How Can I Rent My House During HUD?
The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Section 8 program provides subsidies that enable low-income households to secure–and also be able to manage –housing in the private rental sector. If you are a landlord, you can offer up as many, or as few, of the rental units as you like to Section 8 renters. The key is following the community housing authority’s protocol during the procedure.
Contact your regional housing authority. While HUD funds the Section 8 program by Congress, public housing agencies manage it locally. Particulars may differ from city to city.
Allow the housing authority know that you would like to offer your rental unit or units to Section 8 renters. Ask the service to put your property on its own site; also list it yourself on the Go Section 8 site (see Resources).
Show your rental unit or units to Section 8 tenants who express interest. Screen them as you would a tenant paying market rate lease by himself. You can screen Section 8 tenants just as you would traditional renters.
Contact the Section 8 office of the regional housing authority as soon as you feel you’ve reached an arrangement with a Section 8 renter. The regional housing agency needs to approve your rental.
Provide rent details to the housing authority. It will make sure the rent you are charging is”fair” compared to surrounding rents and also that the Section 8 tenant can manage it. The Section 8 renter pays you a portion of the rent–usually equal to 30 percent of the income–and the regional housing authority forward you the remainder.
Let a review of your rental unit via an inspector from the regional housing authority. Section 8 leases should meet HUD’s housing quality standards. The overarching criteria expressed by HUD are that the rental housing provided by private landlords need a living room, kitchen and bathroom unless it is a one-room efficiency. You must offer a”habitable” and”sanitary” area to live, based on HUD’s”A Good Place to Live” guide.
Subscribe to a contract with the regional housing authority after your unit passes inspection. You may have two signed agreements–a rental with your tenant and the arrangement with your housing agency.