HAC’s Landlord Corner

Welcome to Landlord Corner, a site for property owners and managers who participate in HAC’s rental subsidy programs – or for those who are thinking about renting their units and want to learn more about us. We welcome all comments and queries about the information presented here.

We’d also like to know what you think about other issues. For example, how can HAC rental subsidy staff serve you better? What issues do you need to learn more about (e.g., lead paint, mold, eviction, tenant screening, rent increases)? How are landlords affected by federal changes in rental subsidy funding and policy, and what can you do about it?

> Basic Inspection Checklist

18 items to help you make your to-do list

> Getting Off on the Right Foot

> Getting Your Unit Leased

As a property owner you are required to screen and select a tenant for your unit. Once you’ve checked references and completed your tenant selection process, you’ll complete the Request For Tenancy Approval (RFTA). This form notifies Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) that you and the tenant are ready to start the lease up process. The tenant will bring this form to you for review and signature.

> Requesting a Rent Increase

Rent increases can be requested annually. This usually occurs at the anniversary of the lease and contract. Here’s how the process works.

> Tenant Screening: Homework Pays Off

“Screening tenants is probably the most important task a property owner undertakes.” These words of wisdom come from Property Management Manual for Massachusetts Rental Owners, 4th edition, published by HAP, Inc. Too often we at HAC hear a landlord lament renting to someone who “seemed like such a nice person” without checking references or credit and then regretting that decision.

> Unit Quality & Rent Reasonableness

HUD requires Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) to determine the quality of a unit as part of the Rent Reasonableness process. HAC’s inspectors, as part of the HUD Housing Quality Standards initial inspection of a unit, will conduct a subjective, unbiased evaluation of the unit and assign it a grade. This grade is used to determine the contract rent. Following is a generalized version of the grading criteria HAC uses to determine a unit’s quality. Not every unit fits every grading point. These are just some of the considerations each inspector weighs in determining the quality.

> Violence Against Women Act – Landlord Info

The Leased Housing Department assigns tenants to the Program Representative based upon the first letter of the tenant’s last name. The case load assignment is as follows: