Renting a Home to Foster Parents (renters, credit rating, inspection, house)

[Warnpeace]

My neighbor is thinking of renting his house to a couple who does foster parenting. I am wondering if it's a good idea?

[TX75007]

If they have a great credit rating, what does it matter?

To be a licensed foster parent in TX means you have to:

1. Pass a criminal background check every year.
2. Pass a home inspection by CPS every year.
3. Take an 18 week course on parenting and laws given by CPS.
4. Be financially responsible.
5. Be ready at any time to take in foster kids.

Almost all foster parents get financial support from the state as well.

This rules out a lot of riff raff.

I have fostered kids and know many who still do. They are uniformly good people.

Is it a racial issue?

If their credit and references check out, and I'd call CPS as well to check on their license, then I would think it would be a good thing to do from a business perspective and from a social one.

[carroll4628]

I agree, my cousin and a co-worker were both foster parents. I think it's great because the state has already vetted them for you. Is the house in a good school district? Perhaps they can't afford to buy in the area, but still want the school?

[Warnpeace]

Any body had any problems with new teens coming to neighborhood every few months?

It's a good house and good area and we don't have any other rental on the street so neighbors are a bit skeptic.

[Squirl]

Moderator cut: orphaned Landlords from all over read those posts and you may get several with experience in this situation. I have had a bad personal experience several years ago when my stepdaughter lived on the same street with a teen in a foster home. She got a crush on him and he commited several crimes we became aware of such as breaking & entering and stealing a car. However, I don't know that just because this kid was in foster care that the neighborhood was any more unsafe than before... obviously teens living with their own families can be troublesome, too, at times.

[Koale]

Originally Posted by Warnpeace

My neighbor is thinking of renting his house to a couple who does foster parenting. I am wondering if it's a good idea?

Why wouldn't it be?

[JanND]

Originally Posted by Warnpeace

My neighbor is thinking of renting his house to a couple who does foster parenting. I am wondering if it's a good idea?

Now why would foster parenting concern you? That seems like discrimination. I'm curious. What makes you think this way??

[JanND]

Originally Posted by Warnpeace

Any body had any problems with new teens coming to neighborhood every few months?

It's a good house and good area and we don't have any other rental on the street so neighbors are a bit skeptic.

My goodness. Sounds like you neighbors should mind your own business. How tacky....gossiping about the neighbor renting his property...Good Lord...What next...a daycare..Horrors!!

[Warnpeace]

I volunteer for HOA so we are concerned about neighborhood. There are no other rentals in our small community so guess its a new thing to adapt to. We are mostly empty nesters or young families so idea of few new teen agers moving in and out every few months is a bit disturbing. Landlord is moving to another state so he won't have to deal with the issues. If they were fostering little children than this would not be a concern. Why would it be an issue of discrimination? We are not asking him to do anything, just voicing a concern.

[JanND]

So, it is that they are teens, not that they are foster kids. Hopefully the kids that move there will be given a fair chance. It is hard enough to be a teen, much less have family problems that make you a ward of the state. I feel sorry for the teens possibly moving amongst folks that have such disregard and judgmental attitudes before even knowing them, or their foster parents. Most kids, no matter the age are in foster care through no fault of their own. Sad. Hopefully you and the others will find it in your hearts to help these kids make a smooth transition, and perhaps even a successful one. Perhaps have a block party so that you can get to know the parents and the teens, you may be surprised and they might be great kids given a chance. A sure bet to have hostile teens is to treat them with hostility. You were a teen once...I hope you weren't disliked just because you were. Give it at least a chance. Remember, your children will be teens one day too. Hope things work out for all of you.
The only alternative is for all of you to get together and pay the rent yourselves....and have no renters.