Section 8:
Can It Work For You? 
Is Section 8 all that the government cracks it up to
be? What are its benefits? Its pitfalls? In this report you will
find concrete suggestions for ways to make Section 8 work to your
benefit.
All lot of changes came over the Section 8 program in 1996.
Many were designed to make tenants more responsible. Most actually
benefit landlords who use the program. But has anything really
changed? Isn't the government still trying to run our property
for us.
This report goes over step by step techniques to ensure that
you keep as many of your property rights as possible when you
use the Section 8 program. Most landlords go into the program
with preconceived notions about how it works, and the result is
that local Housing Authorities take advantage of them. Knowing
the facts saves your bacon.
In this report you get the following:
A discussion
of the new and the old Section 8 rules How Section 8 qualifies
tenants Income qualification for Section 8 Maximum size
of households allowed for units How landlords qualify Section
8 tenants The new Section 8 lease Security Deposits How
landlords and property qualify for Section 8 When you get
paid Property inspections How to raise the rent Things
to watch for Evicting a Section 8 tenant Terminating a
tenancy Tenant move-out Why a housing authority would
terminate How to protect yourself How to sell a property
with a Section 8 tenant living there
Excerpt:
How Landlords Qualify Tenants
The Housing Authority does not screen tenants, except for income
and family size. It is up to you to check their references just
as you would a non-assisted applicant. You do get some additional
help from the Housing Authority, though, with Section 8 applicants.
The Housing Authority will provide you any information they
have about the applicant. That consists primarily of the information
in the tenant's file.
The Section 8 form asks for:
name and social security number, current residence
and length of occupancy, previous residence and length of
occupancy, if the applicant has had any previous claims by
landlords for damage any reports of illegal activity either
by the tenant or in the tenant's dwelling if there has been
a 24-hour eviction notice if there have been any reports of
gang activity how many people on the certificate if there
have been any evictions or complaints
Just because the Housing Authority asks for that information,
doesn't mean that you don't need to. Use the same rental application
you would use for a non-Section 8 applicant. Then get a copy of
the information from the Housing Authority to see if it matches
the information the applicant gave you. Any discrepancies should
be a big concern.
CAUTION!
Discriminating on the basis of reports of gang activity.
People still have the right to associate with whomever they wish,
as long as they don't violate any laws. If the reports of gang
activity are coupled with a felony or misdemeanor conviction that
relates to the people they are associating with, that would be
grounds for denying the application.
If your applicant shows up looking as if he has gang "colors,"
or paraphernalia, that should give you reason to check further.
If the applicant has had previous claims for damage from
other landlords, check this out. The damage could have been caused
by an ex-spouse or roommate, and your applicant had nothing to
do with it. Ask references if the applicant checks out as a good
tenant in other respects.
If the applicant has fewer people listed on your application
than on the certificate, ask why. There could be a legitimate
reason, or he or she could simply be trying to hide residents
from you. An additional danger to you would be if the tenant is
allowed, say, five people on the certificate, but only moves in
with four. If Section 8 finds out that there are fewer people
in the household, they could either reduce the tenant's rental
allowance or require that they find a smaller unit. Either way,
you lose.
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