Becoming a Section 8 Landlord.

[Choosymother]

What is the name of your state? Georgia.

Hi Ya'll, long time lurker here.

I was wondering if anybody could give me some insights into becoming a Section 8 Landlord.

The issues are these:

I understand that it is a Federal Program but most of the information I find is on a State of Georgia web site, specifically,

http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/RentalAssistance/programs/landlord_info.asp

Why is that?

The person I want to move in is from out of state and is my sister in law. I'm wondering if that's allowed.

I have a large house with a legal downstairs apartment. I believe it would pass inspection.

Will this be an easy process or is it a bureaucratic fight better handled by corporate landlords?

Thank you in advance for your help, it's appreciated.

 

[Alaska landlord]

One; Section 8 is not for everyone. Depending on which one operates out of your town or city, they may eat you alive.

two; Renting to family members is often a big mistake. Nobody ever takes this advice till after they have made the mistake. Expect that your sister-in-law will often be late with her share of the rent and that it will eventualy stop coming in. Come back an tell us how it worked out a year from now.

 

[Choosymother]

One; Section 8 is not for everyone. Depending on which one operates out of your town or city, they may eat you alive.

two; Renting to family members is often a big mistake. Nobody ever takes this advice till after they have made the mistake. Expect that your sister-in-law will often be late with her share of the rent and that it will eventualy stop coming in. Come back an tell us how it worked out a year from now.

Thank you for your response, AlaskaLandlord, I was hoping you'd respond.

one: What do you mean by "which one operates out of your town or city", I thought it was a Federal Program, so who do I contact to become a Section 8 landlord? I have asked her what type of Section 8, and she just says, Section 8.

Two: Yes I'm taking a chance renting to family but a: I love her very much b: we are dedicated Christians, 2nd gen. immigrants, and devoted to our family, so we have faith and purpose. c: she is the best cook I have ever encountered. d: She has options, it's just that she is moving in from out of state and is unsure of herself here. We are Transplanted Northerners and she can easily move on once she decides where she wants to live. e: I have lent her money many times in the past, and she has always paid it back, even when I've asked her not to. f: I also know that she has been making her rent on time and regularly for the last twelve years. g: Frankly, I wouldn't care if she didn't pay me, it's my pleasure to provide for her, but I have financial obligations to the rest of my family and she knows this. If she were to stop paying the rent I would probably love her more. Thanks for your advice though, if I completely change my mind in a year from now, I'll let you know. In the meantime, do you have anymore info on who to contact about being a Section 8 landlord or maybe a link?

Thank you again for your time. I've downloaded a lot of info from the website linked above, but I'm still not sure those are the people I should be looking to. ?? thanks.

 

[OHlandlord]

Not to be negative, but how large can I type the word NO here? Renting to family is a BIG, BIG mistake. It is impossible to describe the hurt, the bad feelings, & the family divided reality that will result. I know you are a Christian and you would turn the other cheek (so to speak), but other family members may not. It ends up being one half of the family with bad feelings against the other. This makes holidays, reunions, & weddings very uncomfortable. Please, reconsider before you do this. Not all family members will be as charitable as you. Even if you harbor no ill feelings, someone in your family will.

Second, Alaska was talking about the local Metro Office (S8 office). Some will make you jump through hoops and be so uncooperative and unresponsive that it will drive you nuts. Take our local office for instance. They are open only 4 days a week, close each day for an hour and a half at lunch time, and you never get a real person on the phone. You only get a voicemailbox. Even if that is not full, no one calls you back. They fail to send notices to the LLs about important issues they are supposed to keep us current on. And when we do eventually get someone on the phone, it will be the wrong caseworker (which changes for each tenant every year). They are constantly changing the rent amount (one month it would be $425 for their portion, the next month it would be $350, the month after they would pay $500 - you could never keep it straight how much they were to pay and how much the tenants would pay.)

And are you absolutely sure the unit will pass inspection? (They will fail it for a cracked cover plate, the lack of a smoke detector in a basement (even an unused one), or peeling paint anywhere (even in the sill between the window and a screen window). You will have to handle each of these, have the unit tested for lead paint, have it meet all local codes before they will approve it. Their inspectors can really nitpick you. It will take about a month (barring any disapproved items and re-inspections) to be approved. I suggest you do a search on this and other LL forums about S8 & their offices to be informed. Some of these offices can be especially hard to work with. Section 8 is not for a new LL. There are too many regulations, too much paperwork, and too many hoops to jump through to get the money. But of course, it is your choice. I only want you to go into this with full knowledge. I wish you the best.

 

[Alaska landlord]

Choosymother: OHlandlord has it covered.

Locate a landlord association in your area. They may have information about your local section 8 office.

 

[COlandlord]

1st: If she is on a voucher program thru section 8 it would need to be transferred to your county. Although Section 8 is a Federal Sponsored program, each State and/or County has a Housing Authority which issues and monitors section 8 vouchers and landlords. According to HUD and the contract you would need to sign, you can not rent to family members and must certify that you are not related. If you go to the HUD websitte. www.hud.org, you will find a huge amount of information that could help you.

 

[COlandlord]

oops...sorry..wrong website. It is www.hud.gov

 

[Choosymother]

Thank you for all your responses. I am following up the link now.

If I can't section 8 a relative, then it's out of the question, I wouldn't want her to lose her voucher.

Yes, I know it can be difficult to live with family members, in fact, I bought this huge house for the whole family but realized in the process that no one else was going to move in....

The apartment is downstairs, daylight, and separate entrance. It's recently built (no peeling paint), and has all new appliances. I actually planned it for my M-I-L and I'd rather not have a stranger move in.

The irony is, and what partly drives me forward, is that I and my husband should be the head of the extended family but because I am a woman the family defers to my brothers who are not really capable or as accomplished as I am.

I would like this opportunity to bring the family closer and under my wing. I have always been lucky and wise in life, blessed if you will, and the rest of the family is jealous that I bought this big house next to the lake. Sad that they don't realize that I bought it to share with them. My husband, my sons, and I have really never done anything to dismiss them. Everything we have done has been beneficial and righteous but they just keep their distance and insulate themselves. The situation will come around though, I see illness becoming an issue for some (unfortunate!) and I will be there as I have in the past.

thanks everybody, you've clarified some issues and got me over the initial hump.

I'll keep lurking (I'm too wordy to post!) and I appreciate the advice that's presented on this site!

 

[ecmst12]

Maybe they're offended by your position that they need to be "under your wing" and can't take care of themselves? You sound like a very caring relative but also a bit superior...no one likes that.

 

[Choosymother]

Maybe they're offended by your position that they need to be "under your wing" and can't take care of themselves? You sound like a very caring relative but also a bit superior...no one likes that.

I put a smiley in....I was half joking.

There does need to be a Head of Family (the one who cuts the Turkey at Thanksgiving), and my brother is not a good choice.

 

[OHlandlord]

I totally forgot about that regulation from S8 (how I'll never know! Attribute it to the late hour). But it is true that you may not S8 to any family member. I guess I was just too focused on the renting to relatives and the problems with the program to think about the regulations themselves. Perhaps she could find a unit very close by that would accept her voucher once she has it transferred?

As for the family jealousy, why not address it at the next family gathering? Don't let the jealousy continue to eat at family relationships. Maybe you could invite some of the family for a weekend cookout by the lake and have them stay over to smooth things out.

 

[Choosymother]

I totally forgot about that regulation from S8 (how I'll never know! Attribute it to the late hour). But it is true that you may not S8 to any family member. I guess I was just too focused on the renting to relatives and the problems with the program to think about the regulations themselves. Perhaps she could find a unit very close by that would accept her voucher once she has it transferred?

As for the family jealousy, why not address it at the next family gathering? Don't let the jealousy continue to eat at family relationships. Maybe you could invite some of the family for a weekend cookout by the lake and have them stay over to smooth things out.

Hi OHlandlord, thank you for your consideration. Yes, the 'family member rule' will kill it, although I must admit, I haven't come across it specifically in the rules that I'm reading from the Ga Dept. of Community Affairs, but I"m pretty sure it exists because it makes perfect sense.

Regarding the family, that will come together, and contrary to my previous posts my husband and I are not aggressive. There are many issues, such as the family never coming to us to participate in family events and decisions. They ignore us or tell us half-truths. There are a lot of reasons for this, but for our side, we regret nothing and have nothing to apologize for.

We got a phone call today from another sister-in-law and they want to have an 80th birthday party for the family matriarch. And the good news is: Surprise Surprise -- they want to have it at our house !!!!! This makes us so glad ! It's all we want really, is to be part of the family. I'm so glad they gave us the honor of hosting the party!!

So everything is well, some of these issues have to do with the 80 yr old Matriarch who we believe is a little senile. They still look to her for advice and she sometimes has some bitter ways. It was her alone who kept telling us that she wanted us to buy a big house so we could all move in together and then I realized that she really didn't mean it. The family member who lives with her is ill as well, and eventually I would hope that they come stay with us. I really have this in my heart. I feel that I and my husband should be respected as head of family because it is time for the baton to pass. I have accomplished more, I earn more, and I have more children than anyone else. I may not have been born into the family, but by marriage I should be eligible, if only because my children make up the bulk of the legacy.

Anyway, thanks again for your help. God will provide, and thank you again. God Bless.