Program Changes to Housing Quality Standards: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

HQS are the minimum requirements set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that all dwelling units must meet before a family can occupy the unit while receiving Section 8 assistance. It is the responsibility of the owner to maintain the unit and building in accordance with HQS. For more information on HQS, please visit the Housing Quality Standards page.

• The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) will use a new inspection model called National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) for all building/apartment inspections. Please be advised that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) extended the NSPIRE compliance date to February 1, 2027.
• However, the NSPIRE standards for carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke alarms are now in effect. Owners must comply with the NSPIRE standards for CO alarms and with chapters 9 (section 915) and 11 (section 1103) of the 2018 International Fire Code (IFC).
• In addition, owners are also required to comply with the smoke alarm standard. Generally, the standard requires at least one working smoke detector/alarm installed on every level of the property, every level of the unit, inside and outside each bedroom/sleeping area. The NSPIRE standard requires that by December 29, 2024, smoke alarms must be either hard-wired or sealed 10-year battery alarms.

Initial inspections are conducted for a new rental (including transfers and restorations) upon submission of a Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA). Units must meet the inspection standards before NYCHA is able to approve a RFTA and enter into a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract with an owner.

A Certification of Completed Repairs is a document attesting that the violations noted during a NYCHA inspection have been corrected in the unit and/or building.

During an inspection, if violations are found in a unit, the owner is notified via the NE-1 Letter to Owner – Hazardous Conditions (NYCHA form 059.307B). Once deficiencies are corrected, an owner can submit a Certification of Completed Repairs for the non-life-threatening violations (Certification of Completed Repairs NE-2, NYCHA form 059.307) via the Owner Extranet.

If violations are found in a public space of the building, the owner is notified via the NE-1PS Letter to Owner – HQS Violations – Public Space (NYCHA form 059.348A). Once deficiencies are corrected, an owner can complete a Certification of Completed Repairs for the non-life- threatening violations (Notification of Completed Building Repairs NE-2PS, NYCHA form 059.348) via the Owner Extranet.

Please note that NYCHA may inspect the unit to confirm violations were corrected.

Twenty-four-hour violations are those that present a life-threatening hazard, including, but not limited to:

• Building in imminent danger of collapse

• Illegal window gates on fire escapes

• Missing or inoperable smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors

• Gas leak

• Smoking/sparking/exposed wiring that could result in shock or fire

• Severe fire damage

• No secondary means of egress

Under normal circumstances, NYCHA does not accept certifications for 24-hour violations and instead must conduct a re-inspection. However, until further notice, NYCHA will accept a certification to confirm that 24-hour violations have been corrected for life-threatening violations cited during an HQS inspection. Please note that NYCHA may inspect the unit to confirm any deficiencies were corrected.

To submit a certification for a 24- hour violation:

1. Log in to the Owner Extranet here.

2. Review the Letter to Owner: Hazardous Conditions NE-1 Inspection (NYCHA form 059.307) and/or Notification of Completed Building Repairs NE-1PS.

3. Complete the related Certification of Completed Repairs.

4. Upload completed work order ticket(s) and/or paid invoice(s) from a supplier for the repairs. The work order and/or paid invoice must include the Section 8 tenant’s address (including the unit number), the date the work was completed, and a description of repairs completed.

5. Submit the completed form and supporting documentation via the Owner Extranet

6. If the completed work order ticket(s) and/or paid invoice(s) from a supplier for the repairs is not available, NYCHA will accept the NE-2 certification with the owner’s and tenant’s signatures. NYCHA will contact the tenant to verify repairs and may schedule an inspection if required.

To request a re-inspection, owners can call NYCHA’s Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

NYCHA will only accept the Certification of Completed Repairs if:

• The owner’s and tenant’s signatures are on the certification

• The work order ticket(s) and/or paid invoice(s) are submitted and include: i) the Section 8 tenant’s address (including the unit number); ii) the date the work was completed; and iii) a description of repairs completed

• There is no tenant dispute about the violations being corrected

Participants in the Section 8 program are required to allow the owner to access the apartment to complete repairs necessary to correct inspection violations. Failure to do so may result in the participant’s termination from the Section 8 program. If a participant fails to provide access to make repairs, the owner must notify NYCHA by submitting the below so that we can commence voucher termination proceedings:

Certification of Completed Repairs (NE-2) with the “no access” box checked; and

Copies of the certified letters and certified mailing receipts sent to the tenant requesting access to complete repairs.

If the owner gains access to the apartment and made all repairs, they can submit a certification proving that repairs were made or request a reinspection. Once NYCHA confirms the repairs, if payments were withheld, subsidy payments may be reinstated and paid retroactively. If payments were abated, subsidy payments will be paid prospectively only.