Section 8 is a US government program that provides rental assistance for low-income families. Landlords who rent to Section 8 tenants receive a portion of the rent from HUD, but must meet requirements and attend annual inspections to maintain benefits. Landlords can apply through their local public housing agency to become a Section 8 lessor.
Section 8 is a program administered by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that provides rental assistance for low-income families. A section 8 landlord is a landlord who rents out apartments to section 8 tenants. Under the section 8 program, HUD pays the landlord a portion of the rent while the tenants pay the rest. The benefit to a Section 8 landlord is that a portion of the rent is guaranteed, as long as the tenant remains eligible and the landlord meets HUD requirements. The amount HUD pays depends on the tenant’s income and the cost of the rent.
Many of the responsibilities for a regular landlord exist for a section 8 landlord. For example, he still must screen tenants and collect their share of the rent. Section 8 homeowners, however, have the added responsibility of attending annual inspections and maintaining Section 8 requirements. The purpose of Section 8 is to provide low-income people with a clean, safe home. If the landlord does not provide such housing according to HUD standards, he could lose his subsidy.
Annual inspections ensure that a Section 8 lessor provides tenants with HUD requirements for housing. If the apartment is in good condition, the benefits will often continue. If the inspector finds a problem, the landlord will often have 30 days to fix it. If the problem is not resolved now, the landlord could lose benefits. A landlord can also lose benefits if the tenant loses Section 8 eligibility.
A section 8 landlord also differs from other landlords in that he needs HUD approval if he wants to raise the rent. In many other ways, a Section 8 landlord is the same as any other landlord. For example, the landlord is also responsible for obtaining a security deposit from the tenant, although he can only collect the first month’s rent for this purpose. Section 8 also does not accept responsibility for tenant damages. If the tenant damages the property, then, the landlord may have to prosecute the tenant for retribution.
To become a section 8 lessor, a person can complete an application with their local public housing agency (PHA) to have their property listed. Once he has a potential tenant, he should vet them and, if acceptable, seek approval from HUD. After inspection, a section 8 landlord must sign a lease with a tenant for at least one year. You may also need to sign a contract with HUD and include a lease supplement provided by HUD. If he wishes, the landlord can also advertise that he accepts section 8 tenants himself and follow the appropriate procedures, should he choose a section 8 tenant.
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