Landlord Toolkit

In this section, we will provide information on our housing programs’ benefits for the potential landlord.  If you are a landlord or property owner in Anne Arundel County, this information will promote your understanding of the housing programs and give you the knowledge of how to get involved, and the benefits of participating in our Housing Programs. 

Unit and landlord eligibility 

Any rental unit is eligible for the program if it meets the following criteria:

• Unit must be properly zoned
• Unit rent must be reasonable - The program does not place limits on the amount of rent a participating owner can charge, but rents must be comparable to similar units in the same area.
• Unit must pass an inspection based on HUD’s Housing Quality Standards (HQS).

Any landlord or owner willing to work within the guidelines of the Housing Choice Voucher Program is eligible to participate, provided he or she is in good standing with National Housing Authority. Owners may be barred from participating if they have breached leases with participating tenants or violated relevant laws or program rules. As a rule, owners may not rent units to relatives who are voucher-holders. 

Benefits of the program

Tenant Stability
If a tenant’s income drops suddenly or unexpectedly, we will reduce the tenant’s part of the rent while increasing our part. This flexibility helps voucher-assisted tenants miss fewer payments and maintain stable tenancies.  This also provides the landlord with a stable monthly income at the same rate.   

Less Turn Over in Tenancy
No landlord relishes the need to find new tenants once there is a vacant rental unit, because this may result in less income for the landlord during the time between tenants.  By having the stability of tenants due to the flexibility of the program, the tenant's rent payment will still be timely, resulting in less evictions due to non-payment and as a direct result, less tenancy turn-over, and thus the loss of potential income for a landlord. 

Free advertising
While we cannot refer tenants to specific buildings, we do help prospective tenants find suitable and affordable housing by maintaining lists of homes available for rent in the Anne Arundel County area. The vacancy lists are updated regularly. Landlords may enter as many available units as they want on these lists, for no charge to the property owner.  

Maintaining Property Value
Our required housing inspections help landlords identify problems with units, so they may be fixed. By ensuring that participating rental units are maintained in good condition, the program improves tenants’ quality of life, promotes pride in the tenant’s home, which in turn helps landlords protect their investments.

Limited Paperwork
HCAAC prepares all Housing Assistance Payment contracts.  Landlords fill out the Request for Tenancy Approval forms and the lease. The bulk of the paperwork is prepared by the housing agency. If you are interested in becoming a participant in our Housing Programs, please fill out an application listing a unit for rent.