Your November HCV newsletter is here!

Note from the Chief HCV Officer, Cheryl L. Burns

What do you think about Owner News as a monthly e-newsletter? We hope you are enjoying the new format and find the information useful as you navigate the ins and outs of the HCV Program. Each issue includes a short how-to, an answer to a common question and a timely program reminder ... plus links to news you may have missed and helpful resources.

How to Successfully Submit Comparables

Did you know the best time to submit comparables is prior to or at the same time as the Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) packet?

Comparables are a crucial part of the HCV leasing process as they are used to determine a reasonable "Market Rent" — one of three factors that CHA takes into consideration when deciding the rent offer. The others are "Asking Rent" (what the property owner lists on the RTA packet as their proposed rent) and "Participant Affordability" (what the family can afford based on their income and the amount of subsidy they are eligible to receive).

CHA partners with AffordableHousing.com to maintain a database of comparable market-rate units from dozens of reliable, verifiable sources, including MLS. Through this website, property owners can access rent and utility information as well as upload their own comparable unit data for consideration. As a reminder, the best comparable units are:

Within a 1-mile radius of the property (the closer, the better)
Leased within 1 year without a subsidy (i.e., market rate)
The same property type (single-family, duplex, high rise, etc.)
The same unit size (number of bedrooms)
The same utility responsibilities

For a video tutorial on how to upload comparable units to AffordableHousing.com, check out the February 2023 edition of Owner News here.

FAQ Corner: Tenant Screening

Property owners often ask ... “What are best practices for screening tenants?”

Since a lease is a legally binding contract, it's important that you thoroughly screen a potential tenant (HCV or market-rate) prior to signing. Remember: CHA screens for affordability of the HCV participant family, not suitability. Therefore, it's the property owner's responsibility to make sure they're selecting a suitable tenant. Below are some tips to help you find the right tenant for your property.

Follow Fair Housing Laws

When screening for tenants, it’s important to be in compliance with fair housing laws, which dictate that property owners apply the same screening criteria to all their tenants equally and offer reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. Combined, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois and Federal fair housing laws and ordinances prohibit discrimination based on:

Race
Color
National Origin
Ancestry
Religion
Age

Disability
Sex
Gender Identity
Marital Status
Covered Criminal History

Familial Status
Sexual Orientation
Military Discharge
Housing Status
Source of Income

In addition, property marketing must be in compliance with fair housing laws. For example, using language such as "Section 8 Welcome" on a property listing would be considered a fair housing violation as it indicates a preference and is exclusionary.

Set Your Criteria

Know what your deal breakers will be before you begin the tenant screening process. Good rental history, acceptable credit and positive professional and/or personal references are just a few examples of minimum criteria for your property.

Rental Application

Have all potential tenants complete a rental application. Information such as employment history, credit history, pet expectations and previous addresses, including contact information for former property owners/managers, can be collected using a rental application.

Verify Information

Confirm the information that a potential tenant provides on their rental application is correct. Contact their references. Confirm their employee status with their employer. Contact former property owners/managers to learn more about what they were like as a tenant. Reminder: CHA can provide contact information for a voucher holder’s current and/or previous HCV property owner/manager. Below are some questions you may want to ask a former property owner/manager:

Would you rent to this tenant again?
Did this tenant usually pay rent on time?
Have you ever received complaints about this tenant?

Conduct Interviews

Have a conversation with any potential tenants. Learn more about them including their lifestyle, why they're moving and their history as a tenant. Interviews can be conducted both virtually or in person.

For more information about screening practices and tenant selection, see Step 3: Select a Suitable Tenant in CHA's Property Owner Guidebook.

Accessible Units

Does your unit have accessibility features? If so, make sure to include them in your listing on AffordableHousing.com (or within your property marketing) to help expand housing opportunities for HCV participants with disabilities! Accessible units may even qualify for additional subsidy (up to 250%). High-demand accessibility features include:

Ramps
Porch or stair lifts
Widened doorways
Comfort-height toilets
Roll-in showers
Grab bars or rails
Zero-step entry or room transitions

For more information on how you can make your unit more accessible, check out the June 2023 edition of Owner News here.

Health and Wellness Corner: Stress & Anxiety Management

By Doreen Green, LCPC, Clinical Support Specialist, CHA's HCV Health & Wellness Program

As we approach the time of year when we may find ourselves reflecting or gathering with loved ones, it is not uncommon to notice changes in our emotions or thoughts. This time of year can bring about new feelings of anxiety or cause existing emotions to be more noticeable. Changes in how we feel, including anxiety shifts, can be connected to challenging or positive life events, such as worries or fears related to being able to provide for ourselves or meet the basic needs of our families. Yet, some may find their feelings of anxiety connected to life transitions such as moving or starting a new job, which may lead to worry about the unknown future.

Regardless of the source of the anxiety, it can contribute to someone finding their daily life or responsibilities overwhelming.

During this season, we often highlight the act of giving and connection. While everyone’s circumstances are unique, one of the most impactful gifts is self-compassion (toward oneself) and a positive regard for others. These gifts are not seasonal, can be lifelong, and have no expiration date.

Where possible, taking time to be mindful can help with kindness to oneself, improve relationships with others, and make feelings such as anxiety seem a little more manageable.

Some ways to practice mindfulness include using square breathing, connecting with your body by intentionally engaging in physical activities (i.e., stretching), and acknowledging your daily accomplishments as well as the efforts of those around you, no matter how “big” or “small” the act or intention. Some may find engagement in creative arts using drawing or crafting to redirect energy typically given to worries and fears related to anxiety. It is also okay to practice simply being still to rest your mind and body. And, although these approaches may not “fix” life challenges, they can be a starting point to developing a new, healthier way to live.

Upcoming Events

OS23 Webinar Series: Fostering Relationships to Secure Long-Term Tenancy

Thursday, November 16, 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. | Register Now

Fostering strong relationships with your tenants is an essential component in successful property management. This session will cover starting the relationship off on the right foot, effective communications and proactive problem solving that will make your tenants want to stay for the long haul!

New Owner Bootcamp Webinar Series: Rent Determination & Rent Increases

Tuesday, November 28, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | Register Now

Learn about the many factors that play a role in rent calculations, including unit location, utilities and more. This session will also cover the ins and outs of the rent increase process and how to avoid pitfalls that can cause substantial delays.

In-Person Owner Networking Event

Thursday, November 30, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Register Now

Join fellow property owners in person at the FIC to share experiences, discuss best practices and learn from each other. CHA staff will be on hand to help facilitate the event, but the evening is all yours.

Stress and Anxiety Management

Tuesday, December 5, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Register Now

Stress and anxiety can have a negative impact on both your emotional well-being and physical health. Join us to learn strategies for managing these challenging feelings.

New Owner Bootcamp Webinar Series: How CHA Enforces HCV Program Rules

Tuesday, December 12, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | Register Now

In this session, we’ll discuss how CHA monitors contract compliance, investigates complaints and ensures that HCV families and property owners are meeting their obligations to the program (and to each other). HCV staff will also review what can happen during the different stages of program enforcement through a series of real case studies.

Resources for Property Owners

HCV Webinars are available on-demand! Dozens of recorded sessions are available for you to watch anytime, including Getting Started with the HCV Program, How to Complete Common CHA Forms and Packets, Energy Efficiency and Utility Assistance and many, many more!

We want to hear from you! Especially if you’ve never attended one of our educational sessions before ... please take a minute to share what you'd like to see from HCV education and events.

TAKE THE SURVEY

Have leasing-related questions, or want to request a 1:1 consultation? The HCV Owner Outreach team is here to help. Email owneroutreach@thecha.org.

¡También ofrecemos estos servicios en español!