Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority
880 E 11th Ave, Columbus OH 43211-2771

---

HQS pamphlet

CMHA's housing quality standards pamphlet is available online in PDF format.

---

A good place to live

HUD's guide A Good Place to Live helps prospective tenants and landlords determine what is a suitable rental property.

---

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

Exterior conditions

(top)

• 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.

Utilities

(top)

• 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.

Electricity

(top)

• 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.

Ceilings and walls

(top)

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.

Security

(top)

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.

Health and safety

(top)

• 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.

Heating and plumbing

(top)

• 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.

Floors

(top)

• Are floors free from tripping hazards, structural hazards, or any other hazardous features, including ingress of vermin?

Appliances

(top)

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?

Interior lead paint

(top)

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.

Housing Quality Standards Non-Compliance

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.

Top