Dear Prospective Resident,
It is our policy to accept Section 8, VASH vouchers and other forms of rental assistance on all units as required by California law. In order to make the transition smoother, listed below are the requirements when entering into a Section 8/housing contract. These requirements may also be used when working with another agency.
1. It is your responsibility to ensure the rental unit meets the standards for your voucher.
2. Since your voucher is used in calculating the income requirement, please provide us with a copy of your Subsidy Estimation. This will allow the income requirement of three (3) times the voucher subsidy. Credit (or) alternative evidence and rental history are also a criteria in processing your application. A co-signer may be allowed if one of these criteria are not met. In limited circumstances, a double deposit is allowed. Please see RENTAL POLICIES for more information.
3. Alternative evidence can be considered instead of credit history. Applicants with a government rent subsidy have the option, at the their discretion, of providing lawful, verifiable evidence of their reasonable ability to pay their portion of the rent instead of using credit history. Please see Application to Rent for more information and to choose this option.
4. It is your responsibility to communicate with the public housing agency (PHA) regarding the proper procedures. Any paperwork that is required will need to be brought in by you to the PHA office as needed. This may require picking up paperwork from the PHA, obtaining our signature, and returning it back to the PHA office. We may choose to cooperate with a PHA via email.
5. A deposit to hold a unit can be accepted once:
a.) Your Application to Rent has been approved, and
a.) We have completed a Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA), and
b.) Your file is with the PHA in which the rental unit is located, and
c.) We have written approval of the asking rental amount from the PHA.
d.) We may require a unit pass the Housing Quality Standards (HSQ) prior to accepting a deposit.
6. If your PHA requires the unit to be inspected within 15 days of the RLA being received and the unit will not be ready, we will inquire if a new RTA is required. If a unit is still occupied or having vacancy maintenance done, we cannot verify a move in date until all vendors have been scheduled and the work completed. Please inquire with your PHA regarding their process.
7. Once a unit passes the HQS inspection, the Housing Assistance Contract (HAP) should start the following business day. Any delay by the Resident or the PHA can result in the Resident paying the fair market value of the rent from that day until the HAP Contract starts. If you are supplying your own appliance, please ask your PHA if they will require a self-certification prior to move in.
8. If your PHA requires an lease signed by both parties prior to releasing the HAP Contract for our review, we will coordinate an alternative move in date with them.
9. If the local housing authority is able to provide us the HAP Contract prior to you moving into the unit, we can rent the unit based on your portion of the rent and the agreed upon deposit. If the PHA is not able to provide the HAP Contract prior to move in, then you can move into the unit as a non-housing resident. If you move in as a non-housing resident, your application will be re-evaluated to meet these standards and additional monies may be due. If you move into a unit prior to all parties, including the PHA, signing the contracts, you may be responsible for the entire rental amount.
10. The PHA requires an initial lease term of one year. The lease may be extended to the end of the lease month.
We appreciate your patience during this process. We work with several PHAs and each of their procedures may vary and can change.
Thank you,
Crossroads Investments
(805) 485-4040
May 2025