Forms Directory

Berkeley Housing Authority’s notice of occupancy rights for tenants and applicants under the Violence Against Women Act.

VAWA Notice of Occupancy Rights and Certification

Fill out this form to certify your notice of a right to a reasonable accommodation, request a new reasonable accommodation, or renew an existing one if the verification time frame has expired.

After submitting this form, you will receive an email with a copy of the completed form for your records.

Find information on how to opt-out, the owner’s decision to terminate tenancy of an assisted family:

Owner Opt-Out Document

This appeal form is to be completed by the property owner and must be submitted to the Berkeley Housing Authority (BHA) with all necessary documentation to support the reasoning of their appeal.

After submitting this form, you will receive an email with a copy of the completed form for your records.

This form is to be completed by the property owner or agent and must be submitted to the Berkeley Housing Authority (BHA) with all necessary documentation. This form is required for every new Section 8 HAP Contract and when there is a change in ownership of a Unit housing a family with Section 8 assistance.

Note: For a change in Ownership, the Owner must first complete the Assumption of HAP form. The owner will then receive an email with a copy of the completed form. That copy of the completed form will need to be uploaded into this form.

Ownership Packet Instructions

Change of Ownership

If you sell property that is currently under a Section 8 Housing Assistance Payment Contract with the Berkeley Housing Authority, the following steps are required before BHA will release HAP payments to the new owner.

Previous Owner (Seller of Property)

• Notify the Housing Authority (Attn: Housing Specialist) when an offer has been accepted from a prospective purchaser and escrow has been opened
• Provide BHA with:
  • Prospective new owner’s name
  • Prospective new owner’s address
  • Prospective new owner’s telephone number
  • Name of Title Company
  • Date escrow is scheduled to close

New Owner (Purchaser of Property)

Please follow instructions under “New Ownership Packet” below.

Change of Address

If you are a current HAP Payee (Owner of a property leasing to a family participating in the Section 8 program), and have a change of address, please fill out the Ownership Declaration Form.

Procedure

After the necessary forms have been submitted to BHA, the accounting records will be changed to reflect the new ownership. During the change of ownership, a hold is placed on HAP payments. In other words, monthly HAP payments will not be released until BHA receives the proper documentation listed above, and the change of ownership process is complete. With the help of both the seller and the buyer, every effort will be made to process the change quickly and efficiently.

If you have any questions, contact Accounting Department, at (510) 981-5474 or bhafinance@berkeleyca.gov.

New Ownership Packet

Instructions: New owners must submit the following forms in order for the packet to be completed. Please note below what forms are applicable to you and what materials will need to be provided for the required Ownership Declaration Form.

• Ownership Declaration Form (required, please fill out before completing the packet)
  • W-9 Form
  • Copy of your Driver’s License
  • Copy of your Social Security Card (if an individual private owner)
  • Recorded Deed of Trust
• Assumption of Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Contract (required only for purchased Section 8 units)
• Joint Ownership Payment Authorization Form (if applicable) *Note: This form is required for rental property owned by multiple persons/entities. It is only available as PDF due to its notary requirements. It must be mailed, faxed, or dropped of in-person to Berkeley Housing Authority.

After filling out the required Ownership Declaration Form and the HAP contract (if applicable), you will receive an email with a copy of the completed form(s) for your records.

Find information about PG&E CARE/FERA as well as The Medical Baseline Program, which assists residents who depend on power for certain medical needs, at the link below.

PG&E Medical Baseline Program

Property owners: please complete all sections of this form. Please be prepared to upload photos of your unit when prompted.

Please Note: This form cannot be submitted without suppling the tenant with a 60 Day Notice of Rent Increase. You will be required to upload this notice in order to proceed with this form.

After submitting this form, you will receive an email with a copy of the completed form for your records.

Rent Increase Informational Notice 2024

Notes:

1. Unit Listings are updated on our website weekly, on Thursdays: www.bha.berkeleyca.gov.
2. Property owner is responsible for screening applicants in usual & customary manner.
3. Once applicant is selected, property owner must complete Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) packet from the tenant and submit original to BHA in order to schedule pre-move in inspection.
4. Required financial documentation must be submitted in order for payments to start – see Ownership Declaration Form, or call 510-981-5474 for more information.
5. You may send an email to bha@berkeleyca.gov to inform us to remove the unit from this list.

After submitting this form, you will receive an email with a copy of the completed form for your records.

Confidential Report of Suspected Fraud/Program Abuse

Suspect that something isn’t right?

The vast majority of families receiving Section 8 rental assistance, and the participating landlords, are honest. They follow program rules, and do not engage in criminal behavior. However, there are exceptions, and you can help us identify and investigate them. Please read the following then fill out the section(s) below that pertain to the type of fraud you suspect. You don’t need to know all of the facts to submit the report, but please do not submit a false report. The Housing Authority does not want to unduly target any family that is wrongfully accused nor expend resources investigating suspected fraud and program abuse that is unmerited.

Fraud/Program Abuse

Fraud by a program participant/family typically involves:

• Failing to report all the people living in the unit, including people that are “just visiting” (often times it is a spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend or significant other)
• Failing to report when someone no longer lives in the unit (for example, one or more of children are no longer in the home)
• Not reporting all household income, for example someone who is working (outside the home) or operating a business – but has failed to report it to the Housing Authority
• Subletting or renting rooms in the unit

Fraud by a participating landlord typically involves:

• Renting to a relative (without permission from the Housing Authority)
• Accepting side-payments (more rent that the Housing Authority has authorized)
• Living in the unit with the family
• Receiving rental subsidy payments from the Housing Authority for a vacant unit (for example, the family has moved out; resident moved to a care facility; resident in jail)

What will happen to the family and/or owner?

If the suspected fraud or program abuse is confirmed, penalties range from termination of the Section 8 Voucher; termination of the Housing Assistance Payment Contract; repayment of subsidy payments; and possible criminal action.

Will my name be used?

We are happy to accept your information with or without your name and/or contact information. Providing your name and contact information allows us to follow up with you if we have questions, but we respect the fact that you may want to remain anonymous. Before we respond to any report of fraud or program abuse, we do our own investigation. All investigations are confidential.

Thank you for helping us ensure that assistance is paid to eligible households, who: act responsibly; comply with all Section 8 Program rules; and avoid criminal behavior. After submitting this form, you will receive an email with a copy of the completed form for your records.