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All housing units participating in Atlanta Housing Authority’s (AHA) Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) must meet AHA’s Enhanced Inspection Standards on an ongoing basis as detailed in this checklist. AHA established these standards in order to ensure that units participating in the HCVP provide quality living environments for HCVP participants in healthy mixed-income communities where families can thrive. In evaluating a unit for suitability, AHA will evaluate the condition of the unit itself as well as the condition of the surrounding Vicinity. Our goal is to ensure that every Housing Choice family enjoys full access to educational and employment opportunities in a healthy community that promotes good citizenship and cooperative living. Please note that the following AHA Enhanced Inspection Standards Checklist is only a general checklist of requirements. All City, County, and State codes must be followed. AHA will cite, require correction and act upon observable conditions of mold, and AHA may reject units with lead, asbestos or handicapped accessibility issues.
Upon your confirmation that the subject property fully meets 100% of the standards listed in the checklist below, you may submit the Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) form to AHA for processing.
 General
- For multifamily properties: AHA assistance at this multifamily property is less than 40% of the total occupied units.
- The property meets all City, County and State building code requirements.
- All properties are required to meet the permitting requirements of the local jurisdiction.
- All properties built prior to 1978 must be free of lead based paint hazards. Refer to http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/enforcement/lshr.cfm for more details.
- Unit is free of mold and mildew.
- Unit must be free of pests/rodents.
Site/Vicinity
- The property meets AHA’s Site/Vicinity requirements. The Site/Vicinity is generally defined as the geographical area which poses the greatest impact to the living conditions at or immediately surrounding the subject property.
- As a general guideline, Site/Vicinity may have no more than: 2 open/vacant, 2 dilapidated, 1 fire damaged or 2 overgrown units/lots that impact the living conditions at or immediately surrounding the subject property.
- Site/Vicinity may not have abandoned vehicles/junk cars, illegal repair shops (including shade tree mechanics), excessive noise/vibrations, furniture, trash and/or debris dumping.
- Signs of suspicious illegal activity and graffiti are not permitted.
- Conditions which would place the participant in an isolated living environment are not acceptable.
Curbside
- House numbers must be visible from the street and mailbox must be in good repair.
- Lawn and storage areas are free of garbage and debris.
- Adequate facilities for the disposal of garbage and food wastes must be present, provided by the owner and meet the requirements of the local agency designated for pickup/removal.
- Adequate ground covering, preferably grass, must be present.
- No overgrown vegetation such as weeds or kudzu.
- Problems with water ponding or severe erosion must not be present.
- Fencing and retaining walls, if present, are in good repair and free of graffiti.
Building Exterior
- Sidewalks, roadways and parking areas must be free from hazards and in good repair.
- Roof, gutter, fascia, exterior cladding and foundation walls are all structurally sound, weather tight and in good repair. The unit may not have cracks, holes or openings that are accessible to insects or rodents.
- Unit is free of peeling paint and graffiti.
- Windows work properly, are weather tight and lockable, do not have broken or missing panes and are in good repair.
- All exterior windows designed to open must have screens.
- Porches, balconies, raised floor surfaces or retaining walls more than 30 inches above floor or grade shall have safety guards not less than 36 inches in height.
- Stairs with four or more steps have a handrail on one continuous side and in accordance with building codes.
- Proper locks are required on all exterior doors.
- No double cylinder locks on exterior doors, interior doors, windows or security bars.
- If the building has gutters, they must be clear of debris and in good repair.
Systems
- All utilities (water, gas, electricity) are on and operating at time of inspection (permanent power must be on the unit).
- Water heater is properly installed, operational, equipped with the correct temperature-pressure relief valve and a discharge pipe is installed that is routed to the exterior of the structure or to a floor drain.
- Plumbing is properly installed (no S-traps), leak-free and vented in accordance with building codes.
- Air conditioning system is adequate, properly installed and operational.
- Heating system is adequate, properly installed and operational.
- Primary heating cannot be provided by free-standing gas floor heaters or electric space heaters.
- Buildings have properly marked fire exists that meet building codes.
- No electrical hazards may be present.
- All pilot lights on gas stoves are in proper working order.
- Proof that all gas appliances have been serviced by a licensed technician within twelve (12) months of the last inspection (Gas Certificate provided to AHA).
- Proof that all operable fireplaces have been service by a licensed technician within twelve (12) months of the last inspection (Fireplace Certificate provided to AHA).
Dwelling Unit
- Entire dwelling unit, including attics, crawlspaces and out buildings, must be readily accessible at time of the inspection.
- Attics and crawlspaces must be clean and free of hazards.
- All attics are required to be adequately insulated.
- Walls and ceilings are clean, painted and free from holes, peeling, chipping or loose paint.
- Floors must be structurally sound and in good repair.
- Unit is free of any trash or debris.
- All appliances (e.g., stove, refrigerator) are clean and operable.
- Each bedroom has a minimum ceiling height of seven (7) feet and must be at least eight (8) x ten (10) feet.
- Each bedroom has at least four (4) square feet of closet space (the closet must also have a rod) that does not impede the eighty (80) square feet of floor space.
- Each bedroom has at least two electrical outlets or one electrical outlet and a permanent light fixture.
- Each bedroom must have a secondary means of exiting the unit, i.e. a window with a clear opening of at least 5.7 square feet and a maximum of 44 inches from the floor.
- Any room which can be entered directly from a garage, i.e. through a door/window, shall not be considered a bedroom.
- Any room with a gas appliance (heater, water heater, dryer, etc.) or an unvented gas heater in the room or a closet shall not be considered a bedroom.
- Each bedroom must have a door for privacy.
- An operating smoke alarm is required outside of all bedrooms.
- An operating carbon monoxide detector is required outside of all bedrooms in homes that have a gas fired appliance.
- Stairs with four or more steps have handrails in accordance with building codes.
- If the unit has two or more bedrooms, the floor plan must permit access to a bathroom and common rooms without passage through a bedroom.
- Electrical outlets, switches, and light fixtures must be operable and safe, and meet building codes.
- Electrical outlets in “wet areas” (i.e. kitchen, bath, garage and exterior) require GFCI protection.
- Doors are installed where required throughout the unit.
- The hardware for doors must be present and in good repair.
- Bathroom doors have functioning locks.
- Toilets flush, drain properly and are secure to the floor.
- Sink, tub and shower plumbing drains properly, is leak free, with hot/cold water.
- Smoke alarms are installed on each level of the unit and are operational.
- Carbon Monoxide detectors are installed on each level for units with gas appliances.
- Kitchen has at least one charged (1) fire extinguisher.
- Carpet is clean and free of stains and tears.
- Security bars, if provided, must be operable from the interior of the room without use of tools or a key.
- Windows and doors are operable and are not blocked, nailed shut or in any other condition that would prevent egress.
- No propane, natural gas, or methane gas odor is detectable.
- No sewer odor is detectable.
- No evidence of insect or vermin presence.
NOTE: The "Site/Vicinity" is generally defined as the geographical area which poses the greatest impact to the living conditions at or immediately surrounding the subject property. AHA has sole discretion when defining Site/Vicinity. For further information on AHA Site/Vicinity requirements or other AHA Enhanced Inspection Standards, please contact us at the number listed below.
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