Section 8 Summary

Welcome to the Hialeah Housing Authority Section 8 Program.

1. In 1974 Congress authorized the Section 8 Program which offered subsidized housing to eligible families. HUD mandates the regulations for section 8 and allows PHA's to implement local policies. There are two types of section 8; one is project-based and the other one is tenant-based. Your assistance is tenant-based, meaning the family not the building owns the assistance which stays with the family as long as they continue to qualify. A family, under some circumstances may lease in their current residence or locate a new dwelling, as long as the unit meets HUD requirements.
   
   
2. The Section 8 Voucher entitles the family to live anywhere within the City of Hialeah, or ten miles from its boundaries. lt is valid for a period of sixty days and can be extended up to 120 days; however, extensions must be requested prior to the expiration date and approved by the Hialeah Housing Authority ("HHA").
   
   
3. Once a unit where Section 8 is accepted is selected, the owner or manager and the landlord/agent shall be supplied with the Landlord Packet included in the briefing materials. The landlord/agent may contact the HHA if he/she has any questions about completing these forms. Once completed the packet must be returned to the HHA as soon as possible.
   
   
4. The HHA must conduct a rent reasonable survey as part of its responsibility to ensure that the rent charged for a unit by an owner is reasonable in relation to the rents being charged during the same time period for comparable units in the private unassisted market. ln making this decision the HHA will take into consideration the location, quality, size, age and unit size as well as amenities, services and utilities provided and/or paid by the owner.
   
   
5. Once the Rent to owner is approved, the HHA will conduct an inspection to comply with Housing Quality Standards ("HQS") requirements. The family will be contacted by the HHA's Section 8 Department to schedule an appointment as soon as the inspection passes and will be provided with the authorization to move. The family will sign a lease agreement, which governs tenancy with the landlord, just as they would in the private rental market. The landlord will be required to sign a Housing Assistance Payment Contract ("HAP") with the HHA, which spells out the requirements the owner has to follow. The initial lease cannot be broken during the first year.
   
   
6. The family's portion of the rent responsibility is calculated by taking into account all annual income, minus any permissible deductions referred to as adjusted annual income ("AAf'). Then the HA will take into consideration the highest of applicable calculations to determine the Tenant Total Payment ("TIP"). The HAP is determined using the lesser of the payment standard for the family or the rent to owner plus applicable utility allowance minus the TTP. *Please refer to HUD's Fact Sheet on "How Your Rent Is Determined" if you need further explanation.
   
   
7. If the gross rent of the unit selected by the family exceeds the payment standard then the family's share of the rent will exceed the TTP and the family will be responsible for the difference. This is acceptable as long as it does not exceed 40% of the family's monthly adjusted income.
   
   
8. The Housing Authority does not assist tenants with security deposits. The tenant is responsible for this amount.
   
   
9. The family may not rent a unit that is owned by the parent, grandparent, child, grandchild or sibling of any member of the assisted family unless to provide reasonable accommodation for a family member who is a person with disabilities.