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 Schedule an Appointment with the Owner Services Department
Did you know CHA has a team dedicated to assisting current and prospective HCV property owners?

The Owner Services Department staff is available to help property owners and managers with a variety of items, including answering contract and leasing questions, providing HCV Program updates, troubleshooting HAP adjustments and navigating the HCV Owner Portal ... just to name a few.

In addition to contacting Owner Services staff via email, you can now easily schedule an appointment with one of the Owner Liaisons online. Simply click on the image in this article or, if you're starting from the home page of CHA's website, follow the steps outlined below.

  1. Click on the 'Schedule an Appointment' tile at thecha.org.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the appointment page and click on 'For Property Owners."
  3. Select a service for your appointment. Once the appointment service is selected, you'll be able to choose a date and time for your appointment.

Reminder: The Owner Services Department is located at CHA's Central Office (60 E. Van Buren, 9th Floor). Once confirmed, this will be the meeting place for your appointment.
FAQ Corner: Successfully Submitting an RTA Packet
Property owners often ask ... “What’s the time frame for CHA to process a move and is there anything I can do to help make sure there are no delays?” 
Successfully submitting a Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) packet is essential for leasing up with the HCV Program. Actually, it is what starts CHA's process and must be completed correctly and in its entirety in order for CHA to move to the next step, Owner Eligibility. Incomplete/Incorrect information or missing documents can cause delays and, in turn, keep the HCV participant family from moving into your unit and hold up payments from CHA. Therefore, once you have a prospective HCV participant who is interested in your unit and meets your eligibility criteria, the next step is to complete the packet and submit it to CHA for processing.
As a reminder, there are several documents that make up the RTA packet:
  • Instruction Pages (page 2 must be completed and submitted to CHA)
  • HUD Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA)
  • Authorization for the Release of Information (for individual property owners only)
  • Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
  • Direct Deposit Authorization and IRS Form W-9 (new HCV property owners only)
  • Affidavit of Ownership
  • Property Owner Certification
  • Management Authorization (if applicable)

Once CHA receives the complete and accurate RTA packet, it takes approximately 36 business days, or 7 weeks, to process the move (see page 1 of the RTA packet for a breakdown of each step in the timeline). That said, it's extremely important to thoroughly review the packet prior to submitting to CHA, making sure to read through everything carefully and populate all necessary fields on the RTA with accurate information (especially the property address, unit # and tax ID). In addition, it’s important to make sure you include any supporting documentation with your completed RTA packet, such as a voided check or letter from your financial institution for direct deposit. Once you have everything in order, the RTA packet must be submitted to CHA as follows:

Existing HCV Property Owners
For immediate submission and to track your request through the process, log in to your HCV Owner Portal account and under the MOVES menu, select “Upload my RTA.”

Note: If you are an existing HCV property owner and don't have an active Portal account, create one today at chahcvportal.org. Remember, you will need a vendor number and the associated email address on file with CHA to sign up for an account. Need help navigating the HCV Owner Portal? Click here to review the FAQs.

New HCV Property Owners
Send your complete and accurate RTA packet as well as any supporting documentation via email to ownerinfo@thecha.org.

Note: RTA packets must be submitted to ownerinfo@thecha.org. Submission to any other CHA email address or inclusion of other CHA email addresses in the To: or CC: line will only delay processing.

For more information about the moves process and tips on preparing the RTA packet for submission, see CHA's Property Owner Guidebook.
Upcoming Events
Property Owner Networking Event
Thursday, August 31, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. | Register Now
Join fellow property owners in person 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.
New Owner Bootcamp
Tuesday, September 26, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Register Now
Are you new to the HCV Program? This event is your one-stop shop for everything HCV! Join us in person at the FIC to learn the ins and outs of the Program, including how to get started, the rent determination process, HQS inspections and HCV Program enforcement.
CHA has expanded the Owner Symposium to now include monthly online education opportunities. From June to November 2023, the Symposium Webinar Series will cover six (6) timely and targeted topics you normally expect from the annual event. 
Building on Good Bones: A Guide to Property Maintenance & Rehab
Thursday, July 20, 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. | Register Now
Do you have a good foundation and want to maintain it? Are you looking to make home renovations? Join us to learn best practices for managing property maintenance and rehab projects, including the responsibilities of a project manager, hiring of construction managers/contractors, and the stages of project planning.​
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Unit Turnover: Preparing for a Smooth Transition
Thursday, August 17, 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. | Register Now
Preparing for new tenants can be stressful but we're here to help! This session will cover how to create the ultimate unit turnover checklist for a quick and seamless transition. Learn from experts as they discuss best practices for advertising, cleaning, managing pests and avoiding disputes.​
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Creating Equal Access to Housing
Thursday, September 21, 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. | Register Now
Did you know that housing providers are legally obliged to follow fair housing laws? Join us to learn about the many fair housing protections that are in place to prevent discrimination and ensure everyone has equal access to housing. This session will also cover what you need to do to make sure you’re in accordance with the law. ​​
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Evictions ... Finding a Path Forward for Housing Providers
Thursday, October 19, 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. | Register Now
If you’re making the difficult decision to evict your tenant, there are many rules and regulations you have to follow as a property owner in the city of Chicago. Learn from a legal expert about the necessary steps in the evictions process including notices, documentation, court dates and more. ​
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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! ​
Reminder: Vacancy Payments
Did you know CHA offers vacancy payments to eligible property owners who quickly re-lease their HQS compliant units to other HCV participants? That's right ... up to two (2) months of the previous tenant's HAP if an RTA packet for the new tenant is submitted within 90 days of the previous tenant moving out of the unit.

To qualify, the unit must have passed its last inspection for the previous tenant as well as the initial inspection for the new tenant — both on the first attempt and at least 300 days apart.

Once the new tenant's RTA packet is in process, eligible property owners can apply by completing a Vacancy Payment Request form (available for download on the HCV Owner Portal) and submitting it via email to ownerinfo@thecha.org.

Note: Property owners must apply within 180 days of the previous tenant moving out of the unit. In addition, approved vacancy payments will not be issued until after the new HAP Contract has been executed.
Conducting HCV Business via Email
CHA is always looking for ways to improve the customer experience and ensure HCV housing providers and families are set up for success. That's why, when using email communication to conduct HCV business, it is important to follow the submission instructions provided by CHA staff or printed on HCV Program documents. Sending messages or documents to incorrect or multiple HCV email addresses may cause duplicate efforts by staff, create higher email volumes and even lead to processing delays.

See below for a list of HCV contact email addresses and the relevant documents or types of inquiries to send to each.

  • New Direct Deposit Authorization
  • Change to Current Direct Deposit Authorization

  • Account-Specific HQS Inspections Questions
  • General HQS Inspections Questions
  • HQS Inspection Disputes
  • Inspection Extension Requests
  • Self-Certification of HQS Compliance

  • General HCV Property Owner/Manager Inquiries
  • HAP Contracts and Adjustments
  • HCV Account-Specific Issues/Questions
  • HCV Program Procedures and Policies
  • Leasing and Documentation
  • Missing HAP Statements
  • RTA Packet Submission (new HCV property owners only)
  • Utilizing the HCV Owner Portal
  • Vacancy Payment Requests

  • Property Owner Briefing-Related Questions
  • Request for 1:1 Consultation with an HCV Owner Outreach Coordinator

  • Change of Ownership/Management Packet Submission

Note: If a document or subject is not listed above or if you are not sure which email to use, simply send a message to ownerinfo@thecha.org (do not include any other CHA email addresses) and a member of the Owner Services Department will take it from there.
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.
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!
Bookmark some of our other favorite online resources
  • Affordability Calculator (for non-Mobility area units): chahcvportal.org under the MOVES menu.
  • Check your inspection appointments and results: chainspections.org
  • Search the interactive Mobility Area Map: thecha.org/mobility and scroll to the bottom.
  • Add comparable units to CHA's rent reasonableness database: affordablehousing.com (free account required), log in and click COMPARABLES in the left-hand menu.
  • View/download HAP Statements or submit a rent increase request: chahcvportal.org under the FINANCE menu.
Thanks for Reading
We appreciate your continued partnership! If you liked this newsletter, or have topic suggestions for newsletter articles or webinars, reply to this email and let us know.

Looking for past editions of Owner News? Find them on the HCV Owner Portal chahcvportal.org under RESOURCES.