(a) In general. A PHA may comply with the inspection requirements in § 982.405(a) and (b) by relying on an alternative inspection (i.e., an inspection conducted for another housing program) only if the PHA is able to obtain the results of the alternative inspection. The PHA may implement the use of alternative inspections for both initial and periodic inspections or may limit the use of alternative inspections to either initial or periodic inspections. The PHA may limit the use of alternative inspections to certain units, as provided in the PHA's Administrative Plan.

(b) Administrative Plan. A PHA relying on an alternative inspection must identify in the PHA Administrative Plan all the optional policies identified in § 982.54(d)(21)(iii).

(c) Eligible inspection methods. (1) A PHA may rely upon inspections of housing assisted under the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) program or housing financed using Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs), or inspections performed by HUD.

(2) If a PHA wishes to rely on an inspection method other than a method listed in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, then, prior to amending its Administrative Plan, the PHA must submit to the Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) a copy of the inspection method it wishes to use, along with its analysis of the inspection method that shows that the method “provides the same or greater protection to occupants of dwelling units” as would HQS.

(i) A PHA may rely upon such alternative inspection method only upon receiving approval from REAC to do so.

(ii) A PHA that uses an alternative inspection method approved under this paragraph must monitor changes to the standards and requirements applicable to such method. If any change is made to the alternative inspection method, then the PHA must submit to REAC a copy of the revised standards and requirements, along with a revised comparison to HQS. If the PHA or REAC determines that the revision would cause the alternative inspection to no longer meet or exceed HQS, then the PHA may no longer rely upon the alternative inspection method to comply with the inspection requirement at § 982.405(a) and (b).

(d) Use of alternative inspection. (1) If an alternative inspection method employs sampling, then a PHA may rely on such alternative inspection method for purposes of an initial or periodic inspection only if units occupied by voucher program participants are included in the population of units forming the basis of the sample.

(2) In order for a PHA to rely upon the results of an alternative inspection for purposes of an initial or periodic inspection, a property inspected pursuant to such method must meet the standards or requirements regarding housing quality or safety applicable to properties assisted under the program using the alternative inspection method. To make the determination of whether such standards or requirements are met, the PHA must adhere to the following procedures:

(i) If a property is inspected under an alternative inspection method, and the property receives a “pass” score, then the PHA may rely on that inspection.

(ii) If a property is inspected under an alternative inspection method, and the property receives a “fail” score, then the PHA may not rely on that inspection.

(iii) If a property is inspected under an alternative inspection method that does not employ a pass/fail determination—for example, in the case of a program where deficiencies are simply identified—then the PHA must review the list of deficiencies to determine whether any cited deficiency would have resulted in a “fail” score under HQS. If no such deficiency exists, then the PHA may rely on the inspection. If such a deficiency does exist, then the PHA may not rely on the inspection.

(3) Under any circumstance described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section in which a PHA is prohibited from relying on an alternative inspection method for a property, the PHA must, within a reasonable period of time, conduct an HQS inspection of any units in the property occupied by voucher program participants and follow HQS procedures to remedy any identified deficiencies.

(e) Initial inspections using the alternative inspection option. (1) The PHA may approve the tenancy, allow the family to enter into the lease agreement, and execute the HAP contract for a unit that has been inspected in the previous 24 months where the alternative inspection meets the requirements of this section. If the PHA has established and the unit is covered by both the NLT option under § 982.405(j) and the alternative inspections option for the initial HQS inspection, see paragraph (f) of this section.

(2) The PHA notifies the owner and the family that the unit selected by the family is eligible for the alternative inspection option. The PHA must provide the family with the PHA list of HQS deficiencies that are considered life-threatening as part of this notification. If the owner and family agree to the use of this option, the PHA approves the assisted tenancy, allows the family to enter into the lease agreement with the owner, and executes the HAP contract on the basis of the alternative inspection.

(3) The PHA must conduct an HQS inspection within 30 days of receiving the Request for Tenancy Approval. If the family reports a deficiency to the PHA prior to the PHA's HQS inspection, the PHA must inspect the unit within the time period required under § 982.405(d) or within 30 days of the effective date of the HAP contract, whichever time period ends first.

(4) The PHA must enter into the HAP contract with the owner before conducting the HQS inspection. The PHA may not make housing assistance payments to the owner until the PHA has inspected the unit.

(5) The PHA may commence housing assistance payments to the owner and make housing assistance payments retroactive to the effective date of the HAP contract only after the unit passes the PHA's HQS inspection. If the unit does not pass the HQS inspection, the PHA may not make housing assistance payments to the owner until all the deficiencies have been corrected. If a deficiency is life-threatening, the owner must correct the deficiency within 24 hours of notification from the PHA. For other deficiencies, the owner must correct the deficiency within no more than 30 calendar days (or any PHA-approved extension) of notification from the PHA. If the owner corrects the deficiencies within the required cure period, the PHA makes the housing assistance payments retroactive to the effective date of the HAP contract.

(6) The PHA establishes in the Administrative Plan:

(i) The maximum amount of time it will withhold payments if the owner does not correct the deficiencies within the required cure period before abating payments; and

(ii) The date by which the PHA will terminate the HAP contract for the owner's failure to correct the deficiencies, which may not exceed 180 days from the effective date of the HAP contract.

(f) Initial inspection: using the alternative inspection option in combination with the non-life-threatening deficiencies option. (1) The PHA notifies the owner and the family that both the alternative inspection option and the NLT option are available for the unit selected by the family. The PHA must provide the family the list of HQS deficiencies that are considered life-threatening as part of this notification. If the owner and family agree to the use of both options, the PHA approves the assisted tenancy, allows the family to enter into the lease agreement with the owner, and executes the HAP contract on the basis of the alternative inspection.

(2) The PHA must conduct an HQS inspection within 30 days after the family and owner submit a complete Request for Tenancy Approval. If the family reports a deficiency to the PHA prior to the PHA's HQS inspection, the PHA must inspect the unit within the time period required under § 982.405(d) or within 30 days of the effective date of the HAP contract, whichever time period ends first.

(3) The PHA must enter into the HAP contract with the owner before conducting the HQS inspection. The PHA may not make housing assistance payments to the owner until the PHA has inspected the unit. If the unit passes the HQS inspection, the PHA commences making housing assistance payments to the owner and makes payments retroactive to the effective date of the HAP contract.

(4) If the unit fails the PHA's HQS inspection but has no life-threatening deficiencies, the PHA commences making housing assistance payments, which are made retroactive to the effective date of the HAP contract. The owner must correct the deficiencies within 30 days from the effective date of the HAP contract. If the owner fails to correct the deficiencies within the 30-day cure period, the PHA must withhold the housing assistance payments until the owner makes the repairs and the PHA verifies the correction. Once the unit is in compliance with HQS, the PHA may use the withheld housing assistance payments to make payments for the period that payments were withheld.

(5) If the unit does not pass the HQS inspection and has life-threatening deficiencies, the PHA may not commence making housing assistance payments to the owner until all the deficiencies have been corrected. The owner must correct all life-threatening deficiencies within 24 hours of notification from the PHA. For other deficiencies, the owner must correct the deficiency within 30 days (or any PHA-approved extension) of notification from the PHA. If the owner corrects the deficiencies within the required cure period, the PHA makes the housing assistance payments retroactive to the effective date of the HAP contract.

(6) The PHA establishes in the Administrative Plan:

(i) The maximum amount of time it will withhold payments if the owner fails to correct the deficiencies within the required cure period before abating payments; and

(ii) The date by which the PHA will terminate the HAP contract for the owner's failure to correct the deficiencies, which may not exceed 180 days from the effective date of the HAP contract.

(g) Records retention. As with all other inspection reports, and as required by § 982.158(f)(4), reports for inspections conducted pursuant to an alternative inspection method must be obtained by the PHA. Such reports must be available for HUD inspection for at least three years from the date of the latest inspection.