Good Morning,



Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority appreciates you and your commitment to providing affordable housing options to families across Hamilton County. As a reminder, HUD has pushed the start of NSPIRE inspections standards to October 1, 2025. However, the changes regarding the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors will be in effect January 1, 2025. It may be common for an apartment to require 5 or more smoke detectors with the NSPIRE requirements. Each bedroom must have a smoke detector inside and one outside of the room, there will need to be a smoke detector on each level of the unit. Ceiling mounted smoke detectors should be 4 inches away from the wall and wall mounted detectors must be between 4 and 12 inches from the ceiling. Also note that Congress is requiring smoke detectors to be hard wired or tamper resistant battery operated by the end of 2024. Keep that in mind when purchasing new smoke detectors.

Also, HUD has released the fair market rents (FMR) that will be in effect beginning January 1, 2025. FMRs are used to determine payment standard amounts for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, initial renewal rents for some expiring project-based Section 8 contracts, initial rents for housing assistance payment contracts in the Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy program (MOD Rehab), rent ceilings for rental units in both the HOME Investment Partnerships program and the Emergency Solutions Grants program, etc. All HCV programs in Hamilton County will use Small Area FMRs as defined by zip codes.



HUD defines small areas using zip codes within the metropolitan area. Using zip codes as the basis for FMRs provides tenants with greater ability to move into “Opportunity Neighborhoods” with jobs, public transportation, and good schools. They also provide for multiple payment standards within a metropolitan area, and they are like to reduce the need for extensive market area rent reasonableness studies. Please keep in mind, the changes will only be for new contracts and future rent adjustment requests. The projected amounts per zip code can be found at this link: click here. I am continuing to provide more in-depth information at local libraries on this and other changes taking place in the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Visit our website calendar to see upcoming HCV Program Informational Sessions.