Property Owners

Mutually Beneficial Partnership

Partnering with MPHA is Good Business

MPHA’s voucher program provides rental opportunities to low-income families by partnering with private market rental housing property owners across Minneapolis. Participants have the ability to locate and rent most types of housing, in any neighborhood within the city limits of Minneapolis. Benefits of renting to voucher holders and partnering with MPHA include:

  • Timely and guaranteed rent payments
  • Reduced turnover and vacancy costs: Twin Cities voucher holders live an average of 7 years in their unit.
  • Responsible tenants: Rental assistance is scarce, and few eligible people succeed in securing a spot on a waiting list. After waiting years for assistance, voucher-holders are motivated to keep their apartment and follow lease terms, or they risk losing their assistance and their home.
  • Free inspections: A trained professional provides free annual inspections to ensure the unit is habitable and residents in your unit are safe, helping the property retain value.
  • A chance to make a difference: Working with our program can provide families with opportunities to make the best decisions for themselves and improve their lives.
  • Special incentives: Minneapolis Property Owner Incentive Fund includes a one-time $250 incentive fee for property owners new to the HCV program, reimbursement for losses related to holding an apartment open in response to MPHA request or MPHA delays outside of standard voucher process, and damage insurance program for owners who experience verified damages above what is covered by the security deposit.

Passing Inspections

When an HCV tenant chooses a home, the unit must be inspected by a housing authority inspector to confirm the unit meets Housing Quality Standards (HQS). These standards ensure that families moving into rental units are safe. HQS inspections take place before a family moves in and annually or biannually after that. MPHA rent payment can begin the day a unit passes an inspection, and a resident moves in.

MPHA will schedule the inspection and notify tenants and landlords of the inspection date and time.

Direct Deposit Enrollment

MPHA’s owner portal allows property owners to update Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) information directly. Just log in to the portal and select “EFT Set Up” to enter your banking information.

If you are a first-time user of the portal, you will need to register. If you need assistance or are unsure where to find our registration code, please email or call our Community Engagement Specialist at: owneroutreach@mplspha.org and (612) 342-1222.

Contract Rent Increases

An increase or decrease of Contract Rent will only be approved if a new signed lease or rent change notice to the tenant is submitted to the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority at least 60 days before the change(s) go into effect. Increases in Contract Rent will require Rent Reasonableness Review prior to approval. If the requested rent is not found to be reasonable, the owner must either reduce the requested rent increase, or terminate the tenancy in accordance with the terms of the lease.

No rent increase is permitted during the initial 12 months of the lease term.

A Contract Rent Increase Lease or rent change notice not submitted with a 60 day notice to MPHA will not be approved.

Property Owner Incentive Fund

The Minneapolis Property Owner Incentive Fund benefits new and existing property owners who work with voucher-holders.

MPHA administers this fund, providing financial support to property owners for the following expenses (subject to funding availability):

  • A one-time, $250 incentive fee for property owners who are new to the HCV Program (after Jan. 1, 2018)
  • Reimbursement for losses related to temporarily holding an apartment open for a vouchered tenant
  • Reimbursement for repairs, in certain circumstances

The first two types of payments are identified and disbursed using internal monitoring processes at MPHA.