Last week, National Association of Apartments president Scott Gardner represented the Joint Legislative Program of the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA) at a Senate hearing entitled Proposals to Improve the Housing Voucher Program. The Senate is working on yet-to-be introduced legislation entitled The Housing Voucher Improvement Act.

Gardner presented four key changes the apartment industry deems necessary to make the Section 8 program more viable. "The best way to increase voucher utilization rates is to address the problems that have traditionally caused private property owners to either not participate or to withdraw from the program," Gardner told the Committee. Those proposed changes include improving what is a repetitive inspection under Housing Quality Standards Unit, making the payment system for rent subsidies timelier, and increasing the payment standard. The final requested change concerns amending the Department of Housing and Urban Development's lease addendum regulation, which is inconsistent with industry practices and incompatible with owner-tenant regulations.

"We have been working with the Senate committee staff a long time on this and they have been very supportive," NMHC vice president of finance and technology David Cardwell explains to GlobeSt.com. "The goal on both sides is to try to improve utilization of the program." Cardwell explains, however, there are still kinks to be worked out between the political parties before legislation will be introduced. "The Republicans want to talk about potential amendments to the bill," he says. "One of the things we'd asked for is for fair market rents--which are set on an annual basis--to be set every six months. The staff and senators agreed."