(1) Housing authorities shall report annually to the Housing and Community Services Department regarding information required to be provided to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development regarding each housing authority’s participation in the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

(2) Housing authorities shall annually review internal procedures and processes so as to coordinate the length of the rental and lease terms with market standards for the purpose of achieving the maximum use and benefit in the best interests of tenants and landlords from tenant-based assistance payments under the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

(3) Consistent with federal law, housing authorities shall facilitate participation of landlords in the Housing Choice Voucher Program by:

(a) Ensuring timely inspection of dwelling units and prompt processing of tenant applications and tenant-based assistance payments to landlords;

(b) Establishing leases with terms that match the lease length that is standard and customary for the dwelling units involved;

(c) Assisting tenants and landlords with service referrals; and

(d) Establishing a process that allows landlords to provide regular input to housing authorities.

(4)(a) There is created the Statewide Housing Choice Advisory Committee to be appointed by the Director of the Housing and Community Services Department. The director shall have discretion to determine the number of committee members and the duration of membership. The committee membership must be geographically representative of all regions of this state and shall include an equal number of representatives for each of the following:

(A) Housing authorities or their representatives;

(B) Landlords of single and multiple dwelling units or their advocates; and

(C) Tenants or their advocates.

(b) The committee shall:

(A) Advise the department with respect to matters of interest and concern regarding the Housing Choice Voucher Program;

(B) Discuss and share best practices for maximizing participation by landlords and tenants in the Housing Choice Voucher Program; and

(C) Develop strategies and outcome measures for gauging the effectiveness of the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

(c) The committee shall prepare and submit a report to the committees of the Legislative Assembly that have authority over the subject area of housing on the date of the convening of each regular session of the Legislative Assembly regarding participation in and the effectiveness of the Housing Choice Voucher Program in this state. [2013 c.740 § 6; 2021 c.57 § 3]