For Landlords
Landlord Recruitment and Engagement
Are you interested in guaranteed and on-time rental payments each month? Are you willing to commit a portion of your units to helping end homelessness in Washtenaw County?
Our Member Agencies serve as a link between households experiencing homelessness and landlords with vacant rental units. Many of our members and other county partners participate in the Housing Coordinators Network (HCN), facilitated by our Community Housing Locator, in order to better connect prospective tenants and other housing resources to those in need of filling vacant units.
Benefits of Partnering with the WHA:
Ensure that vacant units are rapidly filled with access to a large pool of pre-screened, potential tenants seeking housing.
Guaranteed Rent/Security Deposit: Many of our agencies offer programs that provide their clients with a security deposit, move-in cost assistance and rental assistance in the form of a Housing Choice Voucher (long-term) or other short-term rental support. Here are some quick links on Housing Choice Vouchers, or HCVs.
HUD HCV program – FORMS FOR LANDLORDS & VIDEO on basics, benefits, and ways to participate.
MSHDA HCV program – INFO FOR LANDLORDS
Access to our Landlord Guarantee Fund: Our Landlord Guarantee Fund is about creating partnerships with landlords and property managers that help our community’s most vulnerable residents identify safe, affordable, and long-term housing. The Fund will offer financial incentives and coverage for unit damages or vacancy loss in instances where a tenancy does not work out.
Ongoing case management and tenant education: Clients are connected to case management support through a WHA Member Agency and receive access to tenant and financial education resources.
Eviction Prevention services: Clients struggling to make rent payments are connected to local resources that provide eviction diversion and prevention support.
Single point of contact: The WHA’s Community Housing Locator, serves as a liaison between the landlord and WHA Member Agencies and can quickly help troubleshoot issues if they arise. Landlords can also engage on the Landlord Advisory Group, which allows additional conversation on housing resources and community needs with the WHA and agencies.
Creating lasting partnerships with landlords and property managers is vital to our goal of ending homelessness in Washtenaw County.
Please consider partnering with us and our Member Agencies by completing the unit availability form linked above or joining the Landlord Advisory Group (our next informational networking event is coming up on Thursday, September 26th). Now, more than ever, we need your help to provide safe, affordable housing for everyone in Washtenaw County. It’s going to take all of us working and advocating together in order to end homelessness. We can’t do this work without the help and support of local landlords and property managers like you!
Questions? Please contact Sharon Lapides, Community Housing Locator at the Washtenaw Housing Alliance.