Request For Tenancy Approval (RFTA)

RFTA Processing

1. The Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) is completed and signed by the owner and prospective tenant when the owner agrees to rent his/her unit to the HCV participant.
2. The RFTA is submitted to NWGHA by the owner or participant.
3. Front desk staff should review the RFTA to ensure it is completed in its entirety and correctly, including owner and tenant signatures. Unsigned, incorrect, and/or incomplete RFTAs should be returned to the owner or participant to be completed correctly. The owner should include an email address under his/her signature. 
4. Front desk staff should check the owner database to see if the owner is registered with NWGHA. If not, the owner must register.
5. If the owner is not registered, front desk staff should give the owner a new owner packet.
6. If the owner is not registered with NWGHA at the time the RFTA is submitted, the owner will be contacted and asked to complete a new owner packet. NWGHA will hold the completed RFTA until the new owner packet and all required documents are received. Once the owner completes the new owner packet and is registered, the RFTA will be processed.
7. If the owner is registered, the RFTA should be logged in and forwarded to the Housing Specialist.
8. Within 5 days of receiving the RFTA, the Housing Specialist will determine if the requested rent is reasonable. If the rent is reasonable, the RFTA will be processed and the applicable unit information entered into the unit database.
9. If the rent is not reasonable, the Housing Specialist will apprise the tenant and the owner of the rent amount NWGHA will pay for the unit. The owner may accept or refuse the amount NWGHA has determined to be reasonable. If the owner refuses to accept the reasonable rent amount, the family must contact the Housing Specialist and request a new RFTA in writing.
10. If the rent is reasonable, the RFTA is forwarded to the Housing Inspector and Contract Specialist.
11. The Inspector will contact the owner within 3-10 days to schedule the initial NSPIRE inspection. The unit must be vacant, and all utilities must be on for the unit to be inspected.
12. The unit will be inspected on the scheduled date. If the unit fails, the owner will have 15 days to make the repairs and notify the NWGHA Inspector that the unit is ready for follow-up inspection.
13. If the deficiencies are not corrected in 15 days, the owner may be given additional time to complete the repairs, or the RFTA is voided and a new RFTA is issued to the family.
14. The landlord will receive a Notice of Passed NSPIRE Inspection form when the unit has passed the NSPIRE inspection. If the family moves in prior to the passed inspection, they are responsible for any payments until and including the day of the passed inspection.
15. The Notice of Passed Inspection provides an estimate of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and tenant's portion of rent. Owners should make the family aware of their estimated (tenant's) portion. The family should pay the estimated rent until DHA completes the final rent calculation and HAP contract. A letter will be sent to the landlord and tenant notifying them of the final HAP and tenant rent amounts.
16. Once the unit passes the initial inspection, the owner must complete and submit to NWGHA the executed lease signed by the owner and tenant within 24 hours of the family moving into the unit. The HAP contract will be prepared upon receipt of the lease. The owner will be notified when the contract is ready to be signed.
17. The effective date of the HAP contract cannot be earlier than the day after the family's move-out date indicated on the Notice to Vacate or move-out extension from their previous unit.
18. NWGHA is not responsible for any payments on a unit until the following has been completed/submitted:
    • Unit passed NSPIRE inspection.
    • NWGHA has determined that the requested rent is reasonable.
    • The landlord and tenant have executed a lease, and the landlord has signed the HAP contract with NWGHA.
19. Housing assistance payments are deposited directly into the owner's designated account during the first week of each month. The family pays their portion of the rent to the owner.

Instructions for Completing the RFTA - click here.