Housing quality standards
A word about HQS from Section 8 Director Thomas F Dobies
Exterior Conditions
Utilities
Electricity
Ceilings and Walls
Health and Safety
Heating and Plumbing
Floors
Appliances
Interior Lead Paint
Housing Quality Non-Compliance
A word about HQS
Housing Quality Standards (HQS) are minimum property standards that have been
approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
CMHA
is required to enforce these federal property standards to ensure that all Section 8
assisted properties are decent, safe, and sanitary.
CMHA applies these property standards in a fair and consistent manner. CMHA’s
ultimate priority is that all Section 8 participants are entitled to decent and safe
housing. Enforcing HQS regulations for Section 8 assisted properties is a serious
business.
Landlords and their Section 8 residents have dual responsibilities for complying
with HQS regulations. CMHA Section 8 staff are committed to work with landlords and
Section 8 residents to ensure that all Section 8 assisted properties meet Housing
Quality Standards.
Thomas F. Dobies
Section 8 Programs Director
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- Landlords will be required to scrape peeling paint, remove
all resultant debris and repaint all surfaces with 2 coats of
non-lead paint or otherwise suitable cover. These surfaces include
all peeling paint on frames, trim, banisters, railings, porches,
overhangs, gutters, garages, window wells, casings, ledges etc, on
the entire building.
- Generally four or more steps must have a secure handrail along
the full length of the steps.
- Check for missing or insecure railings.
- Make sure to install railings around a porch or balcony which is
approximately 30 inches or more above the ground.
- Check that foundations, stairs, rails, gutters, roof, porches,
landings, and walkways are sound and free from hazards and deterioration.
- Check chimneys for blockage, and other unsound conditions such as:
loose bricks, loose mortar, serious leaning, potential collapse.
- Exterior surfaces that allow air, water infiltration (not weather
tight), substantial drafts, vermin or any other conditions, which
will cause deterioration of the structure.
- Private access to the unit must be provided.
- Look for significant entry of ground water evidenced by flooding in
the basement.
- Gutters and down spouts must be in good condition.
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- All utilities must be on for HQS Inspections (including gas, water,
electric, and or fuel service)
- In units where the tenant must pay for utilities, each unit must
have separate metering services for measuring actual usages for utilities.
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- Each room must have at least one working outlet and one permanently
installed ceiling or wall light fixture and/or each room must have at
least two working outlets.
- A missing or cracked cover plate presents an electrical hazards.
- A loose outlet presents an electrical hazard.
- A damaged outlet presents an electrical hazard.
- Electrical cords under rugs present a potential fire hazard.
- Fixtures must be securely mounted to a junction box and not mounted on
a surface in a manner which allows it to be abused.
- A smoking or sparking outlet must be corrected immediately.
- A non-working outlet may be hazardous.
- A lamp cord is not considered heavy enough to be part of the
permanent wiring system. Improper or loose wire connections present
an electrical hazard.
- Check for overloaded circuit evidenced by frequently "blown"
fuses or disengaged breakers.
- Exposed fuse on breaker box connection presents an electrical hazard.
- Also check for missing knock-out plates.
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Check for:-
- holes
- sagging
- unkeyed plaster
- structure of hazardous features which expose the tenant to the
danger of structural collapse
- defects which allow drafts, rats, mice, etc. to enter the house.
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Doors:-
- Door locks must be present and securely fastened to the door.
- Lock striker plate must work and be securely fastened to the door
frame.
- A chain lock alone is not considered adequate.
- Check condition of door frames and jambs.
- A simple "bolt" lock is not adequate as the only lock on
the door
- Check for weakness that will not hold the door and lock securely
closed
Windows
- The nailing shut of a window must not close the only other means of
egress and must not seriously decrease air circulation.
- Locks must be present and in good repair.
- Look for severe deterioration, or broken or missing windows, which
may allow significant drafts.
- Window must be openable and remain open without props.
- Units will be required to have screens on one exterior window per
room, if the window is openable. The screens must be removable for
egress in case of emergency.
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- All units must have at least one operable smoke detector on each level.
- Units must have an acceptable alternate means of egress from the
building in case of a fire. Windows are OK.
- Exits which are blocked or deteriorated make them unusable as an exit.
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- Check for adequate heat (at least 68 degrees)
- Hazards of fire or escaping exhaust gases from the heating system
- Gas leak or fumes are to be considered of an emergency nature
and must be corrected immediately.
- Chimney clean out cap should be properly fitted, free of deterioration,
accessible for inspection and the chimney must be free of debris.
- Adequate ventilation and cooling by means of openable windows or a
working cooling system.
- Does heating equipment expose the tenant to abnormally high levels of
harmful gases or other noxious pollutants?
- The water heater must be equipped with both a temperature-pressure
relief valve and discharge line down to approximately 4-6 inches from the floor.
- Does the water heater location present a hazard?
- Has the water heater corroded and is it seriously leaking onto the floor?
Sinks, showers, tubs etc
- Must be connected to a system that will deliver hot and cold running water.
- Must be connected to a drain with a "gas trap".
- Repair connectors (or vents or traps) which are faulty to the extent
that severe leakage of water or escape of sewer gases is occurring.
- Clear clogged drains.
- Repair faucet, knobs, or handles that are stripped or missing.
- Does the tub, sink etc. need re-caulking?
- Check for other defects, broken toilet seats, and seriously cracked or
damaged surfaces.
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- Are floors free from tripping hazards, structural hazards, or any
other hazardous features, including ingress of vermin?
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Stove
- Top burners should be present and working.
- An oven must be present and working.
- Door handles must not be detached or missing.
- Check for hazardous gas hookup evidenced by strong gas smell.
- Check electrical connections for any defects or hazardous features,
exposed wires, damaged cords, or broken or cracked covers.
Refrigerator
- Is the refrigerator adequate in size relative to the needs of the
family?
- Does it have any parts which are missing or deteriorated, such as
handles broken, seals damaged, seriously cracked linings, missing kick
plates where sharp edges or wires are exposed?
- Does it maintain a temperature low enough to keep food from spoiling
over a reasonable period of time?
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Landlords will be required to scrape peeling paint, remove all resultant debris and
repaint all surfaces with 2 coats of non-lead paint or otherwise suitable cover. Go to
the U.S. EPA site for more information on lead-based paint. For a brief
overview of lead hazards view the EPA pamphlet Protect Your Family from
Lead in Your Home (PDF)
Owners will be required to remove and/or repair or cover defective paint surfaces. An extension may
be granted as a severe weather-related item. This does not apply to units where CMHA
must visually test for defective paint surfaces due to the age of the structure
(prior to 1978) and with prospective occupants of the unit whose age is less than
6 years. In these cases, CMHA will follow HUD regulations.
Non-compliance with Housing Quality Standards means:
- Six or more rent abatements in a retroactive 12-month period from the
current month
- Four or more HAP contract cancellations due to HQS non-compliance in a
retroactive 12-month period from the current month
- Units submitted for initial (move-in) HQS inspections that are repeatedly
(4 or more units in a retroactive 12-month period from the current month)
not ready for immediate occupancy and are not in compliance (more than 6 HQS
violations, including any utility that is not operating at the time of the
initial inspection) with HQS regulations
- The owner is currently cited by code enforcement officials for serious
property code violations and these violations have not been corrected.
Serious code violations are building code violations that pose an immediate
threat to the safety and welfare of the legal occupant as determined by
local building code enforcement officials.
If any of the above policies is violated, CMHA may suspend an owner's future
participation in the CMHA Section 8 Program for a period of 12 months from the
date of notification to the owner. Reinstatement of the owner's participation in
the Section 8 Program will depend on the owner's efforts to comply with CMHA,
HUD, state, local laws and regulations. If CMHA determines that the owner has
not made a good faith effort, the suspension may continue for additional
12-month periods until the owner demonstrates to CMHA's satisfaction that
sustained progress had been made towards compliance with Section 8 regulations
and CMHA Administrative Plan policies.
While existing Section 8 contracts are not affected by the above policies,
CMHA reserves the right to cancel an owner's remaining Section 8 contracts if
there are continued Section 8 contract violations or for any of the violations
listed above. CMHA may permanently deny an owner from future participation if it
is in the best interest of CMHA.
If an owner has more than one vendor account with CMHA, all vendor accounts
are affected by the above policies. HUD regulations specifically state that an
owner has no right to participate in a Section 8 program unless the owner
complies with Section 8 regulations and policies.
However, if an owner has been cited by local code enforcement officials for
serious unresolved building code violation(s) that endanger the immediate health
and safety of the legal occupant(s) of the unit, CMHA reserves the right to
refuse the unit submitted for lease approval and inspection until the matter is
resolved to CMHA's satisfaction.
Please also be aware that units must be ready for immediate inspection unless
prior arrangements are made with the Inspector. Inspections with more than 6 HQS
violations will be recorded. CMHA finds it necessary to enact this policy
because many units have too many obvious HQS violations and are clearly not
ready for immediate occupancy. Some owners have waited to make repairs to their
units because they have used inspection reports as the sole guide to repairing
the unit when there are known housing code violations. This problem has
increased inspector workloads and reduced staff productivity. Getting initial
(move-in) inspections done as soon as possible is, and always will be, a
priority.
Please cooperate by having your units ready for inspection in order for CMHA
to improve scheduling for move-in inspections and the quality of housing.
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