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510.979.2003
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Property
Owners and Managers
| How
Does the Program Work? |
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The
Housing/Jobs Linkages program is a U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program.
Administered
locally by Alameda County Department of Housing
and Community Development (HCD) and Allied Housing,
this rent supplement program which makes it possible
for low-income homeless families who are working
and/or in job training to obtain adequate rental
housing that they can afford.
To
find out more about the Linkages Program, such
as:
- Which
families are eligible?
- How
to place a unit on the program and find a prospective
eligible tenant?
- or,
if you have any other questions,
Please
Call!
Judy Hui, Leasing Coordinator
(510) 881-7310 ext. 314
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Quick
Links!
Either scroll down the page or simply click
on any of the links below to go directly to that
section.
The
"Linkages" service area includes all
of
Alameda County.
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| Advantages
to Property Owners! |
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Discover
the advantages for rental property owners who participate
in the Linkages Housing Program.
- Guaranteed
Rent
Guaranteed Rent
subsidy payments mailed directly to owner on the
first working day of the month
- Management
Maintain freedom of choice in selection of tenants
who have been extensively prescreened by Allied
Housing and case managers.
- Flexibility
Same building may have a mixture of Linkages Program
and open market units.
- Cost
Savings
Save advertising
costs and fill vacancies quickly by listing
your available with Allied Housing.
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| Eligible
Program Participants |
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Families
of low-income are eligible to receive assistance if
they are employed or attending a vocational training
program (or both) and are living in a shelter for
homeless or battered persons.
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| Inspections |
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Before
the rental unit can be approved, a representative
from Allied Housing must inspect it and find the dwellings
to be decent, safe, and sanitary as per HUD standards.
Units are inspected annually thereafter.
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| Tenant/Landlord
Lease |
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The
rental property owner and the family must come to
an agreement on the rent and lease terms. a Linkages
Program lease addendum will outline requirements under
the Linkages Program. Landlords may use their own
standard lease agreement in addition, provided it
is consistent with Linkages Program guidelines. Allied
Housing will review and approve the terms of tenancy
to assure program compliance.
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| Contract |
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A
Housing Assistance payment Contract will be executed
by Allied Housing with the property owner. This contract
continues until the tenant vacates the unit, the owner
terminates the lease for "good cause," or
when the terms of the subsidy reach their expiration
date.
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| Payments |
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Allied
Housing makes direct payment to the owner or authorized
agent for the Linkages share of the contract rent
each month. The tenant family also make a direct payment
to the owner for their share of the rent. Their share
of the rent is based on 30% of the total family income.
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| Frequently
Asked Questions |
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- Does
Allied Housing check the tenants credit?
No. Allied Housing only establishes income eligibility
for the Linkages
Program however, tenants are counseled on money
management and make a commitment to clean up any
poor credit.
- How
much rent can I charge?
Under the Linkages Program, the rent must be reasonable
(at or below fair market value) and is subject
to Allied Housing approval. Allied Housing reviews
the rent requested to determine if it is in line
with the HUD designated maximum amounts.
- Can
I charge a security deposit?
Yes, if that is the procedure you normally follow
with all tenants. The
tenant pays the security deposit.
- What
happens if the tenant damages the units in excess
of the security deposit?
The owner treats the tenant as they would any
other tenant. The Linkages Program works closely
with the tenants, including monthly home visits,
in order to monitor the tenant's care of the rental
property.
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- Does
the owner maintain control of the property?
Yes. At no time does Allied Housing or the Linkages
Program take over the management or maintenance
of the property. This is the responsibility of
the owner. The landlord's rights are the same
as those of any normal tenant/landlord relationship.
The owner selects the tenant with whom the lease
is signed. If the lease is violated, the tenants
are subject to eviction. Allied Housing should
be
notified in the event of tenant problems, before
an eviction becomes necessary.
Our case managers and staff will work with the
tenant to resolve problems that may arise. If
the lease is violated to the extent an eviction
is necessary, Allied Housing supports the owner's
right to do so.
- How
much paperwork is involved?
Very little. Most of it is handled by Allied Housing.
Once the owner signs a lease with the tenant and
a contract with the Linkages Program, no monthly
paperwork is required.
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| Find
Out More! |
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If
you are a property owner or manager and would like
to find out more about the Linkages Program, such
as:
- Which
families are eligible?
- How
to place a unit on the program and find a prospective
eligible tenant?
- or,
if you have any other questions,
Please
Call!
Beth Nguyen, Leasing Coordinator
(510) 881-7310 ext. 314
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