Youll have to fill out any paperwork required by the local PHA. Section 8 offers a rent subsidy, but the benefit isnt paid directly to recipients in cash. There are sound reasons to say yes as well as some downsides to consider. As a result, many low-income families turn to housing vouchers to help cover the cost of the rent. Join our Newsletter for the latest articles, news, and services. Regardless of who you are screening as a Section 8 landlord, you must never engage in any discriminatory conduct, and you must treat all housing applicants equally. Their use does not signify or suggest the endorsement, affiliation, or sponsorship, of or by SuperMoney or them of us. And, this is tough, depending on where you live. The simple fact is that all tenants, regardless of where their income is sourced from, need to be thoroughly screened to help ensure that, If youre interested to know more about becoming a HUD landlord, you can check out our complete guide to becoming one. Denials in Philadelphia were more frequent in higher-income neighborhoods. Alert. A portion of the tenants rent is paid by the U.S. government, so the rent payment is essentially guaranteed. Should You Hire a Debt Settlement Company or Do It Yourself? The first step in this approval process is to submit a Request for Approval of the Tenancy Form. In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service. Landlords who are required or willing to accept Section 8 dont have to say yes to everyone who shows up with a Section 8 benefit. Ask friends and family members for recommendations for private landlords that accept vouchers. Something went wrong. Compare rates from multiple vetted lenders. In Connecticut, Maryland and Massachusetts, for example, landlords may not refuse to rent to current or new tenants who become or are eligible for Section 8 help. The measure does not prohibit choice among tenant applicants based on other factors. Section 8 is the United States Department of . Google Pay. Could it also require landlords to accept Section 8 housing vouchers? Janet Portman is an attorney and managing editor at Nolo. HUD's Housing Choice Voucher Program, also known as Section 8, helps low-income people afford homes to rent, whether it's an apartment, single-family house or townhouse. There may be validity to this claim, but unit inspections ensure the safety of rental units and policymakers are unlikely to be persuaded that safety inspections should . Read our, Find Out If You're Required to Accept Section 8 Tenants, Pass Housing Quality Standards Inspection/Pass Yearly Inspections, Collect Security Deposit and Monthly Rent, A Tenant's Responsibilities Under the Section 8 Voucher Program. Currently 15 states, now including Washington, ban housing discrimination based on a person's source of income; four others use tax and other incentives to persuade landlords to accept public. The main thing that we would like to emphasize is that you are never required to accept a tenant just because they apply to rent your property and have a special voucher. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the authors alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. She specializes in landlord/tenant law and is co-author of Every Landlords Legal Guide and Every Tenants Legal Guide. She can be reached at [emailprotected]. In some states and localities, landlords are required to accept Section 8. In most areas, landlords are not required to accept Section 8 tenants. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. After getting your initial questions answered, you can follow these general steps: To begin the Section 8 landlord qualification process, contact your local PHA for the paperwork. You must respond to any maintenance requests, address any health or safety concerns, and handle any complaints they may have about other tenants. The four-word phrase signals one of the last (mostly) legal forms of overt housing discrimination. Requirements vary depending on your area, so inquire with your local PHA prior to inspection to make sure your property will meet the criteria. Comply with terms of the Housing Assistance Payments or HAP Contract. There are two types of housing choice vouchers: project-based vouchers and tenant-based vouchers. For more information, please consult with an attorney who is familiar with the laws in your area. Denver's SOI ordinance took effect January 1, 2019. Marcie Geffner is an award-winning freelance reporter, editor, writer and book critic. Buying a Mobile Home: What You Need to Know, Compare Motorcycle and ATV Insurance Reviews, Compare Personal Watercraft Insurance Reviews, Considering Renters Insurance? A private landlord receives a payment from the PHA on behalf of the renter participating in the Section 8 program. These jurisdictions are: States with SOI Discrimination Protection for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Holders Connecticut District Of Columbia Maine Massachusetts New Jersey New York North Dakota Oklahoma Oregon Vermont Washington2 Counties with SOI Discrimination Protection for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Holders Marin County, CA When a tenant moves out, the voucher remains with the property for the next tenant. To ease the minds of some landlords, Section 8 officials have said the inspection process is being streamlined to shorten the length of time it takes to have a property inspected. Section 8 Discrimination Under the Housing Act, there is no provision requiring a landlord to accept Section 8 vouchers. "Screening and Eviction for Drug Abuse and Other Criminal Activity." Then, it will be time to landlords who will accept housing vouchers. Landlords who own four or fewer properties are exempt, however. Rental property owners cannot discriminate against an applicant or deny the application just because they have a housing voucher. This guide is not a substitute for the advice or services of an attorney. Normally, this prohibition prevents a landlord from refusing to rent to someone who receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, alimony or money from any other legitimate source. Before you respond, you should be sure of whether your state or local fair housing law bars you from turning away prospects for this reason. Copyright 2006-2022, ezLandlord, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Kim Reynolds (R) has put the nearly 40,000 Section 8 recipients in her state in jeopardy of getting those notices by signing a new law that ensures cities and counties can no longer protect their residents from this subtle form of discrimination. You can also contact your local PHA (see below) for more information on what the median income is for a household the size of yours in your area. "Chapter 10 Housing Quality Standards," Page 27. Austin, TX passed a similar ordnance, which was challenged by the Austin Apartment Association. The Section 8 office conducts a very basic background check on all Section 8 applicants.. , here are the steps to get started and a few pros and cons to consider. Here is what you need to know about living in Section 8 housing: No matter what, always pay . Some PHAs give priority to certain applicants, such as people who are homeless, living in substandard housing, paying more than half their income for rent, or were evicted without cause. Many landlords have historically declined to accept prospective tenants holding vouchers issued pursuant to the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program ("Section 8"). But, it's up to low-income families to find rentals and private landlords that accept vouchers. Low-income individuals and families have a choice in housing. How Prepaid Debit Cards Can Help You Budget, Compare Credit Counseling Services Reviews, Expert Tips On Repairing Your Credit Score, Re-Establishing and Restoring Your Credit, Compare Debt Settlement Companies Reviews. How do you get a house approved for Section 8? In places where landlords are allowed to discriminate against Section 8 recipients, they have a choice of whether to rent to those tenants or not. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides funds to local public housing agencies, or PHAs, who in turn issue vouchers to qualifying renters. Whether utility bills are included in the rent or are paid by the tenant. Once youve been approved and put a screening process in place to. Each state has its own housing authority office, and many cities and counties also have their own PHAs. Perhaps, in the very near future, it wont even be relevant if the federal government follows the lead of municipalities like Cook County, Illinois, where Section 8 voucher holders were recently made a protected class in anti-discrimination laws. This will help you find houses and apartments that meet your family's needs and that are well within your budget. Compare Home Equity Lines of Credit Reviews. They also have provided assurance that landlords are still able to maintain their current credit and background checks. Even when there are additional laws and protection in place to prevent housing discrimination, no law will require you to accept any tenant that you do not find to be a good fit. The study was conducted by calling 422 local listings that met voucher requirements, meaning apartments similar to what an average voucher-holder would rent. Does refusing section 8 vouchers make sense for the common landlord, or are there benefits to accepting these government-backed housing vouchers? A public housing agency (PHA) administers the housing choice voucher. But a new investing trend could spell trouble. As with any other tenant, you must follow the terms of the lease agreement, as well as local landlord-tenant laws, when renting to a tenant with a housing choice voucher. Directly to your inbox. When prospective tenants ask if you take Section 8, they want to know if you would accept part of their rent through the Housing Choice Voucher Program (still commonly known as the tenant-based Section 8 program). Law Requires Landlords to Accept Section 8 Print Friendly Kirkland, Washington lawmakers this week passed an ordinance prohibiting landlords there from turning away applicants who rely on Section 8 vouchers. Buying a home is more out of reach than ever. Instead, this program covers a wide assortment of houses, townhomes, and apartments in a variety of neighborhoods. As is often the case in real estate, there is not a single answer to this question. Also, the tenant may be responsible for paying a portion of the monthly rent. The length of a waiting list depends on location. What types of tenant screening methods may be used by the PHA and/or landlord. Connecticut, Maryland and Massachusetts are states where landlords can't refuse to rent to tenants who are eligible for Section 8, according to the American Apartments Owners Association. Section 8 housing is the governments largest low-income rental assistance program. can lose their housing voucher if they dont adhere to the terms of their lease, they may be more inclined to pay their portion on time as well. Landlords also have certain rights, such as the right to timely rent payments and for reimbursement of costs for property damage beyond normal wear and tear. To check the rates and terms you qualify for, one or more soft credit pulls will be done by SuperMoney, and/or SuperMoney's lending partners, that will not affect your credit score. Then it's time to find apartments and other rental property that take Section 8. However, if you choose a product and continue your application at a lending partners' website, they will request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit pull and may affect your credit. Project-based vouchers must use specific housing developments. What Does Equal Housing Opportunity Mean? Finding out whether youre eligible for a Section 8 housing benefit isnt always easy. Some have to do with stereotypes about families that have vouchers and some parts of it have to do with landlords experiences with housing authorities and dealing with the government as a partner in your lease.. Section 8 tenants tend to occupy the same home long term, in part because it can be a hassle for them to get permission from the PHA to move or because they are elderly or disabled and may have difficulty moving. Compare real offers from multiple lenders. Becoming a Section 8 landlord can open up a new group of renters to you. Her work has been featured online and in print by The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Urban Land, Business Start-Ups and Fox Business Network Online, among many other newspapers, magazines, and websites.
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