Section 8 voucher program (Chicago, Joliet, Skokie: eviction, home, unemployment)

[Cindy59]

Originally Posted by ymtnc1

I am new to the real estate market in Cook county (Lansing). Is the process for section 8 applicants really unrestrictive and are the property owners protected by the government against property damaging tennants ? ... In other states, the section 8 regulators are strict on the applicants and if the tennants are damaging, they are removed from teh program(s).

The people on this forum sounds like they are tryin to give people on section 8 a bad name and they are generalizing "all section 8 participants."
I rent to section 8 and non section 8 tenants and I have had issues with all tenants. I have had no major issues with my section 8 tenants, but I have had several issues with my non section 8 tenants especially when they can not pay their rent and damage my property. So do not listen to these negative comments. Section 8 has nothing to do with it, but it has everything to do with the tenant themselves. Because u can have a bad experience with any tenant whether they are on section 8 or not and it is not fair to label all section 8 tenants the same, just because u or someone u know have had a bad experience with them. It is an individual thing. And the government does not tolerate any type of major damage if u complaint because u can take the section 8 tenant to court and they could be kicked off of section 8. There are bad tenants just like there are bad landlords!!

[Cindy59]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

Is any homeowner in the city 1) free to rent their house if they choose and more importantly 2) accept Section 8 vouchers? If not, what organizational entity might potentially restrict this -- the city, ward, neighborhood association, etc? I'm asking only because I know a few reluctant landlords in my neighborhood (can't sell in current market) and I'm wondering if it is even possible that there are restrictions on if they can rent and to whom. Hate to say it but I have a few friends in Evergreen Park and having Section 8 tenants move on the block and it hasn't worked out well at all.

You know why it hasn't worked because they are probably racist and stick their nose up to people who are on section 8 that's why!! I know a few people who are on section 8 who live in evergreen park who have had racial issues in evergreen park with their neighbors (who don't know that they are on section 8), only because their are african american, so don't go there!!!

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by Cindy59

You know why it hasn't worked because they are probably racist and stick their nose up to people who are on section 8 that's why!! I know a few people who are on section 8 who live in evergreen park who have had racial issues in evergreen park with their neighbors (who don't know that they are on section 8), only because their are african american, so don't go there!!!

Oh here we go! The card comes out in post #3!

[Cindy59]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I think it's actually illegal to discriminate against so-called "Section 8" vouchers, but local zoning may place limits on your ability to make profit on a property. The only way to avoid renters with vouchers is to charge high rents, which Evergreen Park may not command.

That's right charge high rents to keep section 8 out. It is illegal to discriminate against section 8 vouchers. race and other things. So it sounds like to me it would be dumb to charge high rents just because u don't want section 8 tenants or u are being racial about who u rent to!!!

[Cindy59]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

As a landlord you have final say in who you rent to. If you choose to rent to Section 8 voucher holders for a single family all the neighbors can do is call the cops everytime your tenant or their family or friends act up. I don't think neighborhood groups can prevent Section 8 from moving in. The only true way to keep Section 8 out is to price your neighborhood so high that Section 8 vouchers do not work. River Forest and Wimette have essentially done this. Their less affluent neighbors, Oak Park and Skokie, respectively, do have Section 8 housing.

I only know people are Section 8 because their landlord or they themselves have told me. It is not something that most people go around bragging about so generally I have my suspicions about certain people being Section 8 but only know of a few people on my block in Humboldt Park who are Section 8 and generally these are the buildings with loud tenants and domestic issues. I just call the cops on them as do the other neighbors. This has a result of reducing the number of Section 8 tenants who misbehave. If someone is Section 8 and keeps to themselves and does not cause problems or associate with troublemakers I don't care if they are Section 8 or not.

In my experience, though, Section 8 tenants are more trouble than they are worth. I have never rented to Section 8 but know many who have and have had a very hard time getting rid of problem tenants once they stop paying rent. These people know how to work the system and will surely work you too if you let them. I don't have time to deal with their problems and avoid renting to them like the plague. I have been told that once you have above 12 units the government can mandate to whom you can rent. I am not there yet, but it will be interesting to see how this plays out in the next few years.

You sound very racist because no one has mention on this forum one time the issues they have had with tenants who are not on section 8, besides humbolt park is not such a great neighborhood to live in any way. So while u have negative things to say about people on section 8 with the noise and all of that, what about the killings, gang activity and drugs that are going on in humbolt park these surely are not ALL SECTION * RENTERS!!!

[Cindy59]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

Section 8 renter is essentially a code word for poor black in Chicago for many people, not me. Can someone please post the stats for racial breakdown of Section 8 renters?

Where I am from in southern, rural Indiana, we have Section 8 too, but it is only poor white people, because there are no other races in this area.

I have read that up to 600,000 of the 1.0MM Hispanics in Chicago are illegal immigrants, which would mean that they and their school age children do not qualify for Section 8. Many of my renters do not even know how to access Link cards for their children as they fear the system. Well over half of my block is illegal. There are far more Mexicans in Humboldt Park than Puerto Ricans now.

This means that Section 8 renters are black, white, and hispanic. I don't know of any Asian or Middle Eastern Section 8, though I am sure you can find one if you try hard enough.

This means that Section 8 renters are black, white and hispanic (only those here legally). I would love to see the ethnic breakdown for this.

I am told that many of the Section 8 renters moving into Elmwood Park are Puerto Rican and I know of at least 3 families that have moved to that area from Humboldt Park.

Given that many Hispanics in Chicago are illegal, only those who are here legally, 2nd generation and Puerto Rican will qualify for Section 8. I know a few Section 8 Puerto Ricans. The vast majority of those in Humboldt Park that I know are Section 8 are black.

We simply don't have white people in my neighborhood, or asians, or middle easterners, only hispanic and some black.

So what's your racist point because that is what u sound like a racist. There are people of all RACES on section 8, so do not fool yourself and everyone on section 8 is not dirt poor, they work also. Just because u do not know any people of the races that u mention on section 8 that does not mean that they don't exist. Racism is alive and well on this forum, because most of you people are definitely putting all section 8 people in the negative form. But no one has mention nothing about people who are not on section 8 and their negative issues. You people need to grow up and stop focusing on the negative issues of section 8 people because u are the reason racism still exist due to your shallow thinking and that goes for all races, african americans included.

[Cindy59]

Originally Posted by MannheimMadman

I hear you, for sure. It would be a shame for such a historic, beautiful neighborhood to be ruined.

So it would be ruin by renting to section 8. You people sound so racist and shallow. And I know from experience how racist and shallow most white people are in the beverly and morgan park area because I have family living there now in both areas, they are not on section 8 have good jobs and family and still encounter racist so don't act like section 8 people can ruin a neighborhood because racist people who are shallow can ruin it to with their hatred!!!!

[Cindy59]

I think this forum is for racist people, because these people on here do not sound too bright making these type of racist comments about people on section 8. Most of u do not know what u are talking about and want to make ALL Section 8 tenants look bad, when there are bad tenants whether they are on section 8 or not everywhere. Just like there landlords as well. But u people keep focusing on being negative to SECTION 8 tenants only and that is so petty!!!! It may be hard to let go of your racist attitudes and grow up, since u have been like that all of your life, but let it go ok!!!! and stop being so SHALLOW MINDED!!!

[Cindy59]

Originally Posted by tonythetuna

Oh here we go! The card comes out in post #3!

You are right because u shouldn't be so shallow minded with your negative, untrue comments. And if u don't want the race card to come out then don't expose it. Because most of the comments on here are relating to the race of section 8 tenants in a negative sense only, and nothing is said negative about tenants who are not on section 8. So don't dish it if u can't take it ok!!!

[tonythetuna]

This thread is about Section 8 and its renters, not about renters in general.