For years, Hapco Philadelphia members have been a crucial component of the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s Section 8 program.

But over time, PHA has seen a dramatic decline in the number of rental property owners that accept Housing Choice Vouchers.  Hapco Philadelphia says much of that drop off is due to years of City of Philadelphia laws, regulations, fees, and costs that made it tough for rental property owners to stay in the affordable housing market.

And it didn’t help matters that PHA had a recent fatal fire in one of their apartment buildings in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia.

Now, PHA has just received more than 800 new emergency Section 8 vouchers and is trying to incentivize HP members and other rental owners to participate in the program.

As PHA outlined in an HCV webinar with Hapco Philadelphia in February, there are now signing bonuses and other incentives design to entice rental owners to sign up for the Section 8 program.