Allentown Housing Authority
1339 W Allen Street Allentown, PA 18102
Phone: 610-439-8678
TDD: 610-439-1586
First, the AHA is requiring landlords to list available apartments with PA Housing Search http://www.pahousingsearch.com/ an on-line resource created by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. This resource allows landlords to maintain an accurate listing of available apartments without contacting the AHA directly.
Once a prospective tenant contacts you, review the Voucher (sample HUD 52646) to see if:
Screen the tenant as you would any other renter without rental assistance. Please note: The AHA does not screen families or individuals for their suitability as tenants. This is the responsibility of the landlord.
When you have decided on a family for the apartment, please submit the Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) form and a draft of the release to the designated AHA representative.
Provide proof that you are a registered landlord with the City of Allentown. The AHA will verify with the City of Allentown the registration of every rental apartment.
Please note that you will be contacted for an inspection of the apartment.
The apartment must be unoccupied unless the family is already residing there.
The AHA will not provide funding until the apartment has passed the final inspection and all documents are signed by the family and the landlord and returned to the AHA.
You must submit a signed lease to the AHA office. The initial term of the lease must be for at least one year.
The family/tenant is responsible to pay the security deposit.
If the family moves in prior to the inspection, the family is responsible for the full amount of the monthly rent.
Apartment Inspections
Please pre-inspect your apartment carefully before the scheduled date for the Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection. For more on the HQS inspections, visit HUD's website to review the HUD standards. AHA will not enter into a Housing Assistance Program contract or renew the contract unless the apartment passes the HQS inspection.
All apartments MUST pass the City of Allentown Rental Unit Licensing Program inspection before they can be considered for the housing choice voucher program.
Housing Choice Voucher Program Landlord Information
To make a apartment available to voucher holders, the apartment should be listed with PA Housing Search, http://www.pahousingsearch.com/, the AHA will not maintain a separate listing of apartments. You may also publish an ad in the local newspaper noting Will accept Section 8.
Landlords are strongly encouraged to conduct reference checks on all applicants. This is not done by the Allentown Housing Authority.
The role of the landlord in the voucher program is to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing to a tenant at a reasonable rent. The dwelling apartment must pass the program's housing quality standards and be maintained up to those standards as long as the owner receives housing assistance payments. In addition, the landlord is expected to provide the services agreed to as part of the lease signed with the tenant and the contract signed with the PHA.
Furthermore, each apartment must meet Allentown Maintenance Codes and HUD Housing Quality Standards. City and school district and all water/sewer fees must be paid in full. The rent must be approved with HUD Fair Market Rates and must be comparable to other rent rates within the city.
Landlords cannot discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin or family status. However, landlords are encouraged to screen the tenants. AHA accepts applicants based on income only and cannot provide a behavior reference. Please contact the applicant's last two landlords, make an unannounced home visit and conduct a credit check.
After the apartment passes inspection and the rent is approved the landlord and tenant enter into a one-year lease in accordance with all state laws. The AHA and landlord sign a Housing Assistance Contract and the landlord provides AHA with a copy of the lease. The landlord may collect and hold a security deposit in accordance with state law.
The lease may be renewed after one year or the tenant may vacate with a 60-day notice before the term of the lease expires. If the tenant intends to remain in the apartment and is recertified for eligibility, the apartment receives an annual inspection. The landlord may request a rent increase, agreeable by the tenant and approved by AHA.
AHA will terminate housing assistance to the tenant and the contract with a full 30-day notice to the landlord if the tenant:
Please pre-inspect your apartment carefully before the scheduled date for the Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection. For more on the HQS inspections, visit HUD's website to review the HUD standards. AHA will not enter into a Housing Assistance Program contract or renew the contract unless the apartment passes the HQS inspection.
All apartments MUST pass the City of Allentown Rental Unit Licensing Program inspection before they can be considered for the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
Each year the AHA hosts a Landlord Meeting to promote the housing choice voucher program and to meet with landlords to discuss their concerns. Download the presentation for this year's Landlord Meeting.