Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If I hear the "not all section 8 aka welfare receivers are bad, only a percentage" retoric again!
This is the reality: A section 8 tenant may or may not be a decent neighbor and respectful person, but... older people sometimes have grandchildren or such stay with them, single moms with 5 kids at age 22 will have the childrens father(s) stay over or some sort of guy or woman come over to help - these individuals are not listed as tenants in their units and thus do not have the same respect for the community their "host" lives in. Everyone who has lived next to Section 8ers knows exactly what happens. While some section 8ers are aware of the stereotypes and prejudice associated with them others simply are so accustomed to having their rent paid for that they see themselves on the same level as someone who works 40plus hours a week to pay rent. We all know: Once a person feels too comfortable, everything else goes to pieces. Jobless people sit around and smoke cigarettes, walk around in sweats and shorts all day and seem to have no worries at all (from an outsider's perspective). If you are disabled, you need help from the gov and you are entitled to it, we all agree. If you are a single mom with several kids that is your problem. Noone forced you to have kids. If you spend 4 years in the military during a time of peace, why should you never have to pay rent again? I love seeing happy-go-lucky full-bearded "vets" who think they are entitled to a gold medal and free rent, free tuition and free everything for life.... Anyway, to end this rant: An apt complex should either be all section 8 or no section 8 at all. This way, a lot of problems are avoided and the crime stats and police calls will show it. Also, if you live amongst the miserable and self proclaimed victims of the system and you have integrity and values you will do your best to move out of there quickly. If you have cable, internet and a decent car but are on section 8 you are mocking people who do not have it. If you are not disabled but you "cant find a job", head to your local labor ready office, they are waiting for you. Sometimes people get defensive because their own mother is on welfare and they themselves are that "chick with 4 kids from 4 different dads" - but like I said, that is your own fault.
I have lived in several different cities thruout MN and have lived near section 8 properties, and every time, it has sucked. The tenants have 0 respect for the homeowners in the area, or the property they are living, and I think the property owners are even worse for letting it happen. They are nothing but suburban slumlords. I agree somewhat that some renters do not care about the property because it is not theirs, but I think it is more prevelant with the subsidized "renters" because, except for the few exceptions, they haven't had to be held accountable for anything, budgeting, maintaining, managing their own lives and families, because they have relied on handouts, generation after generation, they have just let others take care of their problems, because for some stupid reason, they feel they deserve it. I think that there are some that are not abusing the system and don't stay on it forever, but they are, as I said, the exception.
I have rented a few times, and am currently renting now, and I took care of the property like they were mine, even when I was a single mother working and going to college(on my own dime, not the govts, it can be done, you just have to be willing to work hard, go into debt with student loans, and not feel you or your kids are entitled to name brand clothes, a nice car and nights out, cable, internet, cigarettes, pull-tabs, cell phone, fancy shoes etc). Go down any street and you can tell what houses are rentals, they are typically more run down, and then you can tell which ones are section 8 rentals, because they look like mod cut. Darn near fact.
If I move, most certainly if I buy, I will do the research to find out how many homes are rentals in the area, and most certainly if there are section 8 properties. If I am paying property taxes, I have every right to live in a peaceful, well kept neighborhood. Hate me, but that is my stand. BTW, I am currently renting, my kids are well behaved and respectful to the neighbors, our lawn is mowed, no windows broken, blinds or curtains in the windows, not blankets or cardboard boxes, no junk cars, no loud music, that is because 1. we respect the homeowners and residents in the neighborhood, 2. we respect the fact that we are living in someone elses house and 3. we are paying a lot of money, so we sure as hell are going to live in a nice home, and it is up to us to make it so.
Last edited by golfgal; 06-15-2008 at 05:41 AM..
Reason: language
My one experience (currently) with Section 8 renters has been 99% awful. Property owners love them because it's a guaranteed, on-time check from the govt each month. Section 8 renters love it because it's an unlimited program -- there is no expiration like with unemployment benefits.
It works out great for the owners and the Section 8 renters. It works out horribly for everyone else, including tax payers. Our downstairs neighbors have been exceedingly inconsiderate with noise. The property owners have basically told us that we need to call the police, but we're too scared. We fear retaliation.
Why should the program be unlimited??? I realise the waiting list is very long, but once you're in, you basically have free rent for life.
I beg to differ. I am a landlord and made the mistake of renting through section 8. They took a nice well kept home and ruined the new carpeting within 3 months, didn't pay their small portion of rent, caused trouble with the neighbors and yelled at me for asking for the rent. I will NEVER rent through sectionb8 again. I'm sure there are good, respectful people in the program, but I've worked very hard for everything that I have and it is terrible watching people trash what I have worked so hard for. I go to work every day and they don't have to, but you guessed it, they have money for beer, cigarettes, cell phones, etc. I'll be spending my extra money fixing up what they ruined once I can get them out of my house.
I have lived in a section 8 neighborhood, and had no problems...I guess everything depends on the person...some people will have a heart attack if they see someone loitering while others won't.....I guess some peple are just so upity
Broad-stroke generalizations will nearly always show the broad limitations of that individual's thinking. It's natural, logical, reasonable, rational, & obvious that NOT ALL OF ANY GROUP fit whatever generalization.
You only know that someone is on Section 8 if they tell you, the mgmt tells you, or you find out due to their ill behaviour. That does not account for the other large percentage of Section 8 tenants who are likely quietly living amongst you. That's just the plain truth of it. You won't know they are on Section 8 because they go through their lives just as ordinarily & respectful as you'd expect any other neighbor of yours to live his/her life.
I can guarantee you, without a doubt, that you'd never peg me for a Section 8 tenant. I am also a grandmother, mother, etc. Yes, of course I have family, friends, & at somepoint will hopefully also have a loving partner coming over & even STAYING THE NIGHT (or even the weekend). It's one thing to be required to follow certain rules & jump through hoops because the government & tax payers are paying part of your rent. It's another to never be allowed guests or family to come or stay over without folks assuming this means you are taking advantage.
I don't allow any sort of mess in my life & that extends to what I require of my guests/family who visit. My ex-husband is a mess. If he stops by my house for any reason he knows what is expected of him & that I will not tolerate anything less. I'm an active grandmother & my grandson comes to visit me ALL THE TIME. No, he is NOT on my lease & NO he is not required to be - if he was they'd be issuing me a larger voucher for him to have his own bedroom. He may stay over night at my house as many as 3 nights a week - not on a consistent basis - but every now & again. He certainly is overnight at least once a week. Some of those times it's also either my son or my ex-DIL with him. There are no broken rules in that, nor is there any disrespect, or anything that makes me a poor neighbor or tenant.
It's just life...
Quote:
Originally Posted by paulsmithnevad
If I hear the "not all section 8 aka welfare receivers are bad, only a percentage" retoric again!
This is the reality: A section 8 tenant may or may not be a decent neighbor and respectful person, but... older people sometimes have grandchildren or such stay with them, single moms with 5 kids at age 22 will have the childrens father(s) stay over or some sort of guy or woman come over to help - these individuals are not listed as tenants in their units and thus do not have the same respect for the community their "host" lives in. Everyone who has lived next to Section 8ers knows exactly what happens. While some section 8ers are aware of the stereotypes and prejudice associated with them others simply are so accustomed to having their rent paid for that they see themselves on the same level as someone who works 40plus hours a week to pay rent. We all know: Once a person feels too comfortable, everything else goes to pieces. Jobless people sit around and smoke cigarettes, walk around in sweats and shorts all day and seem to have no worries at all (from an outsider's perspective). If you are disabled, you need help from the gov and you are entitled to it, we all agree. If you are a single mom with several kids that is your problem. Noone forced you to have kids. If you spend 4 years in the military during a time of peace, why should you never have to pay rent again? I love seeing happy-go-lucky full-bearded "vets" who think they are entitled to a gold medal and free rent, free tuition and free everything for life.... Anyway, to end this rant: An apt complex should either be all section 8 or no section 8 at all. This way, a lot of problems are avoided and the crime stats and police calls will show it. Also, if you live amongst the miserable and self proclaimed victims of the system and you have integrity and values you will do your best to move out of there quickly. If you have cable, internet and a decent car but are on section 8 you are mocking people who do not have it. If you are not disabled but you "cant find a job", head to your local labor ready office, they are waiting for you. Sometimes people get defensive because their own mother is on welfare and they themselves are that "chick with 4 kids from 4 different dads" - but like I said, that is your own fault.
Wow!!! I'm amazed at the vast lack of information!
The most important thing to note here is that a landlord bears the RESPONSIBLITY of finding a suitable tenant, whether they accept vouchers or not. I am POSITIVE that all of you that have rental property have rented to a bad tenant, voucher in hand or not. You can discriminate against the single mother with 4 kids, but if she's a horrible tenant, she's a horrible tenant. By performing a background check (credit, criminal history, rental history) you can weed out bad tenants. If the "baby daddy(ies)" or grandparents or whomever aren't on the lease, call the HRA and that person has violated their lease (same as any other tenant). If there's illegal activity in your unit, that's a lease violation. And so on and so forth. There really are no special rules for voucher holders.
And thanks to Good 'Ole Boy GWB, you can be happy that the program has changed tremendously. There is no such thing as 0 rent anymore. For anyone. They anticipate income. For a person who, for example, works intermittent temporary jobs. They take the past earnings and extrapolate that for the year. If a person gets welfare, they again carry it out for a year. Unemployment, same thing. They will no longer allow any household to have $0 rent.
It amazes me how many people spout off at the mouth and have NO CLUE what they are talking about. Sure hope I don't live next door to any of YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
And let's not even go THERE with that amount of SLUM-lords that ABUSE the section 8 program!!!!!!
That inflate the rent to the very limit of what section 8 will allow. That will not enforce any lease agreement. That will pay off inspectors so that their roach infested, nearly uninhabitable units will pass. Anyway....
I do not understand the mindset of some of the people on here at all. Many people on section 8 are "scummy" or troublemakers. I happen to know that any landlord that rents to section 8 tenants have all the rights that any other landlord has. They are allowed to do a background check, get reference from old landlords, and even run a credit check. They have every right to refuse to rent to a tenant based on anything that they uncover in that check that is unsatisfactory, just as they would with a tenant, or prospective tenant paying full rent.
That leads me to the conclusion that most landlords that are renting to section 8 tenants are taking the vouchers because of the guarantee of at least part of the rent, and not concerning themselves with who they are renting to.
I happen to have lived near many people that are renting at full price, with no government help and have had far more trouble with them than section 8 neighbors, and that is the fault of the landlord for being greedy and taking the voucher without knowing fully who they were renting to. It is all a matter of being careful and deciding who is a good tenant and who is not.
I recently received my section 8 voucher and it is not because I am lazy or greedy. I have 3 children, had to leave my husband as a result of domestic violence, and need some help getting on my feet. I, for one have fairly decent credit, a job, and a great set of references from former landlords, that is more than most non-section 8 residents can say, and I can assure you that yes, there are people out there who do take advantage, and they do sometimes cause problems, but that can be said for anyone disadvantaged or not.
The section 8 program screens the applicants and allows them to pay no more than 30% of their rent, which should be reassuring for a landlord, knowing that a tenant is not getting in over their head and strapping themselves, making it too difficult to pay up. It is a rather reasonable percentage, as the average rent is more than 50% of the median income in most areas for most non-assisted tenants. They also do criminal checks and do not allow anyone with a violent or drug-laced past to have a voucher without special restrictions or rehabilitation, that should be reassuring for any landlord.
I find that mindset to be rather like saying that all pit bulls are killers, or that all rats have rabies. It is just lack of education and class discrimination.
I do not understand the mindset of some of the people on here at all. Many people on section 8 are "scummy" or troublemakers. I happen to know that any landlord that rents to section 8 tenants have all the rights that any other landlord has. They are allowed to do a background check, get reference from old landlords, and even run a credit check. They have every right to refuse to rent to a tenant based on anything that they uncover in that check that is unsatisfactory, just as they would with a tenant, or prospective tenant paying full rent.
That leads me to the conclusion that most landlords that are renting to section 8 tenants are taking the vouchers because of the guarantee of at least part of the rent, and not concerning themselves with who they are renting to.
I happen to have lived near many people that are renting at full price, with no government help and have had far more trouble with them than section 8 neighbors, and that is the fault of the landlord for being greedy and taking the voucher without knowing fully who they were renting to. It is all a matter of being careful and deciding who is a good tenant and who is not.
I recently received my section 8 voucher and it is not because I am lazy or greedy. I have 3 children, had to leave my husband as a result of domestic violence, and need some help getting on my feet. I, for one have fairly decent credit, a job, and a great set of references from former landlords, that is more than most non-section 8 residents can say, and I can assure you that yes, there are people out there who do take advantage, and they do sometimes cause problems, but that can be said for anyone disadvantaged or not.
The section 8 program screens the applicants and allows them to pay no more than 30% of their rent, which should be reassuring for a landlord, knowing that a tenant is not getting in over their head and strapping themselves, making it too difficult to pay up. It is a rather reasonable percentage, as the average rent is more than 50% of the median income in most areas for most non-assisted tenants. They also do criminal checks and do not allow anyone with a violent or drug-laced past to have a voucher without special restrictions or rehabilitation, that should be reassuring for any landlord.
I find that mindset to be rather like saying that all pit bulls are killers, or that all rats have rabies. It is just lack of education and class discrimination.
I understand your points... although I am not very keen on your making some correlation between the common thinking on ill breeding of dogs, rabid rodents, & those on Section 8... Not relevant or flattering but I'll take the relevant & leave the rest... lol
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
kardan
Wow!!! I'm amazed at the vast lack of information!
