Voucher Holder FAQs
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Answers to Common Questions
Your financial help for a place to live is based on all the things you reported in your application.
It is very important that you get to know the requirements of your program. The Briefing Packet provided when you first received assistance has detailed information.
HASCO's housing team has created a Briefing Video as well to provide basic information about the Housing Choice Voucher program.
The Voucher Holder FAQs answer questions with up-to-date information about your rights, responsibilities and opportunities while receiving financial support through HASCO.
Learn more about how to keep your financial assistance and stay in your home.
- Following the rules of your lease
- Updating HASCO about all household and income changes
- Using our published forms to report new information
Rent and Utilities
HASCO’s voucher payment standards set the maximum amount HASCO will pay each month to help a voucher holder with rent. The payment standards are based on the current average market rents for an area and the number of bedrooms in the unit. Effective January 1, 2025, HASCO's payment standards will be set for each zip code using Small Area Fair Market Rents. HUD requires this change to better reflect the costs in each area.
For payment standards for voucher sizes 0 to 4, view here.
For payment standards for voucher sizes 5 and to 78, view here.
These payment standards are effective January 1, 2025. How they affect you will, depend on the payment standard change in the zip code you currently live in and your unique situation.
If you choose a unit where the rent and utility allowance are at or below the voucher payment standard, you pay 30 percent of your household monthly adjusted income toward rent and utilities. If you choose a unit that rents above the standard, you also pay the full amount for rent that exceeds the standard. Voucher holders may not move into a unit where their portion of rent and utilities cost more than 40 percent of their monthly adjusted income.
You are responsible for paying any utilities not paid by the landlord. We provide you with a utility allowance so that you have more money available to pay utilities.
A utility allowance is the amount HASCO determines is a family's reasonable allowance to cover its monthly utility bills. This amount is based on average utility costs in Snohomish County. Utility allowances depend on the building type, utilities paid by the tenant, and the number of bedrooms in the unit. The current utility allowances for each housing type can be found here.
Voucher holders receive a utility allowance as a credit to their total monthly payment to their landlord. If the utility allowance schedule changes, the new amount is applied at the family’s next annual recertification date.
The new payment standard will apply to your voucher when you move to a new unit or your voucher size changes.
The payment standard change will not automatically impact your current rent portions. HASCO will honor the 2024 payment standards for your current lease unless you change the number of people who live in your household in a way that changes your voucher size.
If your voucher size changes, rent portions will be recalculated using the new payment standard, and your rent portion might go up. You will receive a Notice of Initial Rent or Rent Change after your annual reexamination showing your updated rent portion and the date the change will be effective.
The new payment standard will apply to your voucher at your next annual reexamination after January 1, 2025. You will receive a Notice of Initial rent or a Rent Change after your annual reexamination showing your updated rent portion.
If your current rent portion is more than 30% of your adjusted gross income, it might be reduced with this change.
The 2025 Payment Standards apply to moves and new voucher leases beginning January 1, 2025.
As a new voucher holder or a participant planning to move, you will get a document listing the range of assistance your voucher can provide in each zip codes, based on your voucher size, the building type, and the type of utilities you will be responsible for.
Contact housing@hasco.org for more information.
Reasonable Accommodation
Please read our reasonable accommodations information here. You can also contact the housing team at housing@hasco.org to discuss your needs.
Inspections
Your home needs to be thoroughly cleaned and all home features must be working to pass an inspection. Your preparation checklist should include:
- Pick up clothing, toys, and other items off the floor.
- Thoroughly clean all kitchen appliances including the oven, range top, drip pans and under the refrigerator.
- Make sure dishes are put away and the sink and counters are visible.
- Thoroughly clean the bathroom sink, toilet, and bathtub.
- A 14-inch clearance must be maintained around heaters.
- All smoke detectors must be installed and have working batteries.
- All electrical outlets and light switches must have cover plates.
- If heavily soiled, carpets must be professionally cleaned.
- Doors and windows cannot be blocked by items or furniture.
Inspections before you move in are scheduled by HASCO directly with the landlord within a few days of receiving the Request for Tenancy Approval.
Once you are moved in, you will receive a notice in the mail at least two weeks before your inspection. The letter will include what to do if you are not able to keep the inspection appointment.
If there is a problem with an inspection before you move in, a letter will be mailed to the landlord.
If you are living in the home, a letter will be mailed to you and to the landlord. A re-inspection will be scheduled within 30 days to make sure corrections have been made.
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has a flyer about how to protect your family from lead in your home here.
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has a flyer about how to prevent and identify mold in your home here.
Reporting Changes
Within 10 days of the change.
Download the form or forms you need from the Forms & Documents page. Fill out the form and return it with required documents to HASCO within 10 days of the change.
Once your Change of Circumstance form and all the verifications for the change are received, the change will be made. This process may take approximately 30 days.
Once your Change of Circumstance form is in and all verifications have been provided, we will calculate the change in rent amount for which you are eligible. Once this is done, you will receive a notification in the mail with your new rent portion and when it begins.
You will need to report this to us in writing using one of the following forms: Add an Adult to the Household or Add a Child to the Household. The person you want to add cannot move in until we have approved them, and your landlord has approved them.
You do not need to report a guest who stays for less than 30 consecutive days or less than a total of 90 separate days during any 12-month period.
If you have not received a response within 14 days of mailing the letter, please call 425-290-8499 or email housing@hasco.org
Please contact the housing team at housing@hasco.org. You will be asked to fill out a certification form. For more details on your rights and the forms we use, see HUD’s Violence Against Women’s Act information page here.
Email or send a letter to the housing team at housing@hasco.org to let them know you will be gone and when you will return.
Moving
In order for you to have time to do the paperwork and find out what you qualify for, notify HASCO approximately 2 months before you plan on moving.
You will receive a Moving/Rehouse Packet. This is similar to the Annual Review Packet you do every year. You will need to complete the packet and turn it in with current verifications. We will calculate your file and send you rent limits letting you know what rent range you can start looking for.
After you receive your rent limits from HASCO, you will receive a letter explaining the process. You must provide a vacate notice. Notice needs to be given in writing to your landlord and to HASCO no less than 20 days before you want to vacate (example: if you want to move 9/30, give written notice to your landlord 9/10 stating you are moving out 9/30).
Once the moving approval process is completed and you have a move-in date, you will receive a notice in the mail with your new portion and when it takes effect.
Your rent limits are based on your income and household size. If your rent limits are higher than what is currently being approved as rent reasonable you may see a line drawn through your limits with a note stating how much you may want to look for. Your rent limits will most likely change each time you move. You can contact the housing team at housing@hasco.org for questions about your rent limits.
This is called over-housing. Contact the housing team at housing@hasco.org or call 425-290-8499 so that when your paperwork is complete, they can send you limits for both unit sizes. Keep in mind that if you rent a bigger unit size, your rent portion will most likely increase.
No, you cannot rent from a relative. There are exceptions for households which include a family member who is disabled. Ask the housing team at housing@hasco.org if this applies to you.
After you find a unit and the landlord agrees to rent to you, you will give the landlord the Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) packet we mailed to you. The landlord will complete this packet and send it back to HASCO. Once we receive it, an inspection will be ordered. Inspections can take up to 10 days from the day we receive this request.
This is called “porting out.” Please contact the housing team at housing@hasco.org to see if your assistance is transferable.
HASCO does not have specific limits on the amount that a landlord can charge for a unit on the voucher program. However, the rent charged must be comparable with the rents charged for similar units in the area, including other non-subsidized units at the same property. Determining what the unit is worth (the fair market rent) is what we call “rent reasonable.” Rent reasonable is determined when our inspector inspects a unit and is re-evaluated whenever a landlord requests a rent increase.
No, we do not but you may call 2-1-1 to ask if there are community resources that can assist you.
This process is called Shared Housing and allows for renting a unit while having a roommate who is not part of the voucher-assisted household. For more information, please review the Shared Housing FAQ. Or contact housing@hasco.org for other questions.
Porting In
This is called “porting in.” Your first step is to contact your current housing authority so that they can determine if you are eligible to port out of their area. They will send HASCO a packet with your information and will tell you what to do next.
You can reach HASCO’s portability team at port@hasco.org
No. HASCO is billing the initial housing authority.
No. HASCO does not participate in the FSS program. If you are porting to our area and you are a current FSS participant, please discuss with your current FSS caseworker how a portability move will affect your FSS participation.
No. Please contact other housing authorities if this is a program that you would like to participate in.
Domestic Violence
Call Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County at 425- 25-ABUSE (425-252-2983) for a 24-hour crisis hotline (collect calls accepted). They provide free and confidential services, emergency shelter, legal advocacy and more.
Please contact the housing team at housing@hasco.org. You will be asked to fill out a certification form. For more details on your rights and the forms we use, see HUD’s Violence Against Women’s Act information page here.
Reporting Program Abuse
If you think someone is misusing the voucher program, like a landlord, tenant, or anyone else connected to HASCO, you can report it in writing to HASCO. HASCO needs your report in writing to look into it.
Here are some examples of program abuse:
• Not telling HASCO about all income
• Not telling HASCO about everyone living in the home
• Renting out a subsidized unit
• Doing illegal things
If you have any questions about reporting program abuse, contact HASCO’s housing team at housing@hasco.org.
Please submit a Program Abuse report.
