The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that all units subsidized under the Housing Choice Voucher Program meet a minimum standard of health and safety rules called Housing Quality Standards (HQS). To ensure compliance, GHA must inspect any unit a Voucher Holder wants to rent before they move in and as required thereafter.
An HQS inspection ensures that all HCV Program units have adequate living space for the family, are structurally sound, provide the necessary habitability systems (electricity, plumbing, heating, appliances, etc.) and present no conditions that endanger health and safety.
HQS addresses the following areas:
GHA’s self-inspection checklist, included in the HQS Inspection Guidebook, along with HUD’s Form 52580-A further explain the minimum unit standards necessary to participate in the HCV Program.
The information below is a general summary of the types of inspections conducted by GHA.
The initial inspection process begins when GHA receives the completed forms from the Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) packet. The Inspections Department will contact the Owner at the number provided with the RTA to schedule the inspection. The Inspection Department will make two attempts to schedule the appointment. If the Owner has not scheduled the inspection after two attempts by the Inspection Department, GHA will cancel the RTA and provide the Voucher Holder with new moving papers.
The Voucher Holder is usually not involved in the initial inspection process and only the Owner or their agent may schedule the appointment. Most Owners, however, remain in touch with the prospective tenant during the inspection process.
GHA will notify the Owner of any deficiencies within seven days of the inspection. Once the Owner has addressed the deficiencies, the Owner must contact GHA to schedule a re-inspection. If the Owner does not schedule a re-inspection within 14 days of the previous failed inspection, GHA will terminate the process and issue new moving papers to the family.
HUD requires an inspection of all HCV Program participating units no later than 365 days after the previous full inspection. GHA will notify the Participant and Owner of the annual HQS inspection appointment via postal mail and automated phone calls prior to the previous inspection’s anniversary date.
If an adult member of the household cannot be present during the scheduled appointment, the family can reschedule the appointment one time for up to seven days after the original appointment.
If an adult member of the household fails to attend the original appointment or a rescheduled appointment, GHA will automatically reschedule another appointment. If the Participant fails to attend (or fails to make an adult representative available for) two scheduled inspections in a row without GHA approval, GHA will consider the family in violation of the Family Obligations and begin termination proceedings.
If a unit passes an inspection, no further action is necessary. If the unit fails an inspection, the Owner and/or Participant have 30 days to make the required repairs (24 hours for emergency items) and to pass re-inspection. Otherwise, GHA will abate the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) until the unit passes inspection. If the failed items are the fault of the participating family, GHA will begin termination proceedings.
To confirm HQS repairs, GHA conducts re-inspections. For repairs that are the Owner’s responsibility, the Owner must notify GHA of repairs that have been completed. If such repairs have not been made or if the re-inspection cannot be completed before the end of the correction period, for any reason, GHA will abate the HAP effective the first of the month following the expiration of the correction period (including any extension).
In the case of family-caused violations, GHA will begin termination proceedings. If GHA is unable to gain entry to the unit in order to conduct the scheduled re-inspection, GHA will consider the family to have violated its obligation to make the unit available for inspection and will begin termination proceedings.
Serious deficiencies that threaten the health and safety of the participating family must be corrected within 24 hours. Upon discovery of an emergency deficiency during any type of inspection, the inspector will immediately notify the Owner and Participant of the situation either in person or by phone. GHA will then perform a re-inspection of these deficiencies on the next business day.
If emergency deficiencies remain unresolved after the re-inspection, abatement of the HAP may occur (for deficiencies that are the responsibility of the Owner) or termination procedures may commence against the Participant (for deficiencies that are the responsibility of the Participant). Abatement or termination processes will proceed until the property passes inspection.
Below is a list of some of the most commonly cited emergency deficiencies:
GHA performs Quality Control Inspections periodically to assess the performance of the inspector that performed the prior initial or annual inspection. Quality Control Inspections usually occur within 30 days of the prior inspection. Timetables for repairing violations cited during a Quality Control Inspection depend upon the specific type of deficiency.
