Rental Property Association of WI, Inc. - Recap from the first HACM Virtual Session

By Dawn Anastasi, RPA Board Member

In our previous blog article, we mentioned how HACM is now starting to hold Virtual Sessions with its housing providers.

Here are some notes from the first session.

Last month, HACM issued 250 vouchers to first-time voucher holders.
In the last 2 months, HACM hired 2 new inspectors.
Vouchers last 120 days from the date they are issued. This means that once a tenant obtains a voucher, they have 4 months to find housing with that voucher that meets their needs.
If a rental property owner fills out the voucher, but for whatever reason the lease doesn't move forward, the tenant can get the voucher paperwork re-issued.
Why is HACM limited to only 12 month leases and won't support month-to-month? HUD says that the 12 month lease provides housing stability for the landlord and tenant.
Rental property owners who have Rent Assistance tenants should make sure they are signed up for the HACM portal. No rent ledgers will be emailed anymore. The information can only be downloaded on the portal.
If you didn't get your registration email for the new HACM portal (you need it to become registered on the site), email Steven Fendt and he will make sure it gets to you.
All leases are set to automatically renew unless:
- A 60 day notice is received from either the landlord or tenant saying a party wants out of the lease at its end date
- The unit required an annual inspection, failed the annual inspection, and then failed the re-inspection
- The tenant failed to recertify in a timely manner -- all section 8 tenants have to prove their eligibility each year

The process for a voucher household:

Applies to the program
Selected off the waiting list
Passed the background check
Provided income and household membership documentation
Attended briefing
Given voucher
Searches for housing that meets their needs that fits the voucher
Applies to a rental
Rental property owner and applicant fill out voucher paperwork
Voucher paperwork is sent into HACM
HACM performs a "Rent Reasonableness" check based on the rental unit
HACM collects documentation from the rental property owner if they are new to the program (ownership verification / W9)
HACM inspects the property (expect a call from HACM within 2 days of submitting the RFTA -- blue form)
The tenant signs the lease with the rental property owner and moves in

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