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Chapter 9 GENERAL LEASING POLICIES INTRODUCTION Chapter 9 covers the lease-up process from the family's submission of a Request for Tenancy Approval to execution of the HAP contract. In order for SAHA to assist a family in a particular dwelling unit, or execute a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract with the owner of a dwelling unit, SARA must determine that all the following program requirements are met: • The unit itself must qualify as an eligible unit [24 CFR 982.305(a)] • The unit must be inspected by SARA and meet the Housing Quality Standards (HQS) [24 CFR 982.305(a)] • The lease offered by the owner must be approvable and must include the required Tenancy Addendum [24 CFR 982.305(a)] • The rent to be charged by the owner for the unit must be reasonable [24 CFR 982.305(a)] • The owner must be an eligible owner, approvable by SAHA, with no conflicts of interest [24 CFR 982.306] • For families initially leasing a unit only: Where the gross rent of the unit exceeds the applicable payment standard for the family, the share of rent to be paid by the family cannot exceed 40 percent of the family's monthly adjusted income [24 CFR 982.305(a)] 9-I.A. TENANT SCREENING SARA has no liability or responsibility to the owner or other persons for the family's behavior or suitability for tenancy [24 CFR 982.307(a)(1)]. SARA may elect to screen applicants for family behavior or suitability for tenancy. See Chapter 3 for a discussion of SAHA's policies with regard to screening applicant families for program eligibility [24 CFR 982.307(a)(1)] . The owner is responsible for screening and selection of the family to occupy the owner's unit. At or before SARA approval of the tenancy, SARA must inform the owner that screening and selection for tenancy is the responsibility of the owner [24 CFR 982.307(a)(2)]. SARA must also inform the owner or manger of their responsibility to comply with VAWA. [Pub. L 109- 162] SARA must provide the owner with the family's current and prior address (as shown in SARA records); and the name and address (if known to SARA) of the landlord at the family's current and prior address. [24 CFR 982.3 07 (b)(1)] . SAHA is permitted, but not required, to offer the owner other information in SAHA's possession about the family's tenancy [24 CFR 982.307(b)(2)]. 7/02/12 Page 9-1