Rental Assistance: Prospective Tenants
A Guide for Prospective Section 8 (HCV) Tenants - Johnson County Housing Authority
Are you having difficulty keeping up with your monthly rental payments? Do you have trouble finding a place to live in a part of the county closer to family, desired schools, shopping or public transportation? How do I participate?
The Section 8 (HCV) Program can assist eligible families with rent payments. You may shop housing in any of the cities in our jurisdiction.
Contact Information Johnson County Housing Authority
12425 W. 87th Street Parkway, Suite 200
Lenexa, KS 66215
(913) 715-6600 / VOICE
(913) 715-6633 / TTY
(913) 715-6630 / FAX
Prospective Tenants
Prospective Landlords
Family Self Sufficiency Program
Basic Section 8 Information
How do I participate?
Can I transfer my voucher anywhere?
How do I select a home?
What will be my monthly rent payment?
What are my responsibilities as a tenant program participant?
What are reasons for termination?
What are the Housing Authority's responsibilities?
What are the owner or landlord's responsibilities?
How can I find a landlord that will accept my voucher?
How do I participate?
Call (913) 715-6600/Voice or 715-6633/TTY to schedule an appointment to make application when waiting list is open.
At your application interview, you will be given an overview of how the program works. If all necessary forms are completed and documentation provided (i.e. Social Security cards and birth certificates), your name will be placed on the waiting list. Waiting periods will vary based on assistance available.
The Housing Authority must serve 75% of all new admissions to the program at the extremely low income limit. Only 25% can fall within the very low income limit. At the time your name is pulled from the waiting list, your income will be reviewed to make sure your income is within these limits.
After you are given a voucher, it will be up to you to find a suitable place to live. You will contact the owner or landlord, negotiate the lease, find out what utilities are furnished and what is the contract rent amount. You will be responsible for any application fees and deposits.
The Housing Authority will explain the program to the owner or landlord and have the property inspected. The lease agreement will be between you and the owner or landlord for a term of one year.
Can I transfer my voucher anywhere?
Transferring your voucher to another jurisdiction is called “Portability.” You will be eligible for portability after an initial one-year lease up within our jurisdiction (See cities listed previously.)
How do I select a home?
Your family will be given a voucher for the appropriate bedroom size based on your family composition. The type of home is your choice: apartment, duplex, or single-family house. Remember, whatever type of housing you choose, it will be your home for at least one year. Great care should be given to your selection. After you choose your home, the Housing Authority will inspect the unit to ensure that it meets Housing Quality Standards (safe, decent, and sanitary.)
What will be my monthly rent payment?
You will pay at least 30% of your monthly adjusted income but not more than 40%, based on the cost of the unit you choose. The Housing Authority will only pay the difference between your 30% monthly adjusted income and the payment standard (or rent, which ever is lower.)
What are my responsibilities as a tenant / program participant?
As a tenant, you must comply with the terms of the lease agreement. The lease agreement will be signed between the owner or landlord and you. The Housing Authority will not be a party to the lease agreement.
You must also maintain the property in a safe, decent, and sanitary condition. Your unit will be inspected annually for as long as you occupy the unit.
As a tenant, you must pay your share of the rent on time each month. After the first year, if you move, a proper 30-day written notice must be given to the owner or landlord. Tenants do not rent from the Housing Authority, and the Housing Authority is not a owner or landlord.
The family must also:
- Provide the Housing Authority with complete and accurate information.
- Comply with the "family obligations" listed on the voucher.
- Cooperate in attending all appointments scheduled by Housing Authority.
- Locate a unit that is suitable for the family, and meets Housing Quality Standards requirements.
- Notify the Housing Authority of any changes in income or family composition at the time of change.
- Cooperate with the owner or landlord by informing her/him in writing of any necessary repairs.
What are grounds for termination?
The Housing Authority may, at any time, deny/terminate program assistance for the following reasons: The family (including each family member) must not:
- Own or have any interest in the unit (other than in a cooperative, or the owner of a manufactured home leasing a manufactured home space).
- Commit any serious or repeated violation of the lease.
- Commit fraud, bribery or any other corrupt or criminal act in connection with the program.
- Engage in drug-related criminal activity or violent criminal activity or other criminal activity that threatens the health, safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of other residents and persons residing in the immediate vicinity of the premises.
- Sublease or let the unit or assign the lease or transfer the unit.
- Receive voucher program assistance while receiving another housing subsidy for the same unit or a different unit under any other federal, state or local housing assistance program.
- Damage the unit or premises (other than damage from ordinary wear and tear) or permit any guest to damage the unit or premises.
- Receive voucher program assistance while residing in a unit owned by a parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sister or brother of any member of the family, unless the Housing Authority has determined (and has notified the owner or landlord and the family of such determination) that approving rental of the unit, notwithstanding such relationship, would provide reasonable accommodation for a family member who is a person with disabilities.
- Engage in abuse of alcohol in a way that threatens the health, safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of the other residents and persons residing in the immediate vicinity of the premises.
What are the Housing Authority's responsibilities?
- Verify and review family composition and income to determine eligibility.
- Explain the rules of the program to the family and owner/landlord.
- Issue a voucher to eligible family.
- Perform Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection to ensure unit meets minimum standards (initially, annually and interim).
- Sign contract with owner/landlord on behalf of the family when the selected unit meets HQS requirements.
- Make housing assistance payments to the owner/landlord in a timely manner.
- Ensure owner/landlord and family continue to comply with program rules.
- Provide family and owner/landlord with prompt, courteous, accurate and professional service.
What are the owner or landlord's responsibilities?
- Comply with fair housing laws and equal opportunity requirements.
- Comply with the terms of the Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Contract (Form HUD-52641).
- Ensure that the unit continues to meet HQS requirements.
- Cooperate with the tenant by responding promptly to requests for needed repairs
- Notify the Housing Authority of any program violations.
- Enforce the lease and collect the rent due, any security deposit, and charges for damages to unit by the family.
- Screen families for suitability as renters.
- Provide modification to a dwelling unit occupied or to be occupied by a person with a disability. (The Housing Authority can help with referrals to agencies that make funds available for modifications to units for persons with a disability.)
- Notify the Housing Authority in writing of any address or telephone number changes.
- Notify the Housing Authority in writing of changes in ownership (selling property) or landlords.
The owner or landlord determines whether to require a security deposit and the amount of the deposit. If the owner or landlord collects a deposit, the amount collected may not be in excess of private market practice, or in excess of amounts charged to unassisted tenants.
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11811 S. Sunset Drive, Suite 1300
Olathe, KS 66061-7056
(913) 715-8800 : voice
(913) 715-8825 : fax
(913) 894-8822 : TTY