The Section 8 Rental Assistance Program is a federally-funded program administered by the Carlsbad Housing Agency. Advantages to an owner or property manager are:
- The contract begins the day the unit passes an inspection.
- The owner/manager receives the rent each month.
- There is an annual inspection of the unit.
Steps to begin:
- List the property with the rental assistance program by calling 760-434-2810 or completing a Notice of Vacancy Form.
- The Housing Agency screens participants for lifetime sex offender registration (Megan’s Law) and drug-related or violent criminal activity. Final selection is the owner’s responsibility.
- Landlords can charge an application fee as long as Section 8 participants are charged the same fee as non-Section 8 prospective tenants.
- Once the owner/agent has agreed to rent a unit to a Section 8 participant, they will receive a Request for Tenancy Approval and the tenant returns the completed RFTA to the Housing Agency for processing.
- Upon receipt of the RFTA, a Housing Quality Standards inspection is scheduled and conducted. The rent charged must be comparable to other unassisted rentals in that area.
Effective October 1, 2009, the payment standards are:
- Studio - $1039
- One bedroom - $1190
- Two bedroom - $1456
- Three bedroom - $2067
- Four bedroom - $2493
Enter into a lease/rental agreement with the tenant and enter into Housing Assistance Payments Contract with the Housing Agency. The lease/rental agreement and HAP contract are effective the day the unit passes inspection and the tenant takes possession of the unit. If fraud is suspected:
- Make a confidential report via fax, mail or by calling the Carlsbad Housing Agency’s 24 hour Section 8 Fraud Hotline at 760-434-2882, option 8.
- Complete the Suspected Fraud Report on line.
- Reports can be filed anonymously.
- All reports are taken seriously and will be investigated in a timely manner.
Owner/Agent Responsibilities:
- Maintain the property in good condition and complete repairs within a reasonable amount of time upon request by the Carlsbad Housing Agency or the tenant.
- Refrain from entering the unit without the tenant’s permission and proper notice (except for emergencies).
- Comply with Equal Opportunity and Fair Housing Requirements.
- Enforce family obligations and the provisions of the lease/rental agreement.
- Comply with the terms and conditions of the lease/rental agreement and HAP contract.
- Collect from the tenant any security deposit required under the lease/rental agreement, the tenant’s portion of rent and charges for any damages caused by the tenant.
- Pay for utilities and services as obligated.
- DO NOT collect side payments in excess of the tenant’s share of the rent; and
- Make reasonable modifications for persons with disabilities.