Always screen your applicants
Some Section 8 landlords think it’s unnecessary to run a credit check on their Section 8 applicants. WRONG! We always run a credit report on our HCV applicants. Their scores may be low, but the information will reveal whether the financial issues are a recent development, or if they are lying about previous addresses/rental history on their application. It’s also a good idea to check alternative credit references, such as utility, water, power, phone, cell, or auto insurance companies - these companies typically don’t report to credit bureaus - and alternative credit references are especially useful if a family has zero or incredibly bad conventional credit. For instance, if the applicant has had problems within the last twelve months in paying for fundamental services such as lights and water you have a clear indication their financial challenges are on-going.Remember: Screen everyone equally and never differentiate an HCV applicant from an open-market applicant.Also, don’t forget to run a criminal history check. An HCV applicant is checked for felonies when they are initially issued a voucher, however if they’ve had the voucher for many years and were convicted of a felony, the PHA may be unaware of the recent conviction. Also, I would want to know if the applicant was a repeat attendee in court, regardless of the number of convictions.
May 31, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Informing Landlords to always screen their applicants is admirable. I wish that everyone did!
I say that because here in Hampton VA there is very little housing/landlords that accept Section 8. There is a stigma that goes along with the voucher that is understandable, but can be very unfair.
I can only imagine the types of scenarios that some landlords have had to deal with, but that doesn’t mean that everyone with a voucher is unemployed, or that they will reck the property. I’ve been searching deperatley for decent housing and I’m simply not finding it in Hampton- and I do not wish to relocate my family to another city (change schools, spending more money for gas, moving away from our support system, etc.)
On the landlord view of things, it seems the landlords are aware of voucher sizes and ask for the full amount for rent. Anyone who’s dealt with these vouchers should understand that the participant does not have the luxury of using the entire voucher on rent as there are limitations. I currently need a 3-4 bedroom home- most of the prices for housing that size range from $1,000-1,500. Someone with a voucher that size has at least 5-8 people in their family- more risk for the property being damaged just from normal wear and tear!
I hope that someday these obstacles can be overcome for landlords and participants. There’s a lot of landlords that honestly want to help a family in need of affordable, suitably sized housing in SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS, and a lot of working class families that would cherish the property!
June 2, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Qiana,
Right on. The owner’s that protect themselves by properly screening applicants and enforcing leases will have far fewer problems with renters regardless of subsidy, period. If anything, the the voucher helps “safeguard” the owner. Inspections help protect them from liability, the government paid portion helps ensure payment, etc.