HOUSING AUTHORITY GOAL

“To provide decent, safe, sanitary and affordable

housing.”

DuPage Housing Authority711 East Roosevelt Road Wheaton, IL 60187PH: 630-690-3555 FAX: 630-690-0702

Housing Quality Standards

CITIES INSPECTED

DHA inspects units for close to 3,500 families covering over 50 cities throughout DuPage, Kendall, Kane and Grundy Counties. We perform inspections for DuPage Housing Authority, Kendall Housing Authority, Rental Housing Support Program and Ogden Manor.

HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Sanitary facilities

2. Food preparation and refuse disposal

3. Space and security

4. Thermal environment

5. Illumination and electricity

6. Structure and materials

7. Interior air quality

8. Water supply

9. Lead-based paint

10. Access

11. Site and neighborhood

12. Sanitary conditions

13. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors

H.Q.S. consists of (13) performance requirements:

INSPECTION TYPES:

- Initial

- Annual

- Re-inspection

- Special

- Quality Control

INITIAL INSPECTION PROCESS(NEW MOVE)

• LL/ Owner submits completed RFTA packet

• RFTA (move packet) is processed and approved

• Packet is forwarded to inspection department where a date for inspection is scheduled

• Inspection is completed. If unit fails, landlord will be notified of fail items.

• Once unit passes, rent portions will be provided by Leasing and Contracts department.

• Landlord notifies Leasing and Contracts department once keys have been physically issued to tenant.

• Contract and Leasing department generates H.A.P. contract once all paperwork is verified for appropriate dates, initials, and signatures

• Housing Assistance Payments are released to landlord once Contracts are executed

• The timeframe from receipt of RFTA packet at front desk to date inspection is performed is targeted at10 business days. Possible causes for delay can include: processing delays due to missing paperwork, delays due to rent negotiations and unit not being ready for inspection.

INITIAL INSPECTION• Also known as “move-in” inspection.

• Unit is checked for HQS compliance.

• Picture documentation is taken of rooms throughout the unit.

• Rent reasonableness certification is reviewed and confirmed at time of inspection.

• Review is made to ensure that certification is accurate based on current unit condition.

• Upon completion of inspection landlord/owner is provided pass/ fail letter with results.

• If fails inspection landlord has 7 days to make repairs unless they are extensive and require more time.

• If unit passes inspection the packet along with a copy of the Yardi inspection pass letter is forwarded to Leasing and Contracts department.

ANNUAL INSPECTION

• Annual inspections are performed according to H.U.D. guidelines within 364 days of the previous annual inspection. Annual inspections are currently being scheduled 45-60 days ahead of the previous years inspection. Tenants are usually provided at least 2 weeks notice prior to inspection. The annual inspection is a basic inspection to determine unit suitability.

• If any deficiencies are found the inspector will determine if it is a 24 hour or 20 day violation. Inspector will also determine who is responsible.

• If the unit fails inspection or there are recommendations, letters with descriptions of required repairs and responsible party will be mailed to tenant and landlord.

• If unit passes inspection a letter will only be included on file, it will not be mailed to either party unless requested. All inspection results and information will be available on the tenant/ landlord portal.

SPECIAL INSPECTION

Special inspections can be requested by the landlord, tenant or a third party. The request for a special inspection can be anonymous. Inspectors will asses concerns and determine if unit is H.Q.S. compliant. The same timeframes apply as annual inspections if the unit fails, 24 hour and 20 day violations.

REINSPECTION

• A re-inspection is performed following a failed inspection.

• For an initial (move in) inspection we schedule re-inspection once we have been notified that the repairs have been completed. In this case repairs must be completed within 7 days of the failed inspection. If re-inspected and it is confirmed that repairs are not completed as required than we may cancel the RFTA packet and tenant will have to locate another suitable unit.

• For annual and special inspections a re-inspection is scheduled 20-30 days after unit has failed inspection.

• For all other inspections, failure to pass at the time of reinspection will initiate the abatement/ termination process.

QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTIONS

• Quality Control inspections are performed to ensure that inspections are being completed as required by H.U.D. guidelines.

• Qualified personnel will schedule and perform these inspections.

• Inspections must be performed on every inspector, and cover a cross section of cities on units that had an annual, special, and initial inspection within the last 90 days.

VIOLATION TYPES

• 20 day violations

Examples: Missing handrail, stove burner not working, leak in plumbing, missing bedroom detector.

• 24 hour violations

Examples: Gas leak, no working smoke detectors present, absence of functioning toilet, utilities not in service, presence of severe mold, obstacles that prevent safe entrance or exit from unit.

COMMON FAIL CONDITIONS:

Missing or non-functional smoke/carbon monoxide detectors

No handrails where required

Cracked or broken window panes

Inoperable stove burners

Inoperable bathroom fans or lack of ventilation in bathroom

Water leaks from faucets/pipes

No temperature/pressure relief valves on water heaters

Tripping hazards by installed floor coverings

ABATEMENT AND TERMINATION• Abatement of subsidies is defined as: holding of payments and deducting payments for every day that

the repairs are not complete, beginning the day after repairs were due until the date the repairs were completed and re-inspected. Termination of contracts will follow if repairs continue to be in a fail status.

• If unit fails, written notice will be provided and repair due dates will be issued. If repairs are not completed by due date and tenant is responsible they will be placed up for termination. If repairs are landlord responsibility they will be provided with abatement/ termination notification.

• Once the abatement/ termination process has been initiated the inspector will notify the Housing Specialist via email, attach copies of letters and make any necessary memos.

• The Housing Specialists then enters a new DLE (date lease ends) into system and changes tenant status from “Current” to “Notice”. Tenant should be provided a move (RFTA) packet.

• Abatement ends if repairs are confirmed prior to termination date. Letters are mailed to landlord. and Housing Specialist is notified via email.

• Termination will be rescinded if repairs are completed prior to termination date, unless tenant has had a new RFTA packet processed and it has reached inspection department.

• If the termination is rescinded the Housing Specialists then changes system dates back to reflect original status prior to abatement/ termination notification.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HOUSING AGENCY:

• Ensure that all units on program meet Housing Quality Standards

• Encourage tenants and owners to maintain unit up to standards

• Schedule inspections in response to tenant or owner complaint or request

• Schedule annual inspection of the unit to ensure unit is still in compliance with Housing Quality Standards

• Monitor and enforce the following SEMAP indicators: #2 Rent Reasonableness, #5 HQS Quality Control, #6 HQS Enforcement, #11 Pre-contract Inspections and #12 Annual HQS Inspection

• Submitting all annual inspection data to the “PIC” database.

• Generate and monitor weekly reports that include inspections with fail status, missed inspections, abatement tracking/follow up and trend watching.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TENANT:

• Live up to the terms of the lease

• Keep the unit safe and sanitary

• Cooperate with the owner by informing him or her of any necessary repairs

• Cooperate with the HA for inspections.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE OWNER:

• Comply with the terms of the lease

• Maintain the unit and keep it up to Housing Quality Standards

• Cooperate with tenants by responding promptly to requests for needed repairs

• Cooperate with the HA for inspections, including making necessary repairs

NEW TO DHA

• New Landlord portal allows for quicker access to inspection results, dates, letters, and abatement status as well as all related attachments.

• Inspections are performed on IPAD allowing for live results as soon as 15 minutes after inspection is completed through Yardi portal.

• Resources available on Landlord and Tenant portals which include; Lead Based Paint pamphlet, “Good Place to Live” booklet, Inspection self-checklist and we will be adding new resources in the near future.

ACCESSING INSPECTION INFORMATION

• Enter Owner portal via dupagehousing.org• Under Landlords tab select “ Landlord Information

Portal”• Select “Owner Portal”• Register or if already registered enter Username and

Password.• If you are registering for first time you can obtain your

Vendor code by contacting the Housing Authority

LANDLORDS SUCCESS CIRCLE

Prepare unit for Inspection

Maintains unit

Enforces leasesComplies with Housing

Assistance Payment contract

Keeps units occupied

INSPECTORS

• Mario Carrasco- HCV Program Manager of Inspections Ext. 207

• Randy Ridgeway- HCV Inspector Ext. 206

• Dan Moore- HCV Inspector Ext. 228

• Jerry Lowman- HCV Inspector Ext. 227

• Shaquille Artis- HCV Inspector Ext. 217