Introduction

Paying out rent subsidies to property owners who house our participants is a major focus of our agency. Our finance department has several staff members who specialize in rental assistance, so we decided to share our policies and procedures with you.

It is important to remember that before finance becomes involved, there must be:

• a signed lease agreement between you (the property owner) and the tenant AND
• an approved HAP contract that specifies all the terms of the agreement between you and EDEN.

HUD requires a signed HAP contract before any subsidy payments are made, so it is important that you sign and return it as soon as possible so that the tenant can move in and EDEN can start processing the subsidy payments to you. (Click here for more information).

General Info

What do I need to do to get set up for rent payments?

• There are two critical documents that you need to send to EDEN before any rent checks can be processed: a completed W9 and a completed direct deposit form. You can download and print the forms; complete and sign them; and email both forms to EDENlandlordinfo@EDENcle.org or fax them to 216-651-4066.
• The information on the W9 must match records from the IRS. If it does not, it will be returned to you for correction.
• It is important that the address on the W9 is correct; this is where all payments, correspondence, and 1099’s will be mailed. Correspondence can include inspection appointments and results, HAP contracts, approval letters, tenant terminations, etc.
• If you want payments sent to an address different than the W9, complete the remittance form and submit it to EDEN. All other correspondence will be sent to the address on the W9.

Does EDEN ever issue paper checks for rent?

• Yes, we do issue paper checks, although we prefer direct deposit. Plus, you will get your money sooner if we direct deposit. Please note: EDEN is not responsible for any delays or lost mail caused by US Postal Service.

What if I don’t get my subsidy payment from EDEN?

• Please wait 15 days before contacting EDEN. After that, you can call 216-961-9690 and ask to speak with an accounts payable specialist working with rental assistance programs.
• If after 15 days you still have not received your paper check AND if it has been mailed to the correct address, we will re-issue it and waive the $40 stop-payment fee the first time it occurs. We will then request that you sign up for direct deposit to avoid further issues. If you do not, you will then be charged the $40 stop payment fee for any future paper checks that need to be re-issued.

How long does it take for EDEN to issue the first subsidy payment for a new tenant?

• Once the lease agreement and signed HAP contract are finalized, it takes 4-7 business days to enter the information into EDEN’s system. Once that information is entered, the payment will be added into the queue.

When do payments go out?

• For all existing HAP contracts, payments are processed on the 1st of the month. For HAP contacts added after the first of the month, those in the queue will generally be paid by the next Wednesday.

Who do I contact to see if an incentive payment has been made?

• Incentive/Eviction Prevention payments (ARPA, ERA2, etc.) are always mailed to the property owner at the address listed on the W9.
• To ask if a check has been processed, please call 216-961-9690 and ask for extension 324. The Manager of Housing Location and Outreach will be able to assist you.
• Please note: EDEN is not responsible for delays in mail delivery.  

Special Circumstances

If a tenant has not paid their portion, what do I do?

• Contact the tenant’s Housing Eligibility Specialist to figure out next steps. If a tenant continues not to pay their portion of the rent, they understand that this could result in eviction and the loss of the security deposit.

What if a unit fails inspection?

• You will usually have a time frame of 30 days to make repairs.* When repairs are finished, send an email to EDENinspection@EDENcle.org to request another inspection.
• *If the inspection finds conditions that may be life-threatening, you will have 24-48 hours to address the emergency. If it is not corrected in that time frame, then the rent will be put on hold and the tenant will be given permission to move. Click here for conditions that meet this criteria. Our March eNews will have more information about inspections.
• If the repairs are made and the unit passes re-inspection, outstanding payments will be made.  
• If repairs are not made or the unit does not pass re-inspection, you will be given a final notice stating that the HAP contract will expire if those repairs are not made by the end of the month. If the HAP contract expires, no further payments will be made.

Will EDEN pay rent for a hold-over tenant? For example, the contract has been terminated, but the tenant is still living there.

• EDEN cannot pay two rents per month for the same tenant. The tenant needs to vacate the unit.
• You can contact the tenant’s Housing Eligibility Specialist to explain the situation and ask for their help in getting the tenant to leave.
• If the tenant refuses, you should file with court as you would any other tenant.

If I have to evict an EDEN tenant, what should I do with that month’s payment?

• You have the option to return the payment to EDEN and let us know the eviction is pending so we can put the account on hold. We will not make any further payments until we receive documentation of the court-ordered eviction date. Back payments will be made at that time.
• You can also contact the EDEN Property Owner Hotline to see if any incentive funds are available and could be used to resolve the issue leading to eviction (e.g., utility arrearages, housekeeping, hoarding, etc.)

If the unit changes ownership, who do I notify? How long will the transfer of ownership take for rent checks?

• Complete the change of ownership form and email it to EDENlandlordinfo@EDENcle.org or fax it to 216-651-4066.

What happens if I am the new owner, but EDEN paid the previous owner?

• EDEN cannot re-issue rent payments. Request the payment from the previous owner.

Does EDEN pro-rate rent amounts?

• Yes, EDEN pro-rates rents based on move-in and move-out dates.

Does EDEN pay double rents for tenants who are relocating?

• Double subsidy payments are generally not allowed. To avoid payment issues, we encourage tenants and property owners to make lease agreements effective the first of the month. If that is not possible, then we encourage that both of the tenant’s property owners agree on when the tenant will end the lease with the current landlord and begin with the new.

What if my HAP payments stop and I didn’t get notice?

• EDEN always sends rent termination notices by mail. If you are told that a tenant’s agreement with EDEN was terminated, but you did not receive notice, EDEN management will review whether a payment is justified. They will check its system to see if proper notice was generated. If so, they will assume it was sent and received. If proper notice was not generated, then Management will review the situation to determine if that month’s payment can be released.

The Bottom Line

It all comes down to good communication … between you, the tenant, the tenant’s Housing Eligibility Specialist, EDEN’s Community Housing Agents, and EDEN’s finance department. Let EDEN know as soon as possible if you foresee any issues and please respond to questions promptly.

We value our partnership with you. EDEN cannot fulfill its mission of providing housing solutions to people facing the challenges of housing insecurities and homelessness without the support of property owners and managers like you. If you have any concerns, please reach out to our Community Housing Agents at the information line 216-503-6369 or email EdenLandlordInfo@edencle.org and we’ll do our best to offer solutions or refer you to the person at EDEN who can help.

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