What is FRSP?
The Family Rehousing and Stabilization Program (FRSP), formerly known as Rapid Rehousing, is a short term housing subsidy for families that are experiencing or at risk for homelessness. The program provides up to 12 months of rental subsidy along with case management support in effort to maintain housing stability.
How do I enroll in FRSP?
If you are interested in becoming a landlord for FRSP, please reach out to us at [email protected], and we will connect you with our Housing Navigator team, who will work to match your unit with a FRSP tenant.
What does my unit need to be eligible?
FRSP requires units to follow the DCHA Rent Reasonableness standards according to the neighborhood and bedroom size of the identified unit. You can check if your unit meets those standards here: http://www.dchousing.org/rent_hcvp.aspx Units must also pass a Housing Quality Standards inspection by the DC Housing Authority before the tenant leases up.
What does the lease up process look like?
Once you accept a client’s application for your unit, you will receive a set of documents about your unit referred to as the Landlord Packet. This packet as well as copies of your deed, management agreements, certificate of occupancy and w-9 will need to be returned to the tenant’s Case Manager or The Community Partnership via this link (or can be uploaded here). Once the packet has been submitted and verified by TCP, TCP will schedule an inspection with DCHA for the identified unit. Once the unit passes inspection, the tenant will be scheduled to lease up. Lease ups typically occur every Thursday, and during that time your tenant will be fully enrolled in the program and sign the leasing documents with you.
How are payments processed?
All payments are issued by the DC Housing Authority. If you have any existing account with the Housing Authority, payments will be issued to you direct deposit. If you are new to payments from DCHA, your first payment will most likely be issued as a paper check until a direct deposit account can be established. DCHA issues payments regularly on the 1st and 15th of each month. First payment is usually issued about 2 weeks after lease up, and all subsequent payments will be issued on the 1st of each month.
How much subsidy will I be paid?
Upon entering the program the tenant pays 40% of their income towards the rental cost and the FRSP subsidy covers the remainder. There is also an option for you to be issued the full rental amount each month by DCHA, and the tenant will pay their portion directly to DCHA. This program is called the Rental Partnership Initiative, and you can find more about it in the questions below.
How long is the program?
The Rapid Rehousing Program is up to 12 months, though clients to have the ability to request extensions for up to 18 months.
What do I do if I am still receiving payments late or for the wrong amount?
If there are any issues with your payments, please reach out to DHS through the Landlord Resolution Portal, at https://goo.gl/forms/Qwm9H2Ux4QHWBgW92 and we will work to resolve them within 48 hours.
Who can I talk to about issues with my tenant?
Your client’s Case Manager is the best person to deal with concerns regarding your tenant or the unit. If you do not know their Case Manager’s contact information, you can contact DHS at [email protected] and we can connect you.
What is the Rental Partnership Initiative?
The Rental Partnership Initiative is a renewed partnership between DHS, DCHA and our Rapid Rehousing landlords. With this new Initiative, clients will pay their rental portion to DCHA, and DCHA will make a full rental payment to Rapid Rehousing landlords on the 1st of each month.
How will I receive payments?
On the first of every month, DCHA will issue payment of the entire rental portion of the unit, rather than the previous breakdown of receiving a subsidy portion from DCHA and the remainder from the tenant. Tenants will now bring their portion to DCHA.
Why is the payment process changing?
After hearing feedback from landlords and clients, we are adjusting our payment process to make rental payments easier for all. Landlords will now receive the entirety of the rental portion on the 1st of every month, and no longer have to worry about missing payments, and clients will no longer have to worry about late fees or eviction for missing a payment.
When will the Rental Partnership Initiative begin?
Landlords and their tenants will be enrolled into the Rental Partnership Initiative upon signing of the newly introduced Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Contract. DHS will hold a number of events for landlords to come together to read the HAP, ask questions, and have an opportunity to sign. Once we have that contract, RPI payments will begin the next month.
What is a HAP agreement?
A Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Contract is an agreement between DHS and the owner of a unit occupied by a participant receiving a housing subsidy. These agreements are required for landlords who partner with local housing programs and are usually signed at the time in which a client leases up RPI
Which landlords are required to sign a HAP?
Rapid Rehousing landlords are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the additional protections that the HAP contract provides, and enter into these agreements with DHS. Additionally, the signing of the HAP addendum is required in order to opt in to the Rental Partnership Initiative.
Is this HAP agreement similar to the agreements that DCHA currently utilizes for the Housing Choice vouchers?
Yes - the DHS HAP contract is similar to the agreement that all landlords currently enter into for Housing Choice Voucher Programs. The DHS HAP agreement is adjusted to meets the needs of landlords and participants of the Rapid Rehousing program.
Are HAP agreements the same as leases?
No. Even with a HAP agreement in place the rental lease remains between the tenant and the landlord, but the HAP legally enables DCHA to withhold payment for issues identified in the signed HAP agreement and to properly address any matters included in the agreement on the tenant’s end which require resolution.
What happens if I decide against entering into a HAP agreement with DHS?
Landlords who decide not to enter into HAP agreements with DHS will not receive the additional protections that the HAP provides, and will not be able to participate in the Rental Partnership Initiative.
What do I do if a client pays me instead of DCHA?
If a client tries to pay their landlord, they need to be reminded that their payments must go to DCHA. Their Case Managers will explain this new process to clients, and client will be given invoices that explain how to pay.
What is the Landlord Partnership Fund?
The Landlord Partnership Fund is to encourage landlords to relax screening criteria for people who are experiencing homelessness and who may have barriers that prevent them from securing housing on their own, such as poor credit and past evictions. The Fund works to mitigate landlord exposure to the increased costs of renting to people experiencing homelessness including excess damage and unpaid rent, a strong relationship can be created with landlords who otherwise may not lease to individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
How is the fund managed?
The Fund will be managed and administered through the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED), a well-established organization whose primary focus is devising, implementing and advocating for solutions so that low- and moderate-income District residents are able to thrive. CNHED has established a wholly-owned subsidiary, The Landlord Partnership Fund, LLC, to accept donations and manage claims.
What does the fund cover?
The Fund will cover certain costs potentially incurred by landlords of tenants whose rent is subsidized by Rapid Re-Housing or Permanent Supportive Housing programs. The coverage would be capped at $5,000 per leased or held unit. Specifically, the Fund would cover costs associated with: Property damage (beyond normal wear and tear) costs that exceed a tenant’s security deposit (up to $2,500); Unpaid rent owed by a tenant (up to $5,000)
What does the Fund Require from Landlords
In order to be eligible to participate in the Fund, landlords will need to formally enroll in the initiative with CNHED and adjust their application screening criteria for DHS clients.Interested?
You can go to this link, https://www.cnhed.org/special-initiatives/landlord-partnership-fund-llc/ or submit an application from this portal.