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<br />Page | 55 <br /> <br /> <br />9.1 Inspections and Landlord Certification <br /> For Rent Assistance <br />Documented habitability is required for all housing units into which households will be moving, except <br />when a household moves in with friends or family or into a hotel/motel unit. Housing units must be <br />documented as habitable prior to paying the rent subsidy. Documentation must be kept in the client <br />file. <br /> <br />Habitability can be documented by the Landlord Habitability Standards Certification Form or <br />inspection. Both methods are valid for the length of time the household is a tenant in the housing unit . <br />If the housing unit is provided to a different household within 12 months of documented habitability, <br />an additional certification/inspection is not required. <br /> Allowable Methods for Unit Habitability Determination <br />The CHG Landlord Habitability Standards Certification Form references the state Landlord Tenant Act <br />(RCW 59.18.060) and requires the landlord (as defined in RCW 59.18.030) to certify that the unit meets <br />the safety and habitability standards detailed in the law. The landlord’s failure to comply with the law <br />may result in termination of the rent sub sidy. <br /> <br /> OR <br /> <br />Inspections: in lieu of (or in addition to) the above landlord certification, lead/subgrantees may choose <br />to inspect all housing units. Lead/subgrantees may use the Commerce Housing Habitability Standards <br />(HHS) Form or the HUD Housing Quality Standards (HQS) Inspection Form. <br /> <br /> Documentation of habitability certification or inspection must be kept in the client file. <br /> Habitability Complaint Procedure <br />Each household must be informed in writing of the habitability complaint process and assured that <br />complaints regarding their housing unit’s safety and habitability will not affect the household’s <br />eligibility for assistance. <br /> <br />Lead/subgrantee must have a written procedure describing the response to complaints regarding unit <br />safety and habitability. The procedure must include: <br />✓ Mandatory inspection when a complaint is reported using the HHS Form, HQS Inspection Form, <br />or documenting the specific complaint in an alternate format that includes follow -up and <br />resolution. <br /> For Facilities <br />All facilities must conduct and document an inspection at least once a year using the HHS Form or HQS <br />Inspection Form. <br /> <br />Documenting habitability is not required if a hotel/motel is used for emergency shelter. <br /> <br />9 Habitability Requirements for all Rent Assistance and Facility-Based Projects