HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM UPDATES

HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM UPDATES
Issued on April 1, 2015
UPDATES
1. NYCHA instituted a 30-day extension for submitting Lease Renewal and Contract Rent Change
requests (Page 1)
2. Section 8 Property Owners will have an opportunity to submit rental comparables directly to
GoSection8 after an initial determination that rent is unreasonable (Page 2)
3. NYCHA is launching a pilot to test a biennial Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection
schedule for most units. (Page 2)
1. NYCHA instituted a 30-day extension for submitting Lease Renewal and Contract Rent
Change requests.
As of January 1, 2015, NYCHA does not accept deemed leases. Section 8 property owners are
required to submit a lease renewal request at least 60 days before the new lease’s effective
date. If an owner submits a new lease that has been signed between 30 and 59 days of the new
lease’s start date, NYCHA will process the new lease and make it effective on the lease’s start
date.
For example:
 A new lease effective May 1, 2015 must be submitted by no later than March 1, which is
at least 60 days before the new lease’s effective date. If NYCHA receives a fully
completed request on March 15, which is between 30 and 59 days before the new
lease’s effective date, NYCHA will process the lease and make it effective on the lease’s
start date.
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2. Section 8 Property Owners will have an opportunity to submit rental comparables directly
to GoSection8 after an initial determination that rent is unreasonable.
If NYCHA determines that the contract rent is unreasonable, owners will be given an opportunity
to upload rent comparables directly to GoSection8. NYCHA will notify owners of an unreasonable
rent determination and will tell owners they can: upload comparables online directly to
GoSection8 (www.gosection8.com); OR implement a preferential rent, which will require an
amended lease with the tenant’s initials. Owners must advise NYCHA of the option they will
chose by emailing LRInfo@NYCHA.NYC.GOV. If no response is received within 30 days, NYCHA
will cancel the original request.
Please note that the submission of new rent comparable does not guarantee that NYCHA will
find the contract rent reasonable. GoSection8 determines rent reasonableness using the most
comparable units to the contract unit. If the owner opts to submit rent comparables, NYCHA will
conduct another rent reasonableness evaluation and will notify the owner of the outcome.
3. NYCHA is Launching a Pilot to Test a Biennial Housing Quality Standards Inspection
Schedule for Most Units.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has modified its HQS inspection
policy to give public housing agencies the option of conducting regular HQS inspections of
Section 8 units every other year, or biennially. Pending final HUD approval, NYCHA is planning to
launch a pilot to test this new biennial policy:
 Section 8 units that receive a “pass” result during a regular HQS inspection will not be
subject to a regular HQS inspection the following year.
 Section 8 units that receive a “fail” result during a regular HQS inspection will
automatically be scheduled for a regular HQS inspection the following year.
 Section 8 units that receive a “fail” result during a regular HQS inspection and have a
subsequent approved “Certification of Completed Repairs” (NE-2 certs) will be
automatically be scheduled for a regular HQS inspection the following year. NYCHA
requires that a unit receive a “pass” during a regular HQS inspection to be eligible for a
biennial inspection.
NYCHA must still perform HQS inspections prior to executing a HAP contract, and on an interim
basis when requested by a participant or government agency. NYCHA also reserves the right to
schedule an HQS inspection, at any time, for quality assurance purposes.
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