From voucher to keys: the Section 8 move-in process in Baltimore City

Finding a home is only part of the process. After you choose a home, the housing authority still has to approve the rent, inspect the home, and sign a contract with the landlord before you can move in with your voucher. Knowing the order of these steps helps you avoid surprises and keep things moving.

This guide follows the process used for Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) and HUD-VASH vouchers in Baltimore City. The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) runs the program in the city, and its rules and your caseworker have the final word on your voucher. If you're still looking for a home, start with our voucher holder's guide.

Step 1: Apply for the home

Once you've toured a home and want it, you apply with the landlord like any other renter. At Caprate, every applicant is screened by the same standard, and there are no extra fees for paying with a voucher. Have your photo ID, voucher paperwork, and any proof of income ready so the application isn't held up.

Step 2: Submit the Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA)

The RFTA is the form that asks the housing authority to approve the specific home. You and the landlord each fill out part of it: your information, and the landlord's information about the home, the rent, which utilities are included, and when it's available. It then goes to the housing authority.

At Caprate, we complete and return our part of the RFTA promptly so your time isn't spent waiting on the landlord.

Step 3: The housing authority reviews the rent

Before approving the home, the housing authority checks two things:

• The rent is reasonable. It compares the rent with similar homes in the area.
• Your share is affordable. Your share is generally about 30% of your adjusted income. When a home's total rent and utilities are above your voucher's payment standard, HUD rules say your share when you first move in can't be more than 40% of your adjusted monthly income.

If the rent doesn't work under these rules, the housing authority will tell you and the landlord. Sometimes the rent can be adjusted; other times you'll keep looking, with the time left on your voucher.

Step 4: The inspection

Every home rented with a voucher must pass a health-and-safety inspection before the housing authority can pay its share. The housing authority schedules it with the landlord. Our voucher guide lists what inspectors check, from heat and hot water to smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors.

If something fails, it isn't the end of the process. The landlord is told what needs repair, makes the repairs, and the home is re-checked. Serious hazards must be fixed quickly. At Caprate, we schedule any flagged repairs right away and coordinate the re-inspection.

Step 5: Sign the lease and the HAP contract

Once the rent is approved and the home passes inspection, two documents are signed:

• Your lease with the landlord, which includes HUD's required tenancy addendum.
• The Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract between the housing authority and the landlord. This is the agreement that lets the housing authority pay its part of the rent directly to the landlord.

Read your lease before you sign, and ask about anything that isn't clear: which utilities are yours, how repairs are requested, and the lease term. In Maryland, a security deposit generally can't be more than one month's rent for leases signed on or after October 1, 2024.

Step 6: Move in

With everything signed, you get your keys. Walk through the home with the landlord, note its condition in writing, and keep a copy along with photos. Each month, you pay your share of the rent to the landlord, and the housing authority pays the rest directly.

After move-in, report income changes to the housing authority as required, since your share can be recalculated, and expect periodic inspections while you live there.

How long does it take?

It varies. The timeline depends on how quickly the RFTA is completed, the housing authority's review and inspection schedule, and whether any repairs are needed. Nobody can promise an exact date, but having your documents ready, returning paperwork quickly, and staying in touch with your caseworker all help.

Using a HUD-VASH voucher?

The steps are the same. Your VA case manager can help with the RFTA and stay in touch with the housing authority along the way. See HUD-VASH housing in Baltimore City.

What Caprate handles on our side

• We accept Housing Choice Vouchers and HUD-VASH on every home we list.
• No extra fees for voucher holders, and the same screening standard for every applicant.
• We complete our part of the RFTA promptly.
• We coordinate the inspection and make any required repairs right away.
• We work directly with caseworkers and placing agencies.

Ready to look? See homes available now, or call us with questions.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Housing authority procedures can change, and your voucher's terms are set by your housing authority. For questions about your own voucher, contact your caseworker or the Housing Authority of Baltimore City.