with the HRA
in the past year, you will be required to submit the IRS Form W-9
before a payment can be issued.) You are responsible for collecting the tenant's
portion of the monthly rent.
For more information on how to participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program, call 218-529-6300.
