Later this month, AffordableHousing.com will introduce RentWatch Quick Certify—a modernized framework designed to improve how rent reasonableness determinations are initiated, structured, and documented within RentWatch.

What Is RentWatch Quick Certify?

RentWatch Quick Certify is an update to the existing RentWatch interface and workflows designed to improve efficiency, consistency, and defensibility while maintaining full compliance with HUD requirements under 24 CFR § 982.507.

It integrates owners earlier in the process through Owner Submissions, automates objective analysis, and structures Housing Agency review—while preserving all existing RentWatch capabilities required for detailed analysis, staff discretion, quality control, and audit readiness.

Why Are We Updating RentWatch?

Historically, rent reasonableness determinations were initiated late in the leasing process, often after a Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) was submitted. Housing Agency staff were responsible for:  

• Entering property data manually

• Identifying comparables

• Resolving rent disputes under tight timelines

This approach increased administrative burden, delayed approvals, and contributed to failed lease-ups.

How Does RentWatch Quick Certify Optimize Rent Certification?

RentWatch Quick Certify enhances the rent certification workflow by:

• Bringing owners into the workflow earlier

• Structuring data collection for completeness and consistency

• Applying Agency-configured rent reasonableness settings to owner-visible rent reasonableness assessments

• Reducing preventable back-and-forth through automatic rent negotiations prior to Agency review

Here’s what that looks like for your Agency:

Owners initiate. Agencies retain full control.

Property owners can now initiate the rent certification process earlier, receiving structured guidance on rent expectations based on HUD factors and your agency’s configured standards. However, all final determinations remain entirely at your agency’s discretion within RentWatch.

Fewer preventable rent disputes.

Objective analysis is applied before the rent request reaches your desk. Through auto-negotiations between our platform and the owner, rents can be aligned to reasonable levels prior to agency review, reducing negotiation cycles and failed lease-ups.

Cleaner, more complete submissions.

Data collection is shifted to owners earlier and structured for accuracy and completeness, minimizing manual entry and missing documentation.

Focused staff workload.

Quick Certify helps determine when a rent can move forward efficiently and when deeper analysis is required—so staff time is prioritized where professional judgment matters most and reasonable rents with voucher holders identified can be certified in under a minute.

Note that all existing RentWatch tools—including mapping, existing certification workflows, manual comparable selection, adjustment analysis, quality control processes, reporting, and audit documentation—remain fully available.

More to Come

This update is designed to help Agencies focus staff time where professional judgment is most needed, while improving efficiency and defensibility across the rent reasonableness process.

More details will be shared soon.