Welcome Section 8 Participants!

Absolutely not! Families can only pay the amount specified by INRHA. This amount reflects what you can afford based on income and family composition reported to INRHA. It is considered fraud if the landlord requires you to pay anything other than what has been approved by INRHA. It is also fraud if the family pays any additional amounts not approved by INRHA. Both parties could face fraud charges and ordered to repay any amounts paid by INRHA for assistance made on behalf of the family. You may also be terminated from the program.

INRHA suggests utilizing Facebook Marketplace, newspapers, Craigslist, and the following free websites for looking for available units.

www.apartmentfinder.com

www.apartmentlist.com

www.forrent.com

www.gosection8.com

www.rent.com

www.trulia.com

www.zillow.com

A request to add someone to the household of a current program participant MUST be placed in writing and submitted to the Housing Coordinator. The request must detail where the person lived before, why it's necessary to add the person to your household, and what income the person may have. In some cases, additional documents may be required. You must already have your landlord's written approval to add someone to your household. All of this must be completed prior to move in.

Portability allows eligible families to lease a unit anywhere in the United States where there is a Housing Agency operating a Housing Choice Voucher program.

The participating family must:

• Comply with all program rules and regulations and all family obligations
• Provide complete and accurate information to INRHA
• Sign and submit consent forms for obtaining information
• Find a suitable place to live that meets program standards
• Attend all scheduled appointments
• Allow INRHA to inspect the unit
• Allow the landlord to enter the unit to complete necessary repairs
• Comply with terms of the lease with owner and HUD's tenancy addendum
• Pay rent on time
• Report maintenance problems in a timely manner
• Not commit any serious or repeated violation of the lease

Owners/landlords must:

• Screen families
• Comply with fair housing laws -- do not discriminate
• Maintain housing unit to meet HUD's minimum Housing Quality Standards (HQS)
• Comply with terms of the Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Contract
• Collect rent due by the family -- enforce the lease
• Not require the family to pay additional amounts not specified in the lease
• Notify INRHA when unit is vacant
• Notify INRHA of your plan to sell the unit
• Certify they are not related to the family

INRHA must:

• Accept applications
• Determine eligibility of applicants
• Issue Housing Choice Vouchers -- includes briefings
• Recruit owners/landlords
• Inspect and reinspect units -- initially and at least annually
• Approve leases and the owner
• Make timely housing assistance payments
• Ensure continued eligibility of family
• Ensure compliance of rules and regulations by owners and families
• Offer and conduct hearings

Inspectors are required to enforce the Housing Quality Standards (HQS) established by HUD to make certain assisted units meet minimum health and safety standards. A quick reference guide for items to be inspected is in "A Good Place to Live". INRHA requires additional standards in compliance as it relates to GFCI outlets to be installed in bathrooms.

• Inoperable smoke alarms (dead batteries or missing batteries)
• Missing or cracked electrical outlet cover plates
• Railings not present where required (when four or more steps are present)
• Deteriorated paint surfaces (i.e. peeling, cracking, flaking paint on exterior and/or interior surfaces)
• Tripping hazards caused by permanently installed floor coverings (carpet/vinyl)
• Cracked or broken window panes
• Inoperable burners on stoves or inoperable range hoods
• Missing burner control knobs
• Defective refrigerator gaskets (broken seal allowing air to escape)
• Leaking faucets or other plumbing
• No temperature/pressure relief valve on water heaters
• No insulation around front and back doors (ensure no outside light can be seen when doors are closed)
• No GFCI outlet in outlets within six feet of a water source

TEN DAYS. If it has already been longer than 10 days, do not wait to report it -- please use the email link at the top of the page to email the director immediately to report your changes. Failure to report your changes in a timely manner can result in having to repay overpayments made to your landlord on your behalf, and possible termination from the program.

Call us immediately to notify us. You will have 24 hours to make arrangements to have them reconnected. Failure to make arrangements will result in termination of your housing assistance.

Call INRHA to discuss next steps and furnish any copies of documents from your landlord promptly to the housing authority.