All Forum Posts by: Alexa S.

Thank you! Yes, we have a long paper trail over email which she was able to share with me. Unfortunately, we are getting little response on either of our efforts with phone calls and emails. I'm hopeful that the evidence will work out in our favor but it's honestly unreal how no one will accept responsibility and putting both my tenant and me in jeopardy. I'm sorry you went through something similar.

Does anyone have a contact at DCHA for grievances or issues needing prompt resolution? (I know I'm asking the impossible).

I am a landlord with the housing choice voucher program. I've had the same tenant in place for 3 years without issue. DCHA did not pay me their portion of November rent. I called DCHA and they said my tenant had not renewed her registration. However, when I spoke to my tenant, she said she sent it in the summer and has not heard from them since. My tenant has always been responsive and trustworthy on everything for this entire time- never late on rent, pays utilities, tells me right away if there is a problem, etc., so I do trust that she has fulfilled her end. She said she would forward me the messages if needed and I expect that she shares those shortly. Just wondering how to resolve this. I have a mortgage that needs to be paid and cannot wait months without a payment from DCHA, especially since we are already in the middle of the month and my next payment is due in two weeks again. If my tenant missed info to submit, they should have let her or I know. Just not sending the owner payment is unreal.

@Jennifer Donley, thank you. That is exactly what I would expect as well. However, when I spoke to the tenant's social worker he said he wouldn't expect she is able to cover utilities on her own based on her income, which then makes me worried she wouldn't pay her portion of the rent.

Apologies for the weird font :( Not sure how that happened!

@Russell Brazil, thank you-your comments are always super helpful. I will take a look at these resources today. For both @Russell Brazil and @Terrence Bayly, can you share why you recommend the tenant pays utilities? Since the tenant will also pay an undisclosed portion of the rent, I am worried that if I go with the lower government payment and the tenant is unable to pay utilities, I will also take a hit on the tenant not being able to pay their portion of rent. It would seem that covering utilities with the higher governmet payment might give the tenant more room to make their portion of the rent payment. It seems like a big gamble to guess at which option is more secure.

I have a small 3 BR townhouse in DC that I had been renting out to market rate renters for the last 5 years. I am buying out my co-owner and will now be the sole owner. 

For various reasons, it felt like a safer bet to rent through DC's voucher holder program but circumstances changed very rapidly in terms of me having the opportunity to buy out, so I have not had a lot of time to process this huge decision. The program will pay me 4069 monthly, although it means I must pay the utilities on behalf of my tenant.

I'm wondering if anyone is willing to chat here online or in a private message to share your experience with the program. Unfortunately, my co-owner started the process without me and selected a tenant that may not have been my top option, and I am told that to restart entry into the program in my name and therefore select my own tenant could take many months. It seems the information shared on the program is quite limited- for example, I just learned via a conversation (I don't see it posted online) that the DCHA program does not disclose how much the tenant is expected to pay monthly until we sit and sign all the documents. This is worrisome. There is a big time crunch to make this all happen so I welcome the chance to learn from your experience or gain some insight.

Thank you in advance!

@Teresa F., @Ike Okonkwo, and @Emily Howlett, thank you! I will reach out to Joseph and follow up.

@Teresa F., prior to the pandemic my co-owner and I were starting the process to advertise, schedule an inspection, etc, and then my co-owner had second thoughts. However, previously DCHA was responsive and now I can't bear to go through advertising and screening again if I can't guarantee DCHA will respond on inspection and approval for the program.

@Teresa F. the challenge right now is that we cannot get a response from DCHA to get enrolled in the program. I am unclear if the offices are closed or if there are just delays. No one answers the lines and no one returns calls. I just find it hard to believe that such an essential operation would be that delayed when people may need affordable housing. Basically, just trying to get a read on whether anyone is currently interacting with DCHA and getting any response from the offices.

I have a row house in DC that I was seeking to enter into the DC Housing Choice Voucher program. We have been unable to reach anyone in the program to enter our house, get an inspection, and find an tenant. Does anyone have insight into whether this office is operating right now?