Consistent flow of tenants.
Easier and more profitable.

Our revised program is landlord-friendly.

Allegheny County, located in Western Pennsylvania, has a population of 1.3 million persons living in 130 municipalities within 731 square miles. The Allegheny County Housing Authority administers over 5,000 vouchers.

Allegheny County Housing Authority

301 Chartiers Avenue
McKees Rocks, PA 15136

MAIN PHONE: 412.355.8940
TTY PHONE: 412-746-0040

Allegheny County Housing Authority

301 Chartiers Avenue
McKees Rocks, PA 15136

MAIN PHONE: 412.355.8940
TTY PHONE: 412-746-0040

HCVP (Section 8) OFFICE has two (2) convenient locations.

Paperwork may be dropped off at either address during business hours:

ACHA Central Office
301 Chartiers Avenue
McKees Rocks, PA 15136

Business Hours:
M-F 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

HCVP Satellite Office
500 Amity Street,
Homestead, PA 15120

Business Hours:
M-F 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM

The Housing Choice Voucher Program is a rental assistance program. HCV residents rent directly from private landlords and their rental payments are subsidized through the voucher program.

The ACHA provides housing assistance to low-income families in the private rental market through the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. Participants pay their portion of the rent based on their income, and the Housing Authority pays the balance directly to the property owner. Units must meet HUD Housing Quality Standards (HQS), and the rent must be approvable within HUD Fair Market Rents and market rate comparable. Owners select their own tenants after the ACHA certifies the family’s eligibility for the program. Once a tenant has been selected, the owner will receive and complete a Housing Packet. Once the ACHA receives the completed packet, the Housing Inspector will schedule an inspection.

After the unit passes inspection and the rent has been approved, the owner and the tenant enter into a lease agreement for an initial term of one (1) year. The owner is permitted to require a security deposit; however, the ACHA cannot pay the security deposit for the tenant. The ACHA and the owner enter into a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Contract, which allows the ACHA to pay rent to the owner on the tenant’s behalf.

RETHINK SECTION 8.

8 Simple Steps

Enjoy consistent payments with these simple steps.

It all starts with a willingness to participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Once you provide a good place to live that meets housing quality standards, you can market your unit (and we can list for free!). Next, you pre-screen and get to know any prospective tenants. When you’ve found a suitable tenant, you’ll submit the tenants RFTA (request for tenancy approval) and submit proof of paid taxes. Now that your unit has passed inspection, go ahead and sign the HAP contract. Hand your keys over to your tenant, and enjoy consistent payments. It’s as simple as that.

FAQS

The landlord has to be willing to participate in the HCV program and have a unit that can pass inspection. Owners further qualify by attesting they are not related to the assisted family, that they have not been debarred by HUD and that they are the rightful owner of the property. This does not occur until the landlord selects a HCVP tenant. There is nothing an owner must do to pre-qualify or register as a landlord.

Landlords can list units free on the PA Housing Search website at www.PAHousingSearch.com. or GoSection8.com. Alert the Landlord Liaisons – list on ACHA’s Site for Free!

Housing Quality Standards (HQS) are the HUD minimum quality standards for housing assisted under the rental assistance program. HQS have been developed for program use nationwide and help to ensure your home will be safe, decent and sanitary. These standards are applied by the Housing Inspector during the inspection. Please note: if the borough your unit is located in requires an occupancy permit, your unit will not pass without a copy of the passed occupancy permit. The occupancy permit only pertains to the initial inspection. It does not need to be updated every year the tenant resides in that unit.

Yes. An Initial Inspection will be completed prior to the unit being placed under Housing Assistance Payment contract and the unit will be inspected biennially. However, a special inspection may be requested by tenants under different circumstances.

If it is a new contract, you will be paid on the next scheduled check run after we have received both signed copies of the contract and the lease certification that matches the occupancy dates on the contract. ACHA will not pay subsidy before the contract terms have been agreed upon. If the owner permits the tenant to move into the unit before the contract begins, the tenant will be responsible for the full amount of the rent and ACHA will not pay the back amount retroactively.

Contracts begin on the HQS pass date unless otherwise requested.

A rent increase will be conducted 60 days prior to your tenant’s Re-examination/Anniversary Date. Rent increases are based off the AffordableHousing.com Rent Reasonableness website. The ACHA must receive, at a minimum of sixty (60) days prior to your tenant’s re-examination date, the request for a rent increase. This request will be sent to the Housing Coordinator responsible for your tenant. Every rent increase will be reviewed to ensure it is rent reasonable. If your request places your rental amount above the payment standard, please note that the tenant will be responsible for the entire amount above the payment standard in addition to their 30% calculated rent. For this reason, you will need to have the tenant’s approval to raise the rent. If approved, your rent will increase on the effective date of your tenant’s recertification date. You may only request a rent increase once per year. Please see Partner Portal for additional information to request a rent increase.

Background checks are conducted by ACHA. It’s also recommended, that the Landlord/Property Managers conduct their own background check. ACHA does not perform credit screening on our clients. This is the responsibility of the landlord.

Landlords have the same rights and responsibilities in the Housing Choice Voucher Program as they have with any open market renter, including:

  • Maintain your property in good condition
  • Complete all necessary repairs within a reasonable amount of time upon request by the Housing Authority or tenant, including all 24-hour emergency items. The amount of time that is considered reasonable depends upon the nature of the problem. Set reasonable rules about the use of the unit and common areas
  • Collect appropriate security deposit as directed under the program and use it only in accordance with state and local law
  • Comply with equal housing opportunity requirements
  • Enforce tenant obligations under the terms of your lease
  • Take action through the court system to evict a tenant when they violate the lease

  • Pay their portion of the rent on time
  •   Keep the unit clean
  • Maintain exterior of residence and yard
  • Avoid illegal activities by household members and guests
  • Allow ACHA Inspectors access to the unit to conduct HQS inspections Permit landlord and designated repairmen access to the unit for repairs
  • Avoid damage to the property by household members and guests
  • Refrain from disturbing neighbors
  • Allow only those occupants on the lease to reside in the unit
  • Comply with terms and conditions of the dwelling lease and tenancy addendum

If your question isn’t answered in this list, please email your question(s) to: Landlords@achsng.com. You will receive an answer via email.

What Our Landlords & Tenants Are Saying

“I am a local landlord in Allegheny County.  I have been working with tenants using the housing choice voucher program (section 8) for around 6 or 7 years.  The program has been very beneficial to our business, especially during the covid-19 closures, in the sense that we knew for sure what amount we were receiving each month.  In recent months I have noticed that there is a big shortage of respectable units for the program and I have been able to use that as a valuable tool to find many great tenants for my units.  If you are thinking of renting via section 8 program I would highly recommend it. ”

- Brian Snyder, Manager, Greater Pittsburgh Properties, LLC

I have been in the housing program since 2002. I have no complaints at all. I have the best landlord – she is awesome! Never had a problem with her, she keeps her properties well up to par, and she never hesitates on getting things fixed when it’s needed. Michael Falce is an awesome inspector. He was always pleasant, respectful, just an all around great person.

- Sharita Price, Tenant

Every government program has it’s pros and cons.  Owning section 8 housing since 1987 has been a positive part of financial growth and retirement planning for me, a single mom. The primary benefits of the program include: The guarantee of timely rent payments each month, the yearly inspection process which assures the tenants are housed in a safe and secure environment, adjustments to the rents are handled in an orderly manner with minimal negative impact to the tenant, and under the management of Kim Longwell, and Steve Mariano the process has become streamlined and much more efficient. Thank you for the opportunity to express my opinion.

- Judy Romaniello, Landlord

Over the past 15 years we have been a participant with the Allegheny County Section 8 Program as a landlord.  We have found this program to be very effective in our rental platform.  We have a great rapport with the inspectors to the administrative teams.  We have received great communication and partnerships through the program, which has yielded long term tenants.  We will continue to look for opportunities to come!

- Jennifer Patterson, Landlord

As a property management company, Becoate Properties is always satisfied with the level of customer service and communication provided by the Allegheny County Housing Authority’s Housing Choice Voucher program.

We’ve partnered with the ACHA for well over 10 years and we’re always met with courtesy and professionalism. The Landlord Portal is an awesome tool that makes it easy to track your tenant accounts and deposits. The ACHA website also provides plenty of information to frequently asked questions that can be answered before needing to contact a staff member.  At Becoate Properties, we’re glad to work as a team with the Specialists, Inspectors and Senior Management staff and look forward to many years of collaboration.

- Lonnell Becoate, Becoate Properties

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Interested in Becoming a Part of the RETHINK SECTION 8 Program?

Fill out this form to get in touch with us today. We’re excited to add you to the ACHA Family.

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