A Reasonable Rent is a rent offered to the Owner that is not more than rent being charged:
1. for comparable units in the private unassisted market and;
2. for a comparable unassisted Unit in the premises
The Reasonable Rent is the maximum amount that may be approve for a unit’s Contract Rent, even if the Family and the Owner agree to a higher rental amount.
A Reasonable Rent review is completed after the first inspection of the unit, using the information gathered at the time of the inspection, such as how many habitable bedrooms and relative condition of the unit.
Once a Reasonable Rent has been calculated the PHA must determine if the Reasonable Rent is within the maximum the tenant is able to pay under program guidelines
The BHA does offer an appeal process for owners, all appeals must be in writing and submitted to the Rent Appeal email address: rent.appeals@bostonhousing.org
If you would like to learn more about how rent is determined for Section 8 voucher holders, check out this article. You may also use our landlord tool to see how much rent you may be able to charge for your unit.