HAPCO Philadelphia members comprise the largest number of rental owners participating in the city’s Housing Choice Voucher Program, long known as Section 8.
However, many rental owners shy away from signing up for the HVC program because of low rental subsidies and damage done by certain low income renters.
HP has worked with the Philadelphia Housing Authority to increase rent subsidies, compensate rental owners for apartment damage, and increase signing bonuses for participating rental owners.
Yet, City Council held a recent HCV hearing and failed to invite HAPCO Philadelphia or any other rental owner advocacy group to testify.
What council members heard was one-sided testimony from renters who claimed to have been turned away because they were using vouchers to pay for rent.
HAPCO Philadelphia President Greg Wertman tells the Philadelphia Inquirer what HP has done to get more incentives from PHA to entice rental owners to sign up to be an HCV property.