FRAUD ALERT
Dear valued landlord partners,
The Houston Housing Authority has become aware of attempted fraudulent activity, and we are writing to provide you with information to help protect yourself against personal security breaches.
PLEASE NOTE: The HHA will never ask landlords for money in exchange for services provided by our agency and will not ask you to provide your bank account information over the phone or via email.
We want to make you aware of steps you can take to guard against fraud. In general, you should remain vigilant and continue to monitor your statements for unusual activity. If you see anything you do not understand or suspect any fraudulent transactions have occurred, you should call the bank that issued the credit or debit card immediately.
We value our relationship with you and sincerely regret any inconvenience or concern this may cause. Keeping your personal information secure is of the utmost importance to us, and we are taking steps to address and contain this incident. We promptly engaged our fraud investigator to perform an investigation and are taking measures to prevent this from happening again.
If you have questions or need further information, please contact your dedicated HHA landlord liaisons:
Adrian Hudspeth – ahudspeth@housingforhouston.com
Kelli Wesley – kwesley@housingforhouston.com
If you suspect you have been contacted by parties attempting to represent the HHA fraudulently, please report it to our Fraud Investigator Benjamin Skalka at bskalka@housingforhouston.com.
Sincerely,
The Houston Housing Authority
Please verify that HHA has current, accurate contact information on file for the owner and management property.
The Housing Authority partners with more than 5,000 private property owners to provide rental units to Houston families in need of quality, affordable housing through the Housing Choice Voucher Program. In addition to the satisfaction of making a difference in the community, benefits of participating in the Housing Choice Voucher Program include:
Biennial inspections
The agency inspects the dwelling unit prior to the date a family moves in and will inspect the unit annually thereafter. We perform emergency or complaint inspections if requested by either the tenant or the property owner/manager.
Free Marketing
Owners can publicize available units by visiting Socialserve and MyApartmentMap.
Market Rents
The Housing Authority will pay what your rental unit is worth in comparison to other similar properties in the neighborhood. The agency conducts a Rent Reasonableness Survey at the time of the initial/annual inspection. We look for similar units with respect to location, quality, size, type, age, amenities, housing services, maintenance and utilities. Click here for current Payment Standards.
Guaranteed Timely Payments
HHA’s portion of your tenant’s rent (usually the majority of the total monthly rent) is deposited directly into your checking or savings account with a receipt for the payment sent by mail for your records.
Short Vacancies
There is a long list of eligible families looking for affordable apartments in Houston. As a result Section 8 owners are less susceptible to increases in vacancy rates as non Section 8 owners.
Decreased Applicant Screening Time
Section 8 voucher holders often sign a release that allows prospective property owners access to their HHA file. This file can contain information that you will find helpful when considering a new tenant.