Families wanting to move to better-resourced neighborhoods need open units, so landlord participation is critical to a successful housing mobility program.

But often the market is so strong in those desirable areas that many landlords don’t see the need to rent to voucher clients, especially if they are worried about the financial risks of getting involved. Mobility programs reach out to those landlords and convince them to get on board.

Some landlords might not want to participate because they worry that clients won’t take care of their units. There might be security deposits that are too high for voucher holders to handle, or the voucher clients might be unable to pass credit checks that are necessary to get a lease.

The mobility program’s staff help landlords understand that voucher clients participate in the program because they want to help their families. The clients are screened by the housing authorities and are trained on how to be responsible tenants.

Mobility programs have employees who are devoted to landlord recruitment and assistance. They host workshops and events devoted to teaching landlords about the programs. They help you meet the requirements for the house inspection by giving you a list of contractors to repair the damages it may have. During all these years they have been creating a list of reliable and affordable contractors with who they have dealt with regarding interior and exterior repairs.

Before accepting vouchers, most landlords will have to go through an orientation program through their housing authority. Those events can be used to highlight the benefits of mobility programs.