Education, Outreach Chapter of HCV Landlord Strategy Guidebook Released

HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Landlord Strategy Guidebook is meant to help PHAs improve landlord participation in the HCV program. The first chapter, “Education and Outreach,” introduces five strategies designed to recruit and retain HCV landlords, as well as a primer on Event Planning.  

Event Planning 101 

As three of the guidebook’s outreach strategies are event-based, it includes a framework for planning effective events. The guidebook encourages PHAs to establish a realistic timeline to work out logistics, confirm speakers and venues, market the event,  and prepare necessary materials. This can take anywhere between 90 days for small seminars held in PHA facilities, to 120 days for conventions or lectures that require a larger community venue. PHAs should plan a robust marketing campaign over social media and through its channels of communication with landlords, such as newsletters. After the event, evaluations and follow-ups with participants can help cement the event’s message, gauge its success, and suggest improvements for future events.  

Strategy 1: New Landlord Orientation 

Orientation workshops can help new and prospective HCV landlords learn about the expectations and benefits of HCV participation and set the tone for a productive landlord-PHA relationship. These lecture-style events typically last 2-3 hours and may cover topics such as HUD and HCV regulations, roles and responsibilities, the tenant approval process, and common misconceptions. Because many attendees will be directly hearing from PHAs for the first time, the guidebook urges speakers to highlight the ways HCV participation can benefit landlords, including guaranteed rent, assistance from the PHA in marketing vacant units, and maintenance assistance. Orientations can be held monthly or quarterly, depending on the number of interested landlords and the PHA’s service area, though small PHAs may find it more effective to send individual orientation packets instead.  

Strategy 2: Landlord Outreach Events 

These more general events can engage new and veteran HCV landlords alike and can be an effective way for PHAs to solicit feedback and concerns, while communicating programmatic and legal changes to the program. These events can also include a networking element to foster a support system between stakeholders, including partner non-profits and businesses. While topics can cover issues of particular interest to HCV landlords, PHAs can draw a larger audience by opening events to non-participants, issuing personal invitations to local landlords, and discussing more general topics like unit maintenance and county governance. Possible formats range from brown-bag “Lunch and Learns” to social hours and listening sessions – the guidebook urges PHAs to consider their audience and objectives when choosing which format to pursue.  

Strategy 3: Tenant Education 

Educating HCV tenants about their rights and responsibilities does not directly involve landlords, but can help improve the tenant-landlord relationship and promote retention for both parties. Case workers and HCV contacts can present lecture-style events covering topics of interest to voucher holders, such as the unit search process, credit scores, preventative maintenance, and renter’s insurance. PHAs may wish to improve engagement and turnout by addressing barriers to attendance, particularly child care and transportation. Webinars or other online orientations may provide additional flexibility to tenants unable to attend in person. The guidebook also urges PHAs to consider time commitments, as an over-intensive course may ultimately hurt engagement and prove counterproductive – most seminars should last between two and three hours.  

Strategy 4: Expanding Your Network 

PHAs need not host their own events to reach potential landlords and partner organizations. The guidebook encourages PHA representatives to attend events hosted by other organizations, such as housing industry group meetings and housing fairs, to build connections and foster partnerships within the industry. PHAs should also set up one-on-one or small group appointments with landlords either in person or over the phone to hear individualized concerns and build personal relationships with HCV participants. The guidebook also suggests PHAs use line-of-business software, online listings, and tax records to identify potential landlords or properties for outreach.  

Strategy 5: Information Sharing 

While PHAs have long used newsletters to disseminate information, emails, texts and social media can help broaden the PHA’s reach and tailor announcements according to their purpose and time-sensitivity. PHAs should keep an up-to-date contact list of all their current landlords and select methods that will reach the entire target audience. For example, urgent announcements may best be spread over social media and through email blasts, ensuring they reach every affected landlord. On the other hand, in-depth information that requires greater time investment is better suited for the PHA’s web portal or newsletter – especially if a landlord might wish to print or otherwise save that information for future reference. PHAs can evaluate the effectiveness of their communication by monitoring certain metrics such as page views. The guidebook cautions against over-messaging, which can cause reader fatigue and inhibit engagement – PHAs should be mindful of the amount of information they send and target information only to the audiences who benefit from it. 

The full guidebook chapter can be found here. HUD will release new chapters on its HCV Landlord Strategy Guidebook website as they become available.  

Questions? Contact Chris Campbell at ccampbell@nahro.org