Section 8 Program - Hud: Fill & Download for Free

I used to be Director of Section 8 Housing for a good sized city back in NY. . We didn’t have any City-owned Section 8 buildings, but had a very large Section 8 Program (before it eventually turned into Sec 8 vouchers)I used to get lot of flack from the Mayors I worked under because I would deny someone the Sec. 8 subsidy, and they would file a complaint with the Mayor’s office. This was before the days of cell phones, or even digital cameras, so I wasn’t able to provide photographic proof of why I would deny someone. But, like mentioned, I would inspect a 2 bedroom apartment, supposedly rented by only one little old lady, yet, the second bedroom had two twin beds, and closets jammed full of men’s suits, athletic gear, sneakers, etc, and the beds were rumpled and unmade. Or, going grocery shopping, and lo and behold, my cashier is someone who had just signed her recertification earlier that day that she wasn’t employed.Had to fire one of my own housing inspectors: he was acting as a rental agent on the side, while doing inspections as an employee of my office and saying the units passed inspection. In the meantime, he was filing paperwork with the Department of Social Services as the rental agent, collect the rental commission from them, and a service fee from the owner. Caught on to his scam when tenants started complaining about the conditions in their apartments, I would go out and do a supervisory inspection, and find that the place never should have been approved to begin with.Had one Sec 8 holder that gave 30 notice that she no longer needed Sec 8, because she just purchased a house. Always declared she had no savings on her annual recertifications, listed child support as her only source of income, yet somehow manged to come up with a chunk of money as a down payment, with decent enough credit to get a mortgage.Saddest thing about each case of fraud I detected and reported to HUD - got the same response each and every single time: If it is under $10000, we aren’t interested, it will not generate enough media attention. WT everloving F.My offices were in the same building as the Department of Social Services, and I used to go to lunch with several of the workers, and we would swap stories, and one of the things we all griped about was here we are trying to provide a public service, get verbally attacked, occasionally physically attacked (know a case worker who had her face slashed by a box cutter while just sitting at her desk, and it wasn’t even one of her cases) knowing that there was a good percentage of clients that were just scamming and milking the system for all they can get. We all agreed it made it that much harder to help the folks that truly needed a hand up, not just a hand out. Also used to annoy the smack out of me on “Mother’s Day” - the 1st & the 15th of the month, when I would see shiny new Maximas and LeBarons would pulled up, double park, the driver dash in, grab a check, and dash back out As I drove my 10 yr old Kcar……

What issues could a landlord face if he rents his house to a tenant who is on a Section 8 voucher?Exactly the same as with any other tenant, minus the uncertainty of payment.One of the most common misconceptions about the Section 8 program is that landlords who sign up must take whatever tenant is sent to them. That’s not true. You vet the tenants exactly the same as any other tenant, with the except that you don’t need proof of income, merely proof that there is a valid Section 8 voucher.For a landlord to be eligible to accept Section 8 vouchers, he must sign up with the Section 8 program. The property must be inspected and approved before any tenants can be accepted. The inspection is to ensure the unit meets habitability requirements, everything is functional, etc. The program does not require anything a decent landlord wouldn’t already be providing anyway.All Section 8 tenants have an annual inspection by HUD representatives. This is to ensure the unit remains in the condition in which the tenants received it. This means repairs are being done, the tenants are maintaining the property, and everything is in working order. The landlord can (and, of course, should) also do his OWN annual inspection and it does not have to coincide with the HUD inspection. A landlord I knew in California did his annual inspection 6 months after the HUD inspection, so all his properties (he only accepted Section 8 tenants) were inspected twice a year instead of once.Section 8 vouchers cover part or all of the rent payment. That payment is made directly to the landlord. The tenant is responsible for paying any amount not covered by the voucher. So if the voucher is for 80% of the rent on a $1000 unit, the tenant must pay $200 directly to the landlord.Section 8 tenants can be evicted, just like any other tenant, but there is an added step of the landlord needing permission from the Housing Authority. As long as you have properly documented the cause, this isn’t a problem. You’d need that documentation for the eviction judge, anyway, so this shouldn’t be a problem for you, either.Section 8 Eviction ExplainedSection 8 eviction of a tenant receiving benefits under the program is different from a typical eviction. Primarily, the presence of the government and rules of the Section 8 program provide only a few grounds for evicting a tenant, making it more difficult. However, despite these difficulties and the presence of the government in the landlord-tenant relationship, it is possible to evict a Section 8 tenant.The Party Initiating the EvictionThe landlord is responsible for evicting a tenant receiving benefits from the Section 8 program. Despite the fact that the government pays a portion of rent, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the local housing authority cannot have a tenant evicted from the landlord’s property. However, the housing authority must be notified of the eviction. Typically, this notification occurs by the landlord providing the housing authority a copy of the initial notice.Laws Governing a Section 8 EvictionIn a Section 8 eviction the landlord must abide by state and local laws governing evictions and the terms set forth in the lease. Typically, this means that the tenant must receive written notice anywhere from sixty to ninety days prior to the impending eviction. Additionally, some states have created rules and procedures to follow in a Section 8 eviction. Commonly, these rules require notification that the landlord receives permission from the housing authority to proceed against the tenant. Failure to obtain housing authority’s permission, however, does not prevent the eviction action, but the landlord must then name the housing authority as a co-defendant with the tenant.Non-Payment of RentA Section 8 tenant can be evicted for non-payment of the tenant portion of rent. In this instance, the housing authority must be notified of the impending eviction and that non-payment of the tenant’s rent obligation is the basis for eviction. If the tenant has failed to pay their portion of rent, the landlord must provide him with the option to pay the overdue rent. If the tenant still fails to pay within the stated time period, the landlord may then continue with the eviction.Other Grounds for EvictionTenants participating in the Section 8 program can also be evicted for reasons other than non-payment of rent. Illegal use of the property, drug abuse or a conviction of one of the tenants for drug-related criminal activity are valid grounds for evicting a tenant. Failing to submit income verification forms, proof of United States citizenship and failure to make property repairs or breaking the terms of the lease are additional grounds for eviction. Finally, a tenant subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender can be evicted. In all of these situations, the tenant may lose their eligibility for benefits.The Eviction ProcessAfter the landlord notifies the housing authority of his intent to evict a Section 8 tenant and the period permitting the tenant to rectify the problems ends, the eviction action proceeds like any other eviction. The next step is for the landlord to file a court case, commonly called an “Unlawful Detainer Action.” If the tenant fails to respond to appear in court or otherwise respond to the action, the landlord may then remove the tenant’s belongings and change the locks on the apartment. In most states, the police and not the landlord removes the tenant’s possessions.Despite the requirement of notifying the local housing authority, evicting a Section 8 tenant is the same as evicting any other tenant. In any eviction action, it is imperative for both parties to keep records of the actions leading to the eviction.

Hi there! Thanks for the A2A. If you don’t mind, I’d like to clarify a couple aspects of your question that some may misinterpret:The United States Government, state governments, counties, cities and even more local governments don’t ‘give’ public housing to anyone. The program you’re referring to is a current far-right, Rush Limbaugh-cancer-inflaming bugaboo: ‘Section 8’ housing vouchers.Section 8 housing is NOT government-owned. The Section 8 properties are owned and operated by private landlords who agree to take the vouchers from Uncle Sam for those unable to afford housing on their own. It’s a great deal for these landlords:They get to be slumlords who rarely repair things and allow heat or water to stay broken for days… because the Section 8 residents are so terrified they’ll lose their housing by breaking any of the rules they are required to follow, they don’t want to antagonize the landlord or give him reason to over-scrutinize them.The properties they own tend to be old, ragged buildings that market-rate renters would never consider looking at;The draconian rules the government imposes on Section 8 housing recipients — no 911 calls, no felons, no drugs of any kind, nobody can spend the night unless they’re on the government-guaranteed lease, and all are subject to random domicile inspections. If the apartment is determined to be poorly maintained (by the residents; the owner is allowed to let things rot) their lease can be revoked.And unlike any other renters, Section 8 is guaranteed income for all units designated for the vouchers. The US Treasury is never late paying rent; their checks don’t bounce; and unlike the rest of us, if Section 8 renters disappear into the night and never return, the government guarantees some or all of the remaining lease term money for the landlord.Thank you for letting me clarify some misconceptions about Section 8. Now, on to the details:Because Section 8 has been so vilified by the GOP, the budget for the program is regularly slashed in almost every biannual omnibus spending bill.The cuts to rental funds availability as well as drastic cuts to the HUD staff who administer the program has created an enormous backlog of applications with so few HUD employees available to review themThere are no direct means for an individual or family to apply for Section 8; they must have a social worker, community social services team, or file for direct financial aid with the county to get a referral, which gets them a 20–30 page application to complete.Once the application is submitted, the Section 8 backlog (as of 2014, when I worked in nonprofits) JUST TO GET A REVIEW OF AN APPLICATION was a wait of five years minimum, eight years probable to get off the waiting list and have your application reviewed.The application review process often takes several more months to complete.There are no programs or assistance for the poor family to find subsidized housing during the 8 years they’re waiting to find subsidized housing.This immoral, intentional effort by the GOP to inflict as much hardship and suffering as possible on the poor and weak isn’t targeting undocumented immigrants, Mexican rapists or drug addicted gang members.What it does do: Puts entire families on the street for years. Applicants for subsidized housing often are households with two parents working two jobs each, or single mothers with a couple children who work 2–3 jobs under conditions you or I wouldn’t last 30 seconds in before running out the door, sobbing like infants.The families applying for Section 8 are “pre-qualified” by the social worker who refers them to apply. Section 8 housing cannot be inhabited by anyone with a felony record (no matter how long ago, or what the felony entailed). There is zero-tolerance for drug use, and some states compel residents to undergo random drug tests while living in the landlord’s socialized housing complex. And children in the family are required to be registered in school, attend regularly, and stay out of trouble. A fight at school could put the family back on the street.So Section 8 residents are among the least-crime prone, least-drug using, most-upstanding, most family-values residents a building owner could ever hope to occupy their slums.Nobody asks the most important, life-critical question: “What the hell does the family do for eight years just waiting to get their application reviewed?”I know it’s because nobody cares… but you should: when a family starting their years-long gamble on getting vouchers survives by couch-surfing 1–2 nights per friend, this constant chaos and uncertainty affects the parents ability to get to work on time, stay focused on the job, and not make any mistakes.This part flummoxes me: the people we used to call ‘Conservative’ screamed for decades about “personal responsibility” and “family values”. Yet the system they demanded their elected officials make as difficult and painful as possible for those using it turns mothers and fathers responsible enough to hold down four job between them into families of four sleeping in a friend’s car, then taking buses across town to the next friend willing to take them in fr the night.This existence is stressful, especially with children involved. The parents lose their jobs because they woke up late sleeping on a steering wheel… which forces them to apply for cash assistance with the county. Before anyone has an ‘Ah-Ha!’ moment hearing this, realize what cash assistance is in 2020 America: the most generous states provide about $124 per month in assistance. Some states offer less that $75 a month.Try it yourself and see how you do:get $125 in cash. I’ll send it to you if you agree to sign a contract abiding by the terms of poverty and supply receipts and proof-of-couch for the month of your test.While trekking the family across the state finding a couch for a couple days, figure out how you can eliminate all expenses other than food… so you’d have $38/week to feed a family of four.Did you get rid of that phone and the $79 monthly plan? Great. No employer will hire you if you don’t have a phone and no permanent address. Spend wisely.When you run out of money on the third day, pull yourself out of the hypothetical and ask yourself this: What are you willing to do to keep your kids from going hungry? You’re already on the housing waiting list, but there’s no other social services to help you.FINALLY…I hate to agree with you, but the US government spending $71 billion to subsidize housing is unacceptable. It’s socialism, and it rewards one group of people while ignoring the rest of the people who work hard and try to support themselves on their own.We agree on this, right? I don’t like to admit when I feel this way about government handouts, but —Oh wait. I am so stupid! I wasn’t describing the cost of the Section 8 program… I mistakenly described the Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction, which costs taxpayer $71 billion a year to subsidize homeowners with a mortgage. It’s a massive handout that rewards one group and ignores the rest who are desperately trying without any government help.This part is correct, I checked: Section 8 housing subsidies would be impossible to fund at $71 billion a year in handouts. Section 8 only uses $28 billion dollars, and none of that money goes to the working poor family. It all goes to the landlord, so it’s more like a handout for landlords who also want guarantee payment of rent, strong-values families, and no criminals.Section 8 would need to double its budget to be on the same level as the money handouts to mortgaged homeowners.Which leads me to one question back to you:What percentage of financially secure homeowners asking the government for a handout on the first $1,000,000 value of their home’s mortgage via MID use the $15k-$40k in federal welfare benefits to make themselves a better life? What portion regress, and blow that taxpayer gift on buying a boat or some other depreciating purchase?And since the percentage of adults 18–45 in the upper half of income brackets are more likely to use illegal drug periodically than those in the lower half of income brackets at the same age, do you think the irresponsible handouts financially secure drug addicts take from taxpayers through the Mortgage Interest Deduction need to be stopped immediately?Would drug use decrease if they stopped relying on Big Government to reward them for incurring such a large debt through their mortgage?Thanks in advance. You opened my eyes with this one, so I appreciate it.