Landlords in the private market can lease their apartments to families in the HCV Program. The program is federally funded and administered by Dover Housing Authority.

The process of renting to a family in the HCV program is similar to renting to a family in the private market – the landlord screens and selects tenants, collects rent and maintains the property.

How it Works

Eligible families will receive a voucher from DHA. The voucher will state the amount of rent DHA will pay directly to the landlord. The remaining portion is the responsibility of the tenant. Families must find housing within 60 days of receiving a voucher.

If you choose to rent to a family with a voucher, complete the Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) and return the completed form to the the HCV Department – HCV@doverhousingauthority.org. DHA Occupancy Specialists will review the RFTA to see if the unit fits within the payment standard.  If the unit is approved, an inspection will be scheduled.

After the inspection has been conducted and the unit has passed, the landlord, DHA and tenant will agree on a lease-up date.

Once the landlord and the tenant sign a lease and the signed lease is submitted to DHA, the landlord will receive a HAP contract from the DHA to sign. Once the HAP contract between the landlord and DHA is executed, the landlord will begin to receive monthly HAPs from DHA and the remainder of the rent payment from the tenant.

Applicant Screening

DHA screens voucher holders for program eligibility only – to determine how much rent DHA will subsidize and how much rent the tenant will pay on their own. As in the private market, the owner is responsible for screening applicants for suitability as tenants. Selecting tenants, whether voucher holders or not, is limited only by fair housing requirements and the prohibition of discrimination as established by federal and state law. DHA strongly encourages landlords to perform their own tenant screening processes.