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.
35yo, Caucasian single male, not a drunk or drug addict, lost job as a senior reporting analyst from a prestigious wealth manager in July 2008, still looking for employment and recently had two interviews, eight years of experience in the asset management field with two post-graduate Ivy League degrees, credit has suffered due to unemployed status, has been on HASA since early 2009, rent is current, still need to move due to change in HASA regulations and does not feel comfortable moving to the Bronx or certain sections of Brooklyn.
BTW, there is a law on the books now that prohibits "income discrimination" so if you own a building with 6 or more units, you must comply if I'm interested in an apartment... I don't care how much extra paperwork it is, everything is a bureaucracy... If I can get all my paperwork together, so can you.
Feel like renting to me? Let me know... a studio or small 1br would do in a reasonable area. I have to move by the end of May.
BTW, there is a law on the books now that prohibits "income discrimination" so if you own a building with 6 or more units, you must comply if I'm interested in an apartment... I don't care how much extra paperwork it is, everything is a bureaucracy... If I can get all my paperwork together, so can you.
No offense but this sounds a little threatening.
Maybe it wasn't meant that way but if I were a landlord or property manager I would steer clear of any individual who starts off by reminding me about laws having to do with "income discrimination". It sort of hints at a potential litigiousness that most landlords will not view as a positive attribute in a possible tenant.
I could be wrong but I can't imagine that you will be getting a lot of offers with the tone of your post.
35yo, Caucasian single male, not a drunk or drug addict, lost job as a senior reporting analyst from a prestigious wealth manager in July 2008, still looking for employment and recently had two interviews, eight years of experience in the asset management field with two post-graduate Ivy League degrees, credit has suffered due to unemployed status, has been on HASA since early 2009, rent is current, still need to move due to change in HASA regulations and does not feel comfortable moving to the Bronx or certain sections of Brooklyn.
BTW, there is a law on the books now that prohibits "income discrimination" so if you own a building with 6 or more units, you must comply if I'm interested in an apartment... I don't care how much extra paperwork it is, everything is a bureaucracy... If I can get all my paperwork together, so can you.
Feel like renting to me? Let me know... a studio or small 1br would do in a reasonable area. I have to move by the end of May.
No I would NEVER rent to you. First you come off to be a little slick one with an attitudereminding people of the "income discrimination" law that was passed 2 years ago by Andrew Cuomo who by the way I WON'T vote for as Governor.
Isn't HASA a program for people that have Aids? Just curious. Not dissing you, just want a clarification.
For your information, despite the income discrimination law, there are 101 ways to deny an apartment to a tenant that's on a program without raising a flag that the Landlord is so-called discriminating. Your competition are other WORKING tenants who are more desirable and easier to manage than a tenant on a public programs. the landlord has the right to screen his tenants and be selective on who he chooses as tenants especially in a rent stabilized apartment where once you get a tenant in, it is very difficult to get them out. The burden of proof is on the tenant to prove that the Landlord discriminated against them because they are on a program. If the landlord plays his cards right and is discreet, there will be NO proof that the landlord "discriminated" against the tenant on a program. If the landlord is careless, sloppy and makes it obvious then he is putting his business at risk.
35yo, Caucasian single male, not a drunk or drug addict, lost job as a senior reporting analyst from a prestigious wealth manager in July 2008, still looking for employment and recently had two interviews, eight years of experience in the asset management field with two post-graduate Ivy League degrees, credit has suffered due to unemployed status, has been on HASA since early 2009, rent is current, still need to move due to change in HASA regulations and does not feel comfortable moving to the Bronx or certain sections of Brooklyn.
BTW, there is a law on the books now that prohibits "income discrimination" so if you own a building with 6 or more units, you must comply if I'm interested in an apartment... I don't care how much extra paperwork it is, everything is a bureaucracy... If I can get all my paperwork together, so can you.
Feel like renting to me? Let me know... a studio or small 1br would do in a reasonable area. I have to move by the end of May.
Reason #1 why landlords prefer NOT to rent to tenants on programs is because the bureaucracy invloved in dealing with the program. It's a huge inconvenience for landlords trying to straighten out errors on check amounts, claims that the program never recieved the copy of the renewal lease because someone on their end dropped the ball which ultimately delays payments, and so forth. You get the idea.
Reason #2 why landlords prefer NOT to rent to tenants on programs is because the majority of them are "ghetto" for lack of a better word. And being ghetto brings along a certain lifestyle that is cancerous to an apartment building and neighborhood. It pretty much degrades the neighborhood by the way these people conduct themselves.
Reason #3 why landlords prefer NOT to rent to tenants on programs is because the extra long process invloved in evicting a tenant on a program. The program will FIGHT in court on behalf of the tenant to keep them in their apartment. Plus, an eviction is subject to the tenant finding another apartment that is willing to except programs which can take months and delay the eviction procedure.
Usually, the reasons WHY landlords take tenants on programs are:
#1: The amount of rent the program is willing to pay is MORE than what a landlord can get from a regular working tenant.
#2: Even if the landlord truely wanted to strictly rent out his apartments to WORKING people only, the building and neighborhood by then is already too far gone as in, too ghetto that a WORKING tenant would NEVER consider living among the rest of the undesirables in the neighborhood.
Therefore, the landlord must rent his apartments out to other "hood" people that just want a roof over their heads and are more tolerant to those conditions.
#3: The landlord is LAZY and has no resources on how to market his apartments. Therefore the landlord hires and depends on a real estate agent who has a mountain high pile of applications from people on programs looking for housing.
Since the real estate agent's sole motivation is to rent apartments in order to get their commission, he dumps program tenants into the building with no regard to how that will negatively effect the building/neighborhood as long as he gets paid. WHAT A SHAME!
Last edited by victorfox; 05-06-2010 at 11:51 AM..
No I would NEVER rent to you. First you come off to be a little slick one with an attitudereminding people of the "income discrimination" law that was passed 2 years ago by Andrew Cuomo who by the way I WON'T vote for as Governor.
Isn't HASA a program for people that have Aids? Just curious. Not dissing you, just want a clarification.
For your information, despite the income discrimination law, there are 101 ways to deny an apartment to a tenant that's on a program without raising a flag that the Landlord is so-called discriminating. Your competition are other WORKING tenants who are more desirable and easier to manage than a tenant on a public programs. the landlord has the right to screen his tenants and be selective on who he chooses as tenants especially in a rent stabilized apartment where once you get a tenant in, it is very difficult to get them out. The burden of proof is on the tenant to prove that the Landlord discriminated against them because they are on a program. If the landlord plays his cards right and is discreet, there will be NO proof that the landlord "discriminated" against the tenant on a program. If the landlord is careless, sloppy and makes it obvious then he is putting his business at risk.
that was unnecessary...you could have googled HASA for yourself like i did just now to find out what it is. I suspect you knew what it was all along. Too good of a guess.
__________________
"The man who sleeps on the floor, can never fall out of bed." -Martin Lawrence
Victor you know that it is illegal in NYC to deny people based on housing assistance/programs, so stating that you do so boldly is, in reality, no different than stating you won't rent to blacks, gays, Jews, etc. It is no diffent in the eyes of the law, and the same reasons you gave for not renting to people on programs are many of the same reasons people don't rent to other groups of so-called "undersireables (like the ones I listed above) at some time or another.
That being said, in my experience, renting to people on programs is almost always a recipe for disaster unfortunately. At the end of the day you are dealing with monumental bureacracy and laws that only benefit the Tenant. Sure your rent is paid on time in theory, however the reality is one inspection with ANY problems and the payments are suspended, and good luck trying to get them reinstated or back rent.
The caliber of Tenants on programs is the worst of NYC in general, as you are dealing almost exclusively with the homeless, those evicted from prior apts due to non-payment of rent/violence/destruction of apt, non-working/limited income (so when money gets tight, and it always does, you don't get paid their portion of the rent), and women with lots of kids and random men that come in and out of their lives. Are there "needles in the haystack?" Absolutely, but it is not worth the time or effort to find them when you have lots of working, responsible people with good credit that you can accept.
I periodically have apts come available, and overall those on programs are the vast majority of respondents to my ads on craigslist. The very few that actually make it through my initial email screening have shown up totally unprepared, unkempt, unprofessional (to put it nicely), and with little regard for how they present themselves. So if I were you, I would think long and hard before choosing a tenant on a program versus a working tenant. In general I would say a credit check for every tenant is a minimum....if by some miracle the tenant on a program has above a 650 credit score (which is the absolute minimum score you should accept), you should also do a criminal background check and visit their current residence.
But yes, the vast majority of respondents are people on programs, and alot of hustlers looking to sucker another Landlord. It is in your best interest to wait until you find the right tenant, versus taking the first one you meet, or because they are willing to pay more. It is much better to wait 6 months to find the right tenant, than to get stuck with a bad tenant who causes you non-stop headaches, won't pay rent, and will take possibly years to evict. Words to live by for every Landlord in NYC.
And in your ad, be sure to indicate you will be doing a credit check, and scores under 650 need not apply (no exceptions). Good luck..and if you need any further assistance, shoot me a private email.
And to dhherman, the 35 year old caucasian male, the answer to your question unfortuantely is no, I would not rent to you. Your bad credit immediately disqualifies you, although I sympathize with your situation. I find it interesting that you are unemployed, on a government program, must move by may, yet feel that you cannot live in the Bronx. I mean really..the entire Bronx?
You get all your rent paid for you, you are not working, yet you would not live in the Bronx...wow. It's that sort of attitude that shows me you are not willing to do what it takes to get back on your feet, or make the sacrifices necessary = a bad tenant in my eyes. For the record, you should be so lucky to live in many parts of the Bronx...it's not a sacrifice, a hardship, or a place that would make you "feel uncofomfortable." I can't imagine why someone would "feel uncomfortable" living in Riverdale, Morris Park, Pelham Parkway, Throggs Neck, Pelham Bay, Bedford Park/Kingsbridge, even Parkchester! And those are just off the top of my head.
Victor you know that it is illegal in NYC to deny people based on housing assistance/programs, so stating that you do so boldly is, in reality, no different than stating you won't rent to blacks, gays, Jews, etc. It is no diffent in the eyes of the law, and the same reasons you gave for not renting to people on programs are many of the same reasons people don't rent to other groups of so-called "undersireables (like the ones I listed above) at some time or another.
That being said, in my experience, renting to people on programs is almost always a recipe for disaster unfortunately. At the end of the day you are dealing with monumental bureacracy and laws that only benefit the Tenant. Sure your rent is paid on time in theory, however the reality is one inspection with ANY problems and the payments are suspended, and good luck trying to get them reinstated or back rent.
The caliber of Tenants on programs is the worst of NYC in general, as you are dealing almost exclusively with the homeless, those evicted from prior apts due to non-payment of rent/violence/destruction of apt, non-working/limited income (so when money gets tight, and it always does, you don't get paid their portion of the rent), and women with lots of kids and random men that come in and out of their lives. Are there "needles in the haystack?" Absolutely, but it is not worth the time or effort to find them when you have lots of working, responsible people with good credit that you can accept.
I periodically have apts come available, and overall those on programs are the vast majority of respondents to my ads on craigslist. The very few that actually make it through my initial email screening have shown up totally unprepared, unkempt, unprofessional (to put it nicely), and with little regard for how they present themselves. So if I were you, I would think long and hard before choosing a tenant on a program versus a working tenant. In general I would say a credit check for every tenant is a minimum....if by some miracle the tenant on a program has above a 650 credit score (which is the absolute minimum score you should accept), you should also do a criminal background check and visit their current residence.
But yes, the vast majority of respondents are people on programs, and alot of hustlers looking to sucker another Landlord. It is in your best interest to wait until you find the right tenant, versus taking the first one you meet, or because they are willing to pay more. It is much better to wait 6 months to find the right tenant, than to get stuck with a bad tenant who causes you non-stop headaches, won't pay rent, and will take possibly years to evict. Words to live by for every Landlord in NYC.
And in your ad, be sure to indicate you will be doing a credit check, and scores under 650 need not apply (no exceptions). Good luck..and if you need any further assistance, shoot me a private email.
EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT post Sobroguy minus the first paragraph. Lol. I don't discriminate, I SCREEN. There's a difference. I'll leave it at that. I'm just fed up with all these program tenants looking for housing thinking they are angels when they are NOT. They try to convince you in renting to them by throwing money at your face saying the program will pay you top dollar and pay you 6 months in advance plus security deposit and broker's fee. The Bronx has enough of your type as is, you think I'm gonna add more and make things worse for the Bronx? Nope! Only a desprete Landlord would fall for that.
Your description of these program tenants is 100%accurate and you said it more politely than I could ever have. I'm just raw and get to the point. No need to sugar coat things. If their feelings get hurt...good. Serves them good. Consider it a wake up call. Get your act togther and start acting like civilized people so people won't "discriminate" against you.
Being in the real estate rental business, I could tell you that it is NOT worth renting out to program tenants unless you like headaches, destroyed property among other "ghetto" behavior.
Last edited by victorfox; 05-06-2010 at 01:58 PM..
And it should be noted that alot of these programs will pay many months up front of rent, but once those 4-6 months of rent are paid, you are still stuck with an oftentimes really bad tenant and all the problems that go with that. Beware of any tenant whose best attribute is XXX months rent payment upfront..that is a BIG warning sign.
And it should be noted that alot of these programs will pay many months up front of rent, but once those 4-6 months of rent are paid, you are still stuck with an oftentimes really bad tenant and all the problems that go with that. Beware of any tenant whose best attribute is XXX months rent payment upfront..that is a BIG warning sign.
YEP!!!!!! I get emailed and phone calls all the time from people just like that. And they ALL use the same "6 months of rent paid upfront" line. Sorry...ain't falling for that.
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.
