Section 8 Housing in Vancouver, Washington

If you’re not already familiar with the program, Section 8 Housing is a government subsidy that generally pays about 70 percent of a low-income tenant’s rent. The tenant would then be responsible for the remaining 30 percent. In some cases, Section 8 covers 100 percent of the rent. It really depends on the tenant’s income.

You may have heard terrible things about Section 8. There’s a preconception that they’re terrible tenants who tear up the house, but that is not often true. We have had some very good luck with Section 8 tenants, and we’ve found that they’re just as likely as non-Section 8 tenants to take very good care of the home.
Recent Changes to Section 8 Law

When you hire a property management company like SunWorld Group, you don’t have to spend the time or energy worrying about tenant screening. Call today to get started!

Recently, there has been a legal change which now requires landlords to accept Section 8 as a source of income. Previously, you would be able to say no to any Section 8 tenants, but cities like Seattle and Vancouver passed laws requiring that Section 8 tenants be accepted into rental homes if they are qualified.

This does not mean that you are forced to take Section 8 tenants when they apply. They still have to meet your rental requirements, the change simply means that when it comes to income, their Section 8 voucher has to be considered as a source of income. This is a statewide law now.

Your credit criteria can still remain in effect. Your income requirements will have to reflect the housing subsidy. Here’s an example:

If the rent is $2,000 a month and your requirement is that a tenant earns three times the amount of income, that tenant would need a gross income of $6,000 a month.

In a case where Section 8 is going to pay 70 percent of the rent, the tenant requirement for the rent would be $600 a month. So, your prospective tenant must establish earnings of $1,800 a month in gross income. That’s three times the amount of what the tenant is required to pay.

You cannot refuse to take the Section 8 tenant who meets your qualifying criteria. If you do, there are steep penalties that may reach twice the amount of rent plus the tenant’s legal fees. You don’t want to find yourself in a lawsuit simply because you didn’t want to rent your property to a tenant receiving Section 8 benefits.

Again, your screening standards remain in effect but you must only require the tenant income to be what you require less than what the Section 8 is going to pay.

Section 8 programs require properties to be in good condition. So if you have an older home that is going to require thousands of dollars to bring up to Section 8 standards, you may be able to ask for an exemption. With more than $1,500 in repairs to get your house ready, you won’t have to accept a Section 8 tenant.

Check with your local Section 8 housing office. Sometimes, they will require you to pay $500 of your $1,500 repair bill, and then they’ll pay the rest. Don’t try to make up a bunch of repairs that are needed just to avoid the Section 8 requirement. You can’t use paint and new carpet as repairs that are necessary for Section 8 eligibility. The program will only require major repairs.
More Questions About Section 8 Housing? Call SunWorld Group

We know this new law can cause some confusion. If you have any questions about Section 8 and Vancouver property management, please contact us at SunWorld Group.

The post Section 8 Housing in Vancouver, Washington appeared first on Sun World Group.