How Do you Become Section 8 Landlord

Does anyone know how to become a Section 8 landlord. I did a google search but it does not tell you where to go or how much rent you will get. I live in Georgia

I live in Macon, Georgia and all you have to do is call your Section 8 housing phone number that will be listed under the “City of Whatever” section in your phonebook. If there is no Section 8 number, then call the housing authority number and ask if they know the Section 8 number. Then ask for them to mail you a landlord package or go in and pick one up. It’s that simple.

Visit the city’s “real estate” section online. Section 8 is on a per property basis, meaning you’ll have to have each property you want to accept rent assistance approved by the city. They do two inspections a year and some of the inspectors can be downright ridiculous in their demands, but most of the things are minor. Make sure things like railings and smoke detectors are all in good condition. Make sure that all electrical junction boxes in the basement have covers as well.

If an inspector is a real jackass and comes up with some just ridiculous hoops to jump through you can appeal it through the city. Ive only had to do this once and basically only did it because the guy was a young condescending prick on a power trip. All in all, it’s worth it if you’re confident in your property’s condition.

Another question: Do you have to find your own tenants or do they provide tenants with a list of properties? and… on average how long does it take from the time you contact the housing authority until you get someone n the property?

You still have to find your own tenants, usually. When you run an ad, however, you can write something like “RA accepted”, at the end, which notifies readers that Rent Assistance is accepted.

The entire process takes less than a month, usually 2 weeks. Depends on the condition of your property and how many things the inspector finds that need to be fixed.

sc 8 in missouri has a waiting list and your property can be placed on the list for a tenant to contct you. The wating list is backed up for 3 years!!!

The waiting list you’re most likely referring to is the waiting list for the tenants to get into the Section 8 program itself. When landlords decide for a property to get approved to allow Section 8 tenants that doesnt mean they can ONLY rent out to people getting Rent Assistance. They can still find tenants of their own who aren’t in the program.

The long waiting list is actually a good thing for a landlord, because if a tenant doesn’t pay their rent, they get dropped from the program and it takes 3 years to get back in. So unless there are some truly rare circumstances the landlord will get their portion of the rent on time each month, and the rest will be electronically deposited into the landlord’s bank account of choice by the government.

I am in the process of accepting a Section 8 tenant here in Baltimore City. My first.

The biggest hassle, so it seems, is getting the inspection. However, they provide a clear and concise checklist of what they will check. I put the list of items they check in Baltimore at the bottom of this post. You can see it’s all pretty basic stuff. If you have exposed wiring, broken windows or cracked paint everywhere, you’re not going to pass. Your locality might have some differences, but I’m sure they are all basically the same. I mean, these are basic living conditions we’re talking about here.

The best part of the Section 8 program is the guaranteed rent. Once this all gets completed, I’ll be getting at least 70% of the rent directly deposited by the government each month. That’s enough to cover just about the whole mortgage on the house. From there, I just need to get that last 30% from the renter. And like someone said, they can’t get in trouble or else they will get booted out of the program.

I have had friends with Section 8 houses, and they all tell me the same thing. Screen, screen, screen! A Section 8 tenant can be just as good, or bad, as a regular tenant. Just have to make sure you get the right person in there.

Baltimore Section 8 Inspection Checklist

• All ceilings, walls, and floors must be strong, sturdy, and in their permanent positions.
• A working smoke detector with a live battery must be installed on every level of the unit, including in the basement and outside of sleeping rooms. If any members of the family have hearing problems, install one for the hearing impaired.
• The entire unit, both inside and outside, including window frames, must be free of cracking, scaling, peeling, chipping and loose paint. This prevents exposure to possible lead-based paint hazards.
• Where there are four or more consecutive steps, handrails must be securely attached. This applies to both the interior and exterior of the unit.
• The unit must be free of roaches, rodents, or any other infestations.
• The entire unit, interior and exterior must be free from electrical hazards. There may be no loose, hanging, or exposed wires. All three-prong outlets must be wired correctly. A three-prong circuit tester will be used at the time of the inspection to assure safety.
• Every room used for living must have either two working outlets or one working outlet and a permanently installed light fixture. At a minimum, each bathroom must have a permanently installed light fixture.
• All light switches and outlets must have secured plate covers installed.
• All windows and doors must be secured when closed, and must be weather tight. Also, the one accessible from outside must have working sturdy locks.
• All open able windows must have a mechanism to secure them in place.
• Every bedroom must have at least one open able window for ventilation, if windows are designed to open.
• If the unit has a 3rd floor sleeping room(s), & the family is eligible to use this room for sleeping; the owner must provide a safe method of escape in the case of fire. For example: Chain ladder.
• If there is a bathroom with a toilet that is not hooked up to water and sewer lines it must be repaired. If it is removed, the drain must be sealed to prevent rodents and/or sewer gases from escaping into the unit.
• The bathroom must have an open able window or an exhaust fan for ventilation.
• The hot water tank’s pressure relief valve must have a discharge line extending down to six" from the floor.
• The flue pipe leading from the furnace and hot water tank must be sealed where they enter the chimney. Also, check to ensure that the flue pipes connecting to the furnace and hot water tank are installed correctly.
• Every room used for living must have an adequate heat source. If the source is gas, it must be vented to the outside. If the source is electric, it must be permanently installed and controlled by a separate thermostat.
• If the downspouts or gutters are damaged and/or missing, causing interior damage of the unit, they must be replaced or repaired. Any damage to the interior of the unit due to the missing or damaged downspouts or gutters must be repaired.
• The unit must be free from any accumulation of garbage or debris, both inside and outside.
• The owner must provide “refusal disposal”. These facilities include trashcans with covers, garbage chutes, dumpsters with lids, and trash bags if they are the types approved by the local Health and Sanitation Department.

Im in the philadelphia area and have units in the program. my goal is to place all my units in the program as they become available.
section 8 is a great program for both tenant and landlord. it provides the tenant with quality subsidized housing and provides the landlord usually a long term tenant in which at least sec. 8 portion of the rent is gauranteed to be directly deposited every month.

in my area I called the Philadelphia housing authority and the scheduled me to take a one day class "so you want to be a property manager " in order be be a part of the program.
after that I was able to list any available property i had on their listing that comes out every month .
if a tenant is interested in a property you have listed they will call you. you can take a application and screen the tenant just as you would if you were not in the program. ultimately its your choice who you accept or not.
section 8 then schedules an inspection of the property once you approved the tenant. true inspections are sometimes demanding but most things are cosmetic and worth correcting.
once the inspection is passed you are able to negociate the rent(usually on the high end . sec 8 potion is directly deposited every month and the tenant sometimes has to pay a portion no more than 30% of their income.
the program has worked well for me so far.