how do you feel about affordable housing?

[jghorton]

When folks start advertising with 'politically sensitive euphemisms', nothing changes but, the name and confusion arises. "Affordable housing" sounds more pleasant than "subsidized, section 8 housing", ... just like "Entitlement" sounds better than "Welfare."

There may be some legitimate, equal quality, "affordable housing" in more expensive areas, but, for the most part, it is only lower quality apartments and townhomes or Section 8 housing... which few want in upscale neighborhoods. This is absolutely NOT a discriminatory observation! It is a simple economic decision based on the fact that a large percentage of section 8 housing is unkempt, in poor repair and often looks like a ghetto ... and will drive-down the value of any higher priced homes in the area.

[james777]

Originally Posted by Silverfall

Oregon's ban on blanket "No section 8" policies will start July of 2014. Landlords can turn down renters for other reasons, but won't be allowed to turn them down because they are paying via section 8.

For those people who say that landlords should be forced to take section 8 vouchers, the problems that I have witnessed are not with the section 8 tenants, the problems come when dealing with the fools at the local housing authority that administers the section 8 vouchers and tenants. In addition to the usual bureaucratic bungling, there is the matter of the section 8 lease. When a landlord accepts a section 8 tenant, the landlord signs a lease with the tenant AND a lease with the local housing authority. The lease with the local housing authority is provided by the housing authority and is understandably written in favor of the housing authority. Amongst the legal jumble in the lease is a clause which states that the housing authority can terminate payments at any time for any reason or for no reason, and without giving a cause. If you were a landlord, who had to keep up mortgage payments and other expenses on the property (I have known very few landlords who owned property free and clear), would you want to sign a lease like that? If the housing authority stops payments to the landlord, remember that the tenants are still in the property and will continue to be there until you successfully evict them. Good luck with that.

As for the people who say that section 8 housing ruins the community, this is not always true. It depends on the tenant and the landlord. Section 8 tenants fall anywhere on the spectrum from excellent to rotten. Excellent?? Yes, I have managed property with excellent section 8 tenants. If they are good housekeepers (inside and out), and if they behave themselves (don't engage in criminal activity), chances are good that the neighbors don't know that the tenant is receiving section 8 assistance.

This is a terrible loss for landlords. Landlords should have the freedom to deal with whomever they please, as long as they do not discriminate. Since when is the section 8 housing authority a protected class? Race, religion, LGBT people are all protected, but those who hold section 8 vouchers?? Give me a break!!

[blazerj]

It's awesome, just not in my town!