FAQs

Q. How do I list my rental property with the housing authority?
A. You can list your property for free by going to www.GoSection8.com.

Q. How much may I ask for rent?
A. You may ask the market rate. We will check the rental amount for at least two comparable unassisted units in the same geographic area. As long as you do not ask more than the highest comparable unit we find, your rent is considered reasonable.

Q. How long does the process take?
A. Tenants choose their own unit. After they select a unit and the landlord agrees to rent to them, the tenant will give the prospective landlord paperwork to fill out. After the completed paperwork is returned to us, we schedule an inspection within ten (10) working days. After the unit passes inspection, the tenant may move into the unit.

Q. How much of the rent is paid by the tenant?
A. That depends on a number of factors including the income of the Section 8 family, the deductions to which the Section 8 participant is entitled, the number of people in the household which determines their voucher size, the applicable payment standard and the utility allowance for the chosen unit. Generally speaking the tenant will pay between 30% and 40% of their monthly-adjusted income for their rent.

Q. When will I get paid?
A. The tenant should pay their portion as you specify in your lease. The housing agency cannot begin paying until after the unit passes inspection and we have a signed contract. After the unit passes inspection, the landlord will need to provide the housing agency with a signed lease. The contract will be prepared within in five (5) working days of the housing assistant receiving a copy of the signed lease. Generally speaking it takes two months to receive the first check which will include rent back to the date the tenant moved in after the unit passed inspection. Thereafter, checks are mailed out the first working day of each month.

Q. How do I request an increase in rent?
A. The lease establishes the rental amount for the period covered by the lease. To request an increase in rent, the landlord must request the increase in writing to both the tenant and housing agency sixty (60) days before the lease expires. The housing agency will conduct another rent reasonable survey to see if the increase can be approved. As long as the rent you are requesting is not above market value, the increase will be considered reasonable. Rent increases will only be approved if they are reasonable and if they are not above the annual adjustment factor provided by HUD.

Q. What if the tenant damages my unit?
A. You collect a security deposit for that purpose. You may not charge a Section 8 tenant any more than you would charge a non-Section 8 tenant. The housing agency does not pay the security deposit. If the damages exceed the amount of the security deposit, you would need to go to court to get a court order for the remaining amount.