Section 8 Vouchers
A Section 8 Voucher, also known as Housing Choice Voucher is a program set up by the federal government to assist low income, elderly and disabled Americans to rent properties at a reduced rate by subsidizing a portion of the monthly rental fee. This program is available in every major housing market within the country and is administered by local public housing agencies. Those who qualify for this assistance can find housing available almost anywhere in the city, not just in subsidized housing projects.
Pros
- Landlords like the program because they don’t have to hassle with collecting monthly rent, following up on late payments or dealing with excuses about why tenants can’t pay.
- Renters that have financial hardships, like a job loss or illness, that cause them to have unpaid absences from their work, don’t need to be evicted. Instead, the Section 8 Voucher program will pick up 100% of the monthly cost, until the tenant is able to work and pay again.
- The Section 8 Voucher program matches prospective tenants with 1, 2 or 3 bedroom properties. The rent is pre-set by the local public housing agencies and tends to be higher than non-Section 8 rental properties.
- In order to qualify for this program, tenants must consent to annual property inspections. These inspections are performed by a third party at no cost to the property owners. Although these inspections will turn up repairs that are needed, they also help spot damage done by tenants and will assist the landlord in getting rid of the abusive tenants.
- With over 3 million low income households participating in this program, there is no shortage of possible renters. Many areas have huge waiting lists for Section 8 Housing, so vacancy time is virtually non-existent.
- Some states provide websites that can be used to advertise properties at a substantially lower cost than other marketing methods.
Cons
- Section 8 Voucher programs, like any other program managed by the government, has its share of regulations and paperwork.
- Each property is required to be inspected before a tenant moves in and annually thereafter. The inspection criteria are stringent and sometimes can be costly.
- Depending on the area that the rental property is located, the Section 8 housing rental caps may be less than the going rate for renting the same property in the normal market. In this case, it may not be financial feasible to go with Section 8.
The Section 8 Voucher program is a win-win situation for by landlords and tenants. It ensures the tenants are getting move-in ready properties and the landlord is guaranteed rent.