The city of Phoenix Housing Department provides rent subsidy payments to owners and landlords of privately owned buildings through its Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8). The city administers the voucher program and determines eligibility for the Section 8 program. The rental units are managed and leased by their owners, who screen tenants for suitability.
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How the Section 8 HCV Program Works
Qualified tenants receive a Housing Choice Voucher from the city of Phoenix Housing Department and pay a portion (approximate 30 percent) of their income toward rent. The city of Phoenix Housing Department pays the difference between the tenant's rental portion (determined by the Housing Department) and the total contracted rent.
The city of Phoenix Housing Department pays the rental subsidy or Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), directly to you or your designated payee each month under a HAP contract. No charges or fees are assessed to owners for services provided under the Housing Choice Voucher Program. As a Section 8 owner or landlord, you will rent to families in the Section 8 Program just as you would rent to families without the benefit of a housing subsidy. You sign a contract with the city of Phoenix Housing Department and a lease with the tenant. Your relationship with the tenant is virtually like the open market.
Learn more about Housing Choice Voucher Program at hud.gov.
Register your Residential Property with County Assessor
Owners may register their rental property by completing the Residential Rental Property Registration form at https://preview.mcassessor.maricopa.gov/forms/residential_property/. A registration may be rejected if it does not provide all of the information requested.
The City of Phoenix Housing Department requires all Residential Rental Properties to be registered as a class 4 with Maricopa County.
Advertising your Units
Owners may advertise a notice of vacancy on housingsearch.az.gov, or place ads in local newspapers or rental magazines. Section 8 tenants are responsible for finding their own housing. The city of Phoenix can only refer them where to find listings.
Request for Tenancy Approval
When a tenant seeks to rent a unit, he or she will have all the necessary paperwork to initiate the process. This required paperwork is called Request for Tenancy Approval (a.k.a. "RFTA" or "Searching Papers"), a packet of forms to be completed by the owner and signed by the owner and tenant. Instructions to complete the paperwork are included in the packet. The paperwork is not excessive and only takes a short time to complete. Once this packet has been completed and returned to the Section 8 department, the process begins.
Tenant Screening
It is acceptable for landlords to have prospective tenants complete applications as a part of your screening process as long as you do this for all families. The selection of tenants is at the discretion of the owner. It should be emphasized that the City of Phoenix Housing Department screens tenants for program eligibility, not for suitability. Screening for suitability is the responsibility of the landlord.
Rent Reasonableness
Rent reasonableness will be conducted to ensure the landlord is not requesting more rent for a Section 8 unit than comparable unassisted units.
Housing Assistance Payment Contract and Landlord/Tenant Lease
Once a landlord and Section 8 participant have agreed to become landlord and renter, there are some important documents that must be completed.
Landlords will be asked to sign a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract with the City. This contract is between the City and the Landlord. The tenant is not a party to this contract.
LANDLORDS MUST SUPPLY OWN LEASE FOR SECTION 8 TENANTS TO THE CITY
The City of Phoenix Housing Department is not a party to the lease, but is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to receive and review the landlord and tenant lease. The City must receive a copy of the unexecuted lease agreement along with the Request for Tenancy Approval.
Once the unit has been inspected and approved, the Housing Authority will request an executed lease in order to prepare the HAP contract. Once prepared, the HAP contract will be sent to the landlord for signature. Failure to submit documentation in a timely manner can result in the delay of payment or the cancellation of the Request for Tenancy Approval.
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