(a) Maintenance and operation. The Owner shall maintain and operate the project so as to provide Decent, Safe, and Sanitary housing and he shall provide all the services, maintenance and utilities which he agrees to provide under the Contract, subject to abatement of housing assistance payments or other applicable remedies if he fails to meet these obligations.

(b) Inspection prior to occupancy. Prior to occupancy of any unit by a Family, the Owner and the Family shall inspect the unit and both shall certify, on forms prescribed by HUD, that they have inspected the unit and have determined it to be Decent, Safe, and Sanitary in accordance with the criteria provided in the prescribed forms. Copies of these reports shall be kept on file by the Owner for at least three years.

(c) Periodic inspections. HUD (or the PHA, as appropriate) will inspect or cause to be inspected each Contract unit and related facilities at least annually and at such other times (including prior to initial occupancy and rerenting of any unit) as HUD (or the PHA) may determine to be necessary to assure that the Owner is meeting his obligation to maintain the units in Decent, Safe, and Sanitary condition and to provide the agreed upon utilities and other services. HUD (or the PHA) will take into account complaints by occupants and any other information coming to its attention in scheduling inspections and shall notify the Owner and the Family of its determination.

(d) Units not decent, safe, and sanitary. If HUD (or the PHA, as appropriate) notifies the Owner that he has failed to maintain a dwelling unit in Decent, Safe, and Sanitary condition and the Owner fails to take corrective action within the time prescribed in the notice, HUD (or the PHA) may exercise any of its rights or remedies under the Contract, including abatement of housing assistance payments, even if the Family continues to occupy the unit. If, however, the Family wishes to be rehoused in another dwelling unit with Section 8 assistance and HUD (or the PHA) does not have other Section 8 funds for such purposes, HUD (or the PHA) may use the abated housing assistance payments for the purpose of rehousing the Family in another dwelling unit. Where this is done, the Owner shall be notified that he will be entitled to resumption of housing assistance payments for the vacated dwelling unit if: