HUD Sets up Task Force to Encourage Landlord Acceptance of Housing Vouchers

HUD recently announced that it established a departmental task force to encourage more landlords to participate in its Housing Choice Voucher program.

The newly created Landlord Task Force will host a number of forums nationwide to encourage housing providers, particularly those who do not participate in the voucher program to use the program.  Specifically, HUD stated that voucher recipients had difficulty in finding a landlord in higher opportunity neighborhoods where landlord participation is lowest.  HUD said it wants to hear directly from landlords on ways to increase their participation.  According to HUD, two new studies find most landlords do not accept voucher-holders.  Also, those who accept vouchers complain about burdensome administrative requirements and the housing authorities which manage the program locally.

HUD said that it will begin its landlord engagement campaign in September starting in Washington, D.C.  Further individual forums are planned for other major cities.  The Landlord Task Force will ultimately provide policy recommendations to HUD for changes to the voucher program.