District of Columbia Administrative Code

5208 VOUCHER ISSUANCE 5208.1 After an applicant Family has been deemed eligible, selected from the waiting list, and attended an oral briefing, DCHA shall issue a Voucher to the Family. 5208.3 The initial term of the Voucher shall be one hundred eighty (180) calendar days. The Fa…

5209 EXPIRATION OF THE INITIAL VOUCHER TERM 5209.1 If a Family’s voucher term or extension expires before the Family has submitted an approved RTA, the voucher shall be deemed to have expired and DCHA shall notify the Family in writing that the voucher term has expired and the Fa…

5210 CHANGES BETWEEN VOUCHER ISSUANCE AND LEASE-UP 5210.1 In the circumstance that a Family has been determined to be eligible for the Program and there is a reported change in income or other circumstances and the change occurs after the Voucher was issued but before the effecti…

5211 RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOCATING HOUSING 5211.1 Once DCHA issues a Voucher to a Family, it is the Family’s responsibility to locate suitable housing that is within the Local Market Rent as determined by HUD, meets Housing Quality Standards requirements, and includes the minimum b…

5212 REQUEST FOR TENANCY APPROVAL 5212.1 The owner and the Family shall submit the following documents to DCHA: Completed RTA – HUD Form-52517; Copy of the proposed lease, including the HUD-prescribed Tenancy Addendum; Ownership (recorded deed); If a management agent is involved,…

5213 LEASE-UP PROCESS 5213.1 Upon successful submission of RTA package, DCHA shall schedule a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection within four (4) weeks. 5213.2 An HQS Inspection must be completed prior to the Family occupying the unit. Under no circumstances shall DCHA beg…

5214 APPROVAL OF REQUEST FOR TENANCY 5214.1 Prior to approving the assisted tenancy and executing a HAP contract, DCHA shall ensure that all required actions and determinations have been completed. These actions include ensuring: That the unit is eligible; That the unit has been …

5215 SEPARATE AGREEMENTS 5215.1 Owners and tenants may execute agreements for services, appliances (other than for range and refrigerator), and other items outside those which are provided under the lease if the agreement is in writing and approved by DCHA. 5215.2 Any appliance, …

5216 OWNER LEASE APPROVAL 5216.1 DCHA shall not review the owner’s lease for compliance with state/local law. It is the owner’s responsibility to comply with state/local law when leasing units on the owner’s property. 5216.2 The assisted dwelling lease shall contain all of the re…

5217 HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENT CONTRACT EXECUTION 5217.1 Owners who have not previously participated in the HCVP shall attend a meeting with DCHA in which the terms of the Tenancy Addendum and the HAP contract shall be explained. DCHA may waive this requirement on a case-by-case…

5300 INCOME CONSIDERATIONS AND DETERMINATION OF TOTAL TENANT PAYMENT 5300.1 Once a participant is receiving assistance, the following regularly scheduled events shall occur: (a) Periodic recertification, in which income is calculated and total tenant payment is determined; (b) In…

5301 ANNUAL INCOME 5301.1 For purposes of determining all forms of income for families who are applicants and participants in the HCVP, DCHA shall follow HUD requirements as enumerated in 24 C.F.R. § 5.601 through 24 C.F.R. § 5.609 and 24 C.F.R. § 5.659, as amended. SOURCE: Final…

5302 UTILITY PAYMENTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS 5302.1 For purposes of determining payments by and utility reimbursements to families who are participants in the HCVP, DCHA shall follow HUD requirements as enumerated in 24 C.F.R. § 5.632 and 24 C.F.R. § 982.514, as amended. SOURCE: Fina…

5303 EARNED INCOME DISREGARD 5303.1 In accordance with its MTW designations, DCHA elects not to grant the Earned Income Disallowance for disabled families. DCHA has determined that the policies contained in § 5308 grant a comparable benefit and ensure that all households are rewa…

5304 ALIMONY AND CHILD SUPPORT AS INCOME 5304.1 DCHA shall count court-awarded amounts for alimony and child support unless DCHA verifies that the payments have not been made in the last six (6) months. 5304.2 If the amounts received for child support or alimony are not received …

5305 GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS AS INCOME 5305.1 For purposes of determining whether financial aid awards used for higher education shall be counted as income, DCHA shall follow 24 C.F.R. § 5.609, as amended. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 59 DCR 7890 (June 29, 2012). Distric…

5306 ADJUSTED INCOME AND DETERMINATION OF RENT 5306.1 In the determination of adjusted income DCHA shall deduct from annual income the following deductions, as applicable to the Family: Four hundred eighty dollars ($480) for each Dependent; Four hundred dollars ($400) for any eld…

5307 OVERVIEW OF RENT AND SUBSIDY CALCULATIONS 5307.1 For purposes of calculating the Total Tenant Payment (TTP), DCHA shall follow HUD requirements as enumerated in 24 C.F.R. § 5.628, as amended. 5307.2 DCHA may establish a minimum rent as authorized by 24 C.F.R. § 5.628(a). If …

5308 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY’S HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENT 5308.1 DCHA shall pay a monthly Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) for a Family that is equal to the lower of: The applicable payment standard for the Family minus the Family’s TTP; or (b) The gross rent for t…

5309 APPLYING PAYMENT STANDARDS 5309.1 For purposes of applying a payment standard to a family’s unit, DCHA shall follow 24 C.F.R. §§ 982.503, et seq. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 59 DCR 7890 (June 29, 2012). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Housing 14 DCMR § 5…

5310 CHANGES IN FAMILY SHARE AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS 5310.1 Changes in the Family’s TTP and the HAP payment shall be processed in accordance with the following: (a) The Family shall report within thirty (30) days any decreases in household income, any removal of a Family …

5311 APPLYING UTILITY ALLOWANCES 5311.1 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The purpose of the simplified calculation of utility allowances for Housing Choice Voucher participants is to enable program participants, landlords, and PHA to be able to easily calculate a participant utility allowance…

5312 PERIODIC RECERTIFICATION OF INCOME 5312.1 Families shall be requested to submit a recertification packet which includes some of the following information on income, assets, allowances and deductions, and Family composition at least biennially, unless they qualify for trienni…

5313 RECERTIFICATION NOTICE TO THE FAMILY 5313.1 In accordance with § 8410.1, DCHA shall maintain a recertification tracking system that shall ensure that at least one hundred fifty (150) days in advance of the scheduled periodic recertification effective date, the Head of Househ…

5314 DCHA INITIATED INTERIM RECERTIFICATIONS 5314.1 DCHA may require families who report zero income to complete a zero (0) income interview and certification not more frequently than every one hundred twenty (120) days. 5314.2 Families may be required to complete an interim rece…

5315 CHANGES IN INCOME 5315.1 Families shall not be required to report any increase in household income between periodic or interim recertifications. Any increase in income shall only be included in the determination of annual household income at the next periodic recertification…

5316 CHANGES IN FAMILY COMPOSITION 5316.1 The Family shall request DCHA approval to add a new Family member, with the exception of the addition of a Family member as a result of birth, adoption, foster placement or court-awarded custody. However, in all circumstances the Family i…

5317 REMOVING A HOUSEHOLD MEMBER 5317.1 The Family shall notify DCHA within thirty (30) days of occurrence, if any Family member no longer lives in the unit. 5317.2 DCHA shall make the determination whether the person no longer living in the unit is considered to be temporarily a…

5318 ABSENT FAMILY MEMBERS 5318.1 A Family member who is or is expected to be absent from the assisted unit for one hundred twenty (120) consecutive days or less is considered temporarily absent and continues to be considered a Family member. Income, assets, or applicable deducti…

5319 DECEASED FAMILY MEMBERS 5319.1 If the Family member is the sole Family member of the household and DCHA has verified that this person is deceased, DCHA shall notify the landlord of immediate HAP contract termination. DCHA shall collect monies owed from the landlord retroacti…

5320 GUEST STAYS 5320.1 A guest may remain in the assisted unit no longer than thirty (30) consecutive days or a total of ninety (90) cumulative calendar days during any twelve (12) month period. 5320.2 Children who are subject to a joint custody arrangement or for whom a Family …

5321 HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS AND INSPECTIONS 5321.1 DCHA is required to inspect each unit receiving assistance under the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) to ensure that it is “decent, safe, and sanitary” according to Housing Quality Standards. 5321.2 DCHA may adopted addit…

5322 ELIGIBLE TYPES OF HOUSING 5322.1 All structure types may be utilized, including but not limited to single Family, duplex, triplex, fourplex, garden apartment, townhouses, and high-rises. 5322.2 Families may only rent units from relatives as reasonable accommodation for a dis…

5323 ACCEPTABILITY CRITERIA AND EXCEPTIONS TO HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS 5323.1 DCHA adheres to the acceptability criteria in the federal regulations and HUD Inspection Booklet to ensure the following systems are compliant with HQS: Food preparation and refuse disposal; (b) Space …

5324 CORRECTING HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS DEFICIENCIES DURING INITIAL INSPECTIONS 5324.1 DCHA shall schedule a timely inspection of the unit upon receipt of a Request for Lease Approval and Lease. The Family and the owner shall be notified of the results. 5324.2 Prior to the sche…

5325 GENERAL POLICIES FOR ANNUAL INSPECTIONS 5325.1 Units that do not meet the criteria for biennial Housing Quality Standard inspections as set forth in § 5325.5 shall be subject to annual HQS inspections. 5325.2 If the tenant or Owner complains that the unit does not meet Housi…

5326 EMERGENCY REPAIR ITEMS LIST 5326.1 The following items are to be considered of an emergency nature and shall be corrected by the owner within twenty-four (24) hours of notice by the Inspector: Electrical outlet smoking or sparking; Escaping gas from gas stove; Major plumbing…

5327 RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FAMILY TO ALLOW INSPECTION 5327.1 DCHA shall be allowed to inspect the unit at reasonable times with reasonable notice. The Family and owner are notified of the inspection appointment by mail. If the Family is not able to be at home, the Family shall ca…

5328 ABATEMENT FOR HOUSING QUALITY INSPECTION FAILURES 5328.1 When DCHA determines that an assisted unit fails to meet Housing Quality standards as described in 14 DCMR §§ 5320, et seq., and the owner has been given an opportunity to correct the problem(s) and does not do so with…

5329 HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENT CONTRACT TERMINATION 5329.1 If the owner fails to correct all the owner violations cited within the abatement period, the contract shall be cancelled. 5329.2 As noted in § 5328.2, DCHA shall send the owner and Family a HAP Contract Cancellation Not…

5330 OWNER HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENT RESPONSIBILITIES 5330.1 During the term of the HAP contract, and subject to the provisions of the HAP contract, DCHA shall make monthly HAP payments to the owner on behalf of the Family, at the beginning of each month. 5330.2 If a lease term …

5331 OWNER CERTIFICATIONS 5331.1 By endorsing the monthly check from DCHA or accepting payments via direct deposit, the owner certifies compliance with the terms of the HAP contract. This includes certification that: The owner remains the owner for the premises leased; The owner …

5332 UTILITY ALLOWANCE SCHEDULE SIMPLIFICATION 5332.1 If the Family pays for some or all utilities, DCHA shall provide the Family with a utility allowance. The allowances are based on actual rates and average consumption estimates, not on a Family's actual energy consumption. The…

5333 FAMILY MOVES 5333.1 Except as noted in this subsection, families may move in accordance with Chapter 85 (Housing Choice Voucher Program: Participant Moves) of this title of the DCMR. 5333.2 Each Family shall give notice to move in accordance with Chapter 85 of this title of …

5400 GENERAL POLICY 5400.1 DCHA verifies Family income, Family composition, status of full time students, value of assets, factors allowing a preference, and other factors relating to eligibility determinations before an applicant Family is issued a voucher. 5400.2 DCHA shall ver…

5401 RELEASE OF INFORMATION 5401.1 All adult applicant Family members shall sign HUD Form-9886, Authorization for Release of Information. The purpose of HUD Form-9886 is to facilitate automated data collection and computer matching from specific sources and provides the Family's …

5402 METHODS OF VERIFICATION 5402.1 In order of priority, the forms of verification that DCHA shall use are: (a) Up-front Income Verification (UIV) whenever available; (b) Third-party Written Verification; (c) Third-party Written Verification Forms; (d) Third Party Oral Verificat…

5403 FAMILIES WHO REPORT NO INCOME 5403.1 During any periodic or interim recertification where a Family reports they earn no income, a worksheet shall be utilized to determine potential undisclosed sources of income. Families with no income shall be subject to periodic interim re…

5404 VERIFICATION OF LEGAL IDENTITY 5404.1 These are the acceptable forms of participant-provided documents for purposes of documenting the file: The acceptable forms of verification of Legal Identity for adults in a Family are: (1) Certificate of birth, naturalization papers; (2…

5405 FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS 5405.1 Applicants and program participants shall identify the relationship of each household member to the Head of Household with the following types of documents: Marriage: Marriage Certificate; Marriage License; Proof of Common Law Marriage Recognition…