"blake murphy" wrote

> section 8 renters are like any other group - some good, some bad.
> lee, don't succumb to fear of poor people.

True, but I still advise checking the rules carefully. You as the owner are
more limited in several ways if you go that route. In the interests of
'protecting the tenants from evil owners' they've added some extra rules
that can be both expensive on the owner, and difficult. Apparently
terminating a lease with a bad section8 tenant can be very difficult.

Had a problem once long ago related. Mixed housing, some was section 8 (not
sure if they still mix them like that or not). Critically, the apartment
next to me. Hard of Hearing section 8 fellow. Would run TV, Stereo,
everything full blast. Problem was I worked nights and he couldnt be
required to tone it down during the day? I moved to another apartment in
the same complex. That previous unit stayed unrented or short term (like 2
weeks) only until a year later he converted it to section 8 as well, then
the fur started to fly. Perfectly decent family of 3 who were on hard times
with a new baby. The noise-maker was moved to another complex. He wasnt a
bad person, but he didnt belong in other than a single dwelling. I remember
a bunch of us helping him move. My *impression* was that the owner was
responsible for his cost of moving (due to the circumstances) so a bunch of
us teamed up to do it with a rental U-haul the owner had gotten for the day.
Maybe the owner was just being nice though.

Were the section 8 tenants good ones? Normally yes. But you got some
severe oddballs as well like the guy who went around with twists of tin foil
in his ears and had a shrine in his house to okra (I kid you not). It would
have been funny except he was very scarey and pretty sure he was dangerous.
They couldnt get rid of him either for a long time. Section 8 disability
under mental instability clauses. He had to actually be caught doing
something dangerous apparently, for them to get rid of him. Dunno, I moved
to Hawaii before that happened.

I don't know if the rules have changed, but it would be smart to check
first. My impressions were once you went section8, you didnt have the same
options to pick and choose your tenants much.