A lot of landlords shy away from the Section 8 program. You might be thinking about all of the generalizations as to why they don’t use the program but the main reason is vacancy. In the past, in order for a housing authority to issue a voucher the unit had to be vacant and then inspected. Landlords hate letting their units go vacant. So you can see why Section 8 is usually the last option they explore.

Congress, with the help of The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), has revamped the law pertaining to the Section 8 Program. Now landlords can bypass the vacancy problems of the past.

According to Multi-Housing News.com

The inspection process

under existing laws currently requires the Public Housing Authority (PHA) to inspect a unit when it is vacated before a new resident using a Section 8 voucher can move in. Problem is, units can sit empty for weeks while the unit is waiting to be inspected.

Under the new bill, the unit still has to be inspected before it is reoccupied, but if there is an issue and it is not life-threatening, a new tenant can move in. And the PHA pays the owner the rent retroactive to the date of the lease. Consequently, both the owner can cut down on the rent lost and the resident can find a home quicker.

These changes will draw interest from a lot more landlords now that the vacancy issue has been resolved. Also it will help increase the levels of affordable housing in our states. Expect to hear that from any politician running for re-election in an urban city.

Sources:
Multl-Housing News.com, Section 8 Reform Passes House, By Keat Foong

Filed under: Boston Landlord Tips and Advice, Boston Rental Resources