Housing Quality Standards Inspections

Listed below you will find a list of the most common reasons a unit fails Housing Quality Standards (HQS). Please look your unit over carefully before the inspector comes out. CMHA may not execute a HAP contract if the unit fails HQS inspection. Thank you, in advance, for your cooperation.

Typical items that will violate HQS include:

    peeling or flaking paint

    unsafe or rotted porches

    water leaks

    lack of proper ventilation of flue on hot water tank

    weak or broken floor boards

    faulty plumbing

    missing electrical outlet covers or switch plates

    inoperable smoke detectors

Here is a checklist to use prior to inspection. THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST OF CAUSES FOR HQS FAILURE.

   ____  All ceilings, walls and floors must be strong, sturdy and in their permanent positions.

   ____  A working smoke detector with a live battery must be installed on every level of the unit, including
            in the basement and outside of sleeping rooms. If any members of the family are hearing
            impaired, a detector for the hearing impaired must be installed.

   ____  The entire unit, both inside and outside, including window frames, must be free of cracking,
            scaling, peeling, chipping and loose paint. This prevents exposure to possible lead-based paint
            hazards.

   ____  Where there are four or more consecutive steps, handrails must be securely attached. This
             applies to both the interior and exterior of the unit.

   ____  The unit must be free of roaches, rodents, or any other infestations.

   ____  The entire unit, interior and exterior, must be free from electrical hazards. There may be no loose,
             hanging, or exposed wires. All three prong outlets must be wired correctly. A three-prong circuit
             tester will be used at the time of the inspection to assure safety.

   ____  Every room used for living must have either two working outlets or one working outlet and a
             permanently installed light fixture. At a minimum, each bathroom must have a permanently
             installed light fixture.

   ____  All light switches and outlets must have secured plate covers installed.

   ____  All windows and doors must be secure when closed, and must be weather tight.

   ____  All windows and doors that are accessible from the outside, must have working sturdy locks.

   ____  All openable windows must have a mechanism to secure them in place when opened.

   ____  If the unit has a third floor sleeping room (s), and the family is eligible to use this room for
            sleeping, the owner must provide a safe method of escape in the case of fire (i.e.. chain ladder).

   ____  If there is a bathroom with a toilet that is not hooked up to water and sewer lines, it must be
            repaired. If it is removed, the drain must be sealed to prevent rodents and/or gases from escaping
            into the unit.

   ____  The bathroom must have either an openable window or an exhaust fan for ventilation.

   ____  The hot water tank's pressure relief valve must have a discharge line extending down two to
             six inches from the floor.

   ____  The flue pipe leading from the furnace and hot water tank must be sealed at the chimney. Also,
             check to ensure that the flue pipes connecting to the furnace and hot water tank are installed
             correctly.

   ____  Every room used for living must have an adequate heat source. If the source is gas, it must be
             vented to the outside. If the source is electric, it must be permanently installed and controlled by
             a separate thermostat.

   ____  If the downspouts or gutters are damaged and/or missing, causing interior damage to the unit,
             they must be replaced or repaired. Any damage to the interior of the unit due to the missing or
             damaged downspouts or gutters must be repaired.

   ____  The unit must be free from any accumulation of garbage or debris, both inside and outside.

   ____  Multi-family owners must provide "refuse disposals"; facilities include trashcans with covers,
             garbage chutes or dumpsters with lids.

   ____  Every bedroom must have at least one openable window for ventilation; if windows are designed
             to open.