Community Choice FAQs2022-07-28T19:05:33-06:00

Community Choice FAQs

I may have a unit in an Opportunity Area. How can I check?2022-08-03T16:48:41-06:00

Use the Address Locator Tool to look up if a property is in an Opportunity Area and qualifies for benefits as part of the Community Choice Demonstration.

If you have questions as to whether your unit qualifies or what it takes to list your unit for rent for the Community Choice Demonstration Program, contact Leasing Coordinator Brenda Pierson at Brenda.pierson@metc.state.mn.us or 651-602-1051

Who is eligible for the Community Choice Demonstration?2022-08-03T16:49:50-06:00

Your family is eligible for the demonstration if:

  • You have a voucher from the Metro HRA or Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA)

  • You have at least one child in your household age 17 or younger.

A small number of families from the current Metro HRA and MPHA Housing Choice Voucher waitlists are also being invited to participate through invitation only.

The Community Choice Demonstration helps families Services for Families with Housing Choice Vouchers find homes in designated Opportunity Areas in the Metro HRA and MPHA service areas. If you think you are eligible to participate in the Community Choice Demonstration, you may want to think about the following:

  • Are you willing to move? Would you consider moving to a new neighborhood in an Opportunity Area?

  • Do you have time to search for your housing in a new neighborhood or do you need to move very quickly? Families who need immediate or emergency housing may not have enough time to benefit from the services provided through participation in the program.

If I enroll in the study, do I have to move to an Opportunity Area?2022-08-03T16:58:02-06:00

If you are enrolled in the study and are selected to receive services offered through the Community Choice Demonstration, you will only be able to receive services for moves to an Opportunity Area. Things like security deposit or application fees can only be paid toward a unit in an Opportunity Area. However, we understand that moving is a big decision and the logistics of moving can be complex. If you choose not to move to an Opportunity Area, or not to move at all, your voucher will not be affected. You will simply move using the normal process at your Housing Authority.

I have a voucher and I am interested in the program. Who should I contact?2022-08-03T16:50:41-06:00

You can contact Jinaa Lane at 612.342.2201 or communitychoice@mplspha.org  to learn more about the program and see if you qualify. The first step to enrolling in the program if you are eligible is to attend an info session.

What are the Opportunity Areas? Where are they?2022-08-03T16:52:17-06:00

Opportunity Areas are neighborhoods or communities in the Metro HRA and MPHA service areas where children and families are expected to have the best opportunity to thrive. Researchers and local experts developed the list of Opportunity Areas based on data on school quality, long-term economic outcomes for children, poverty rates and other social and economic neighborhood criteria. Opportunity Areas are defined based on census tracts and block groups, which are area designations developed by the U.S. Census Bureau.

You can look at the Opportunity Areas here.

What if the rent I charge is above the Payment Standard?2022-08-10T08:23:06-06:00

There are two important factors to keep in mind. First, families with income may choose to look above the established price limit because they can pay a larger portion of the rent. Second, although the payment standard helps families figure out how much they can afford based on the location, the rental price agreed upon between the Housing Authority and the property owner must be similar in price to other comparable units in the area fair market rate. The Housing Authority will look at comparable units in the area (based on amenities, size, and type of unit) to make sure that the rental amount the property owner requests is a fair price based on the market. This process is called determining rent reasonableness. If your rent is determined to be reasonable and the family can afford the unit according to MPHA rules, they can still rent your unit.

How much is the voucher worth?2022-08-03T16:58:46-06:00

Housing Authorities are subject to limits set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which sets regional limits on how much the housing authority can pay based on the number of bedrooms the family qualifies for. The limit is called the Payment Standard and includes rent plus renter-paid utilities. Payment Standards are dependent on the location of the unit. MPHA has a special authority to determine how to calculate rental amounts based upon local payment standards. To view information on how MPHA calculates tenant portion and MPHA’s portion, please click here.

As a property owner, I have never worked with a tenant with a housing choice voucher before. What should I expect in the rental process?2022-08-03T16:59:08-06:00

Renting your property to a family with a voucher follows a very similar process as leasing to a family without a voucher. It includes a few extra steps to make sure you and the tenant will make a successful match.

We encourage property owners to screen voucher families the same way they would with any other applicant. You will want to consider, however, that the voucher will count towards a large portion of the rent (if not all of it), so many property owners have different, more flexible income criteria for voucher holders.

After an applicant goes through your screening criteria, you turn in a packet of information to the Housing Authority called a Request for Tenancy Approval. This proves that you are the owner of the unit and lists the amenities included in the unit.

Once the Housing Authority has the Request for Tenancy Approval, you and the Housing Authority must agree on the rent amount. The Housing Authority will look at comparable units in the area (based on amenities, size, and type of unit) to make sure that the rental amount requested is a fair price based on the market.

Lastly, a Housing Authority representative will inspect the unit to make sure that it meets Housing Quality Standards. These standards were created to ensure that our federal tax dollars are not used to house families in units that are subpar and unsafe.

After the unit passes inspection, the tenant can sign the lease and the deposit is paid. You sign an agreement with the Housing Authority called the Housing Assistance Payment Contact (HAP for short). The contract shows that you have agreed to receive the rental payment from the Housing Authority. The HAP contract outlines the exact amount of monthly rent being charged, the amount the tenant is responsible to pay directly to you, and the amount the Housing Authority will pay directly to the you.

Each month, you receive the rent from the Housing Authority and the tenant. If the tenant’s income goes down, the Housing Authority may pay a larger portion of the rent so that the unit is always affordable for the tenant.

Inspections are typically conducted annually so if the tenant wants to live in your unit another year, the Housing Authority will come to inspect the unit prior to the lease anniversary date.

What is a Housing Choice Voucher?2022-08-03T17:06:12-06:00

A Housing Choice Voucher, historically called “Section 8,” is a rental subsidy for low- income households in the United States. The Housing Choice Voucher Program is the largest federal subsidized housing program for low -income households in the US. State and regional authorities operate 2,500 voucher programs around the country. In the Twin Cities the Metro HRA and MPHA are two of ten housing authorities that operate the Housing Choice Voucher program.

The Housing Choice Voucher Program is not an entitlement program, and only about a quarter of families who qualify for the program actually receive a voucher. There are typically long wait lists for families who want to receive vouchers.

Families who receive vouchers search for housing on the private rental market. The voucher acts as a coupon, so families can find housing affordable to them, and they only pay a portion of the rent. The housing authority pays the rest.

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