Pros and Cons of Section 8

[tatertot]

The quoted rental amount  that Section 8 pays includes the utilities. The landlord doesn't have to provide utilities, but Section 8 will deduct an amount from the rent that the landlord receives.

Example: you go to the Section 8 website and see that they pay $800 a month for a 3 bedroom house. You've got a 3 bedroom house and would like to deal with a Section 8 tenant.  You will not get the $800 a month unless utilities are included.

Section 8 might pay you $675 a month for your house if the tenant has to pay the utilities.

Note: any landlord who includes utilities to a Section 8 tenant is insane.  Make the tenants pay their own utilites because if they think the utilities are free, they can be very wasteful.

[propertymanager]

Note: any landlord who includes utilities to a Section 8 tenant is insane.  Make the tenants pay their own utilites because if they think the utilities are free, they can be very wasteful.

"Wasteful" is the best case.  If they get mad at you or need to be evicted, plan on driving by the house every day for the month or two it takes to get them out and seeing all the windows and doors open with the thermostat set on 100 degrees!  Never hand your enemy a loaded gun!!!

Mike

[BrianA06]

If I am looking at a multi-family property that is S8, can I remove it from the program when I buy it?

Or is it beneficial to keep it S8, it is individually metered for gas and electric, and completely rehabbed, really nice 28 unit place.  875sq ft units, 2br, 1 bath.  I really dont want S8 tenants to mess it up or take advantage of the management company.

[propertymanager]

Section 8 tenants are EXACTLY like any other tenants, except that part (or all) of their rent is paid by the taxpayers. 

I'm assuming that you already have rentals.  A 28 unit building with low income tenants is not a good choice for a first rental.

Good Luck,

Mike

[morbid-and-surprised]

I have to say that I am a little mortified that I could have a landlord with the opinion of some people in this discussion. I myself have currently been approved for some of you your "frenemy" the section 8. Now I won't turn a blind eye to most of the reality which is that many people are not headed in the right direction who are on such programs but it makes the pride that my family instilled in me of it being ok to ask for help when needed die a little everyday when I remember that I am on temporary assistance. My husband and I are on disability ( I wont say why) which is why it is very hard to pay rent myself although I tried. We were going to live in a rented ROOM for which we would pay more than half of our monthly income which you can imagine is not alot and the man basically robbed us. We had no extra funds and nowhere to live. We are still trying to recover a little more than a grand in small claims court. I am a college student entering my third year in accounting and hopeful to become a CPA soon. My husband is also reaching many goals that I wont mention. If you would like the advice of someone like me then here it is: if you are very unsure meet the potential tenants and if you are still unsure stick with what you know. PLEASE do not write such hateful things on the website which will stay in the world wide web for a long time. It seems and I 'm sorry to say uneducated and not very compassionate. It is your choice who lives in your dwelling and if you feel so negative then don't take these poor peoples' little bit of money you'll then be living off the parasite and what does that make you. I am blessed to have a great person as a landlord!!!

[Hooch]

Note what was said morbid-and-surprised.

There ARE good people on section 8, seriously.  BUT, finding them is VERY hard, and the landlords that GET them will go OUT OF THEIR WAY to keep them.

and

People that TRUELY DESERVE/NEED section 8, won't be able to rent your house because they'll need extra modifications that your house doesn't have.

I am assuming that you are one of the "good" people.

However, I am shocked that you come here and act as if there are not a massive amount of perfectly healthy people taking advantage of the American taxpayer in the Section 8 program.

My "typical" Section 8 tenant in all honesty is a parasite on the American tax payer, "working the system" for everything they can.  Most often a completely healthy female fully capable of employment and completely providing for themselves, but won't because they will end up loosing Section 8 if they make too much money. So they are destined to suck off the system for life and steal from the average Joe that struggles to make ends meet.

How do you even have the nerve to say that there are not a massive amount of people abusing the Section 8 program? No one here said that every single person on the Section 8 program is worthless. You obviously were not clearly reading the posts.

[BLL]

I think it's more a matter of the housing authority than the tenant. You can weed out the bad tenants, but there's only one HA in your area and you are SOL if they are difficult. The ones in my area treat LLs are the enemy and I do everything I can to avoid renting to Section 8, even though it is a protected class in my state.

[rockfordlandlord]

I think BryanC215 was dead on. Sec 8 is no easy answer to vacancies. I personaly will not accept it. I have nicer properties and would quickly lose my other tenants if I did. Another local landlord that handles nothing but Sec 8 says its all or none. He is an expert in Sec 8 but would galdly trade up if he could. Another local landlord will not Sec 8 because he says the people are home all day causing more wear and tear and as BryanC215 states all the family and friends move in ASAP.  Regardless of what the local Admin of Sec 8 says there is no personal responsiblity of the tenant. And the threat of kicking them off is laughable to the tenants. Remember Cabrini Green in Chicago, even the hard hitting, street tough police would not enter where Sec 8 ruled.

I would add that regular tenants can be just as bad but- they are easier to get out and if working now or the future a lein can be put on them. Sec 8 forget it.