Interpreters
DMHA provides free interpretation services for persons with Limited English Proficiency or other access needs such as ASL.
In order to prevent a delay in services to you, please provide DMHA with 24 hour advance notice of the need for these services so that we can obtain a qualified service provider.
What is Section 8?
The Housing Assistance Payments Program, better known as Section 8, is to assist extremely or very low-income families in paying rent for units they would otherwise be unable to afford.
PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED
The Section 8 program has nine separate programs that it is responsible for administering. They are:
Moderate Rehabilitation Program - 40 units under contract - The first ACC for this program was awarded September, 1983. This program is also being phased out. Under this program, the owner has rehabilitated the unit to program standards and signed a 15-year contract with DMHA. Therefore, unless DMHA terminates the contract or otherwise authorizes the move, the assistance stays with the unit. The family living in the unit receives assistance. If they vacate without our approval, they lose the assistance. To fill any vacancies in these units, families on the waiting list are referred to the owner for screening and possible occupancy. If, after 30 days of referrals from our office, the owner knows of an eligible family, the owner can refer that family into our office for eligibility determination.
Project Based Certificate Program - - 18 units under contract - This program is very similar to the Moderate Rehabilitation Program. Under this program, the owner has rehabilitated the units to program standards and signed a contract with DMHA. The contract is for a period of two to five years, depending on the number of years available in the ACC for the program. Therefore, unless DMHA terminates the contract or otherwise authorizes the move, the assistance stays with the unit. The family living in the unit receives assistance and if they vacate without our approval, they lose the assistance. To fill any vacancies in these units, families on the waiting list are referred to the owner for screening and possible occupancy.
Project Based Voucher Program - 57 units under contract - This program is very similar to the Moderate Rehabilitation Program. Under this program, the owner has rehabilitated the units to program standards and signed a contract with DMHA. The contract is for a period of two to five years, depending on the number of years available in the ACC for the program. Therefore, unless DMHA terminates the contract or otherwise authorizes the move, the assistance stays with the unit. The difference between is program and the Project based certificate program is that if the family decides to move after one year, the family is issued a voucher and can move with assistance to a new unit. We must then come up with another voucher to assist the project-based unit for the next family who moves in. To fill any vacancies in these units, families on the waiting list are referred to the owner for screening and possible occupancy.
Single Room Occupancy Program - 172 under contract - The first ACC for this program was awarded in September, 1994. This program is very similar to the Moderate Rehabilitation Program. Under this program, the owner has rehabilitated the units to program standards and signed a contract with DMHA to provide housing and supportive services for homeless individuals. Therefore, unless DMHA terminates the contract or otherwise authorizes the move, the assistance stays with the unit. The family living in the unit receives assistance and if they vacate without our approval, they lose the assistance. To fill any vacancies in these units, families on the waiting list are referred to the owner for screening and possible occupancy.
Housing Choice Voucher Program - 3504 baseline units - This program is a result of the merger of the certificate and voucher program effective October 1, 1999. Under this program, the family is issued a voucher to locate housing on the private market. There is no limit on what the owner can ask for rent as long as the rent is reasonable for the area. The unit must fall within the reasonable range by unit type, bedroom size, location, amenities, facilities and utilities provided. The Housing Authority will pay the Housing Voucher Subsidy (payment standard minus 30% of the family's income) and the family pays any additional rent over the Housing Voucher Subsidy. The family cannot pay more than 40% of their adjusted monthly income towards rent and utilities.
Family Unification Program - The first ACC for this program was awarded in 1998. Under this program, families are referred to DMHA from Children's Services to receive assistance in order to reunite a family or keep a family from being separated. Depending on which form of assistance the family is issued, the regulations are the same as a regular voucher - the only difference is that the family referrals come from Children's Services rather than the Section 8 waiting list.
Mainstream Housing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Program - The first ACC for this program was awarded in 1998. The purpose of this program is to provide vouchers to enable persons with disabilities (elderly and non-elderly) to rent affordable private housing. In addition, the Mainstream Program assists persons with disabilities who often face difficulties in locating suitable and accessible housing on the private market. The regulations are the same as the Housing Choice Voucher Program in regards to rent calculations, unit inspection and lease requirements.
Contract Administration - Northland Village - 500 units - On October, 1983, a special fee was accepted by Dayton Metro Housing in lieu of completing a 10% audit of a 500 unit complex. This audit includes file audit, unit inspections and general management review. Management, move ins, recertifications and interim changes are the responsibility of the owners of the property. This audit is completed on an annual basis.
Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS) - This program was established in November, 1994, to promote economic self-sufficiency among participating families. Families who are eligible to participate in the FSS program receive housing assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher Program, Project-Based Certificate Program or Family Unification Program. With their housing stabilized, the family can then invest their energy in other efforts - including employment, education and job training. If interested in the FSS program, the family is connected with the appropriate support services and resources in the community, which are needed to move the family toward economic self-sufficiency. The FSS program offers a financial incentive to families through the establishment of an escrow account that becomes available to the family upon achievement of certain interim goals or successful completion of their Contract of Participation.
Section 8 Homeownership Program - The Section 8 Homeownership Program offers families who have successfully completed the Family Self-Sufficiency Program the opportunity to move to the next step and become a homeowner of their own unit. Under this program, the family is issued a voucher to locate a home to purchase. Once the family has located a unit they wish to purchase, they will work in conjunction with Neighborhood Housing Services in securing financing for the purchase and inspection of the unit. Once the financing is secured through a lender and there are no HQS violations found, a contract signed ensuring that the Housing Authority will make payments on the family's behalf to the lender using the same calculations utilized in the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
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The basic processing is as follows:
The family makes application for the program.
The family is placed on the waiting list. The waiting list is divided into five categories. They are:
DMHA uses the following local preference system (in the listed order):
- Families who have experienced domestic violence within the last two months.
- Veteran Preference: Veterans or servicemen
- Elderly households (head or spouse) 62 years of age or older
- Disability Preference: This preference is extended to disabled persons or families (head or spouse) as defined by regulation. Proof of disability will be required at the time of selection.
- All families who do not fall into one of the categories listed above.
Within each priority category, the applications are then placed in order by the time and date they were filed.
These files are kept in the office where the Leasing Team is located.
For all the programs, the cost of the utilities that the family is responsible for paying is computed according to our utility allowance chart based on the number of bedrooms in the unit the family will be living in.
The only way that a family can be pulled from the waiting list is if there is an opening in one of the above programs. Except for the Moderate Rehabilitation Program, PBC, PBV, or SRO Program, the family is not waiting on a unit but the moneys to come available to help pay for the unit.
PROCESSING FOR NEW FAMILIES OR MOVING FAMILIES |
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Once there is an opening for the family and the family does not owe a balance to DMHA or have drug or violent criminal activity for the last three years, they are notified by letter to come into the office to determine the eligibility of their application. Section 8 Administration handles this process. The Section 8 Administration team consists of:
Dawn Elliott, Supervisor, Section 8 Administration
Daphne Ellis , Receptionist
At the eligibility appointment, we verify that all the information we have on the family is correct and obtain current income verification, expense verification, etc. as outlined in the Administrative Plan. The family's reported (and verified) gross household income must be below the very low-income limits for their family size based on the reported gross income in the household. If they are over the very low-income limits, they are ineligible for participation.
If the family is determined to be eligible, they are scheduled to attend a briefing session. At this time, the family is given a full explanation of the program and issued the necessary paperwork to participate in the program. Under the voucher program, the family has an initial 60 days to locate a unit. We are currently not granting any extensions on the initial 60 day period.
Once the family has located a unit, they are to have the owner complete the Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) packet and owner information packet and submit to our office along with the last page of the Housing Quality Standards booklet, copy of the owner's deed - tax statement or mortgage papers, fire insurance verification, and, if located inside the City of Dayton, a copy of the landlord's registration papers. These papers are submitted to the RTA/Leasing Team to check for rent compliance. The RTA/Leasing Team consists of:
Elaine Letton, Assistant Director of Section 8
Lateah Johnson, Leasing Specialist
Ava Mathews , Leasing Specialist
Debbie Crawford, Leasing Specialist
Mary Sexton, Leasing Specialist
Kindra Wood, Leasing Auditor
Amy Gimmison, Housing Specialist
Annie Roper, Housing Specialist
Dequita Simpson, Rent Reasonableness Coordinator
Once the rent and paperwork has been checked and approved, the folder is forwarded to the Inspection Team to schedule and conduct a first inspection of the unit. The Inspection Team consists of:
Vacant , Supervisor
Betty Robinson, Housing Inspector
Tyrone Searcy, Housing Inspector
Derrick Carter, Housing Inspector
Kenny McClodden, Housing Inspector
Travis Mack, Housing Inspector
Gary Hayden, Housing Inspector
Vacant, Housing Inspector
John Scroggins, Housing Inspector
Vacant, Inspection Scheduler
Sandy Thomas, Inspection Scheduler
A letter is prepared to the owner with a copy to the family notifying of the date and time our office will be at the unit to inspect.
Once the inspector has completed his/her inspection, there are three possible outcome of the inspection: approved, disapproved or reschedule.
Approved: If the unit is approved, the report is placed in the family's file and forwarded to the RTA/Leasing Team to prepare a lease and contract for signature.
Disapproved: If the unit is disapproved, the owner and tenant are notified of the repairs needed and given 30 days to complete repairs.
Reschedule: If the unit is to be rescheduled, the owner (with a copy to the tenant) is notified of the new inspection date. Unless it was our office's reason for rescheduling (inspector ill or unable to keep appointment), the unit is only to be rescheduled one time. If the report comes back a second time to reschedule, the file is to forwarded back to the RTA/Leasing Team to issue the family new papers to locate another unit, if possible.
- Any inspection scheduled over the phone must be scheduled with the owner or owner's agent - the tenant cannot schedule an inspection of the unit unless the tenant is occupying the unit.
- The first inspection of the unit can be delayed for as long as 30 days if the owner requests. Reinspections cannot be delayed for any reason.
Once the unit has been approved, the RTA/Leasing Team schedules a lease signing with the tenant. The owners are notified of the appointment date but are not required to come into the office to sign. Unless the owner has made other arrangements, if the owner is not present for the lease signing, the family is responsible for getting the lease and contract to the owner for signatures and returning to our office by 5:00 p.m. on the effective date.
- The tenant and owner determine the effective date of the lease and contract if they are both present for the leasing appointment. If the tenant is to take the lease to the owner for signatures, the effective date is two working days from the date the paperwork leaves the office or the date the paperwork is returned - whichever is later.
Once the lease and contract are returned signed and dated, a worksheet is printed to notify the Section 8 Accounting Technician of the payments that are to be made. The file is then audited for accuracy and completeness.
Once the file has been audited, copies of the lease and contract are mailed to the tenant and owner.
Once the copies have been mailed to the tenant and owner, the file is to be tacked down in order and filed in the main files in the file room in alphabetical order by recertification date.
To review the pre-inspection [Click PDF] 
RECERTIFICATIONS |
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Four months prior to the anniversary date of the family's lease, notifications are sent out by the Section 8 Recertification Scheduler to the tenant and owner based on the following schedule:
Prepare Notification Letters |
Briefing/Inspections to Begin |
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| January Recert | August |
September |
| February Recert | September |
October |
| March Recert | October |
November |
| April Recert | November |
December |
| May Recert | December |
January |
| June Recert | January |
February |
| July Recert | February |
March |
| August Recert | March |
April |
| September Recert | April |
May |
| October Recert | May |
June |
| November Recert | June |
July |
| December Recert | July |
August |
The notices schedule an appointment for recertification and inspection.
The Recertification Team consists of:
Marvis L. Burdette, Recertification Supervisor
Carnecia Walker, Recertification Specialist - Last Name A, U-Z
Viola Washam, Recertification Specialist -Last Name B-C
LaKeisha McMichael, Recertification Specialist - Last Name D-G
Regina Smith, Recertification Specialist - Last Name H-L
Barbara Windham, Recertification Specialist - Last Name M-Q
Tracey Gover , Recertification Specialist - Last Name R-T
At the recertification appointment, which is held in a group setting, the family is required to reverify family size, income and expenses.
Once all required verifications have been received, recalculations of rent are completed. A worksheet is then forwarded to the Section 8 Accounting Technician notifying of any new portions of rent. Notification is also sent to the tenant and owner of any new portions of rent for the upcoming recertification year.
At the same time the recertification process is being completed, an inspection is conducted of the unit to ensure continued program compliance. Once the inspector has completed his/her inspection, there are three possible outcomes of the inspection: approved, disapproved or reschedule.
If the owner fails to complete any needed repairs in the given 30 days, the payments to the owner are abated. If the family fails to complete any needed repairs in the given 30 days, the family is to be terminated.
If the payments remain abated for 30 days, the file is to be forwarded to the RTA/Leasing Team to issue the family new papers to locate another unit.
