HUD Housing Quality Standards (HQS)

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Housing Quality Standards (HQS) was developed to establish:

 "A minimum standard for the health and safety of the occupants."

This is an important concept to think about when there is some doubt as to Pass/Fail decisions through out an inspection. Simply put, if the condition you observe can adversely affect the health or safety of the occupant it causes the inspection to fail. It is important to remember that the HQS does not establish minimum housekeeping practices unless those practices affect the health or safety of the occupant.

An HQS inspection provides an unbiased evaluation of properties current condition to three parties.

• The Housing Authority (HA)
• The owner/landlord or management of the property
• The tenant/resident

All three parties use the inspection results to comply with the requirements of HUD's HQS program.

The HA uses the report to help decide on eligibility in the program, rent reasonableness, required maintenance required to allow the unit to qualify and conditions which may be acceptable by the potential tenant.

The owner of the property uses the report to document the current condition and to know what needs to be repaired or modified so the unit will be acceptable. Click here for the CDC Healthy Homes Manual

The tenant uses the report to see what condition the unit is in prior to moving in.

In certain situations an inspection point may rely on the tenant's acceptance and/or knowledge of the item being inspected. These conditions should be discussed with the tenant and the Housing Authority (HA). The HA may discuss repairs with the owner to improve the condition. In some cases the tenant makes the final decision to accept the conditions and lease the unit.

Inspection Process

Property owners may perform your own inspection of the property and making any necessary repairs prior to any scheduled Inspection.  Our HQS inspection results are reported using the HUD Form 52580 which is used for three (3) types of inspections. They are:

Initial/Move-in Inspection:
This inspection is normally completed prior to approval of a leasing agreement. It provides information about the housing unit or housing complex for the Housing Authority, the tenant, and the owner of the property. It captures the condition of a unit prior to a tenant moving in. Click here for the HQS Inspection Sample Checklist

Annual Inspection:
This is a yearly picture of a unit's condition. It ensures tenants are complying with their responsibilities of the program. It also allows the HA to see if the owner is maintaining the property in a safe, healthy condition.

Special Inspection:
This is an inspection conducted when there is a complaint about a property. The complaint can originate from anyone of the three parties involved.

Common Deficiencies

The following is a list of common HQS deficiency items from Housing Choice Voucher properties that cause inspections to fail and create delays in the disbursements of rental payments to landlords:

• Loose or torn carpet
• Missing or cracked electrical outlet cover plates
• Cracked or peeling paint on walls
• Cracked or broken windowpanes
• Evidence of roof leaks/pipe leaks
• Dirty stoves and ovens
• Insufficient bath ventilation
• Leaking faucets or plumbing
• Temperature/pressure relief discharge line on water heater not routed to exterior of home
• Gaps, holes or spaces in foundation or exterior walls
• Missing or inoperable smoke detectors
• Stove burners not working
• Torn or loose refrigerator gaskets
• Exterior steps with more than four risers or steps lacking handrails
• Faulty electrical wiring such as exposed wire splices
• Toilets not flushing properly
• Sinks and tubs not draining properly
• On/off knob settings on ovens and stoves not visible
• No guardrail on porches, patios, balconies or steps that are 30" or more in height

For a more detailed explanation of the Housing Quality Standards Inspection Requirements

What Happens if the unit Fails the Inspection

It is important to have both the tenant and landlord present for any scheduled inspection. If the unit fails inspection the inspector will provided a deficiency notice. The deficiency notice provides a list of the failed items as well as a re-inspection date. The failed items will identify the party responsible for making the repairs. In the event the repairs are not made by the deadline the unit is abated, if the repairs are the responsibility of the landlord. An abatement means that the rent will be forfeited effective the date of the scheduled re-inspection.  Payments will resume effective upon confirmation of all required repairs but the lost rent will not be repaid. 

• Landlords or tenant may request an extension in writing (subject to approval)
• Tenant maybe relocated by AAHC request (if applicable)
• Landlord or tenant may be terminated from program (if applicable)