A new congressional bipartisan effort is seeking to expand the Housing Choice Vouchers program, more commonly known as Section 8 vouchers.
The Choice in Affordable Housing Act was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and in the House by Reps. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Mike Lawler (D-NY). The bill calls for $500 million to create the Herschel Lashkowitz Housing Partnership Fund – named after the Fargo, North Dakota mayor who advocated for affordable housing – with funds being distributed to public housing agencies (PHAs) to offer a signing bonus to a landlord with a unit in a low-poverty area. The PHAs would also provide security deposit assistance so tenants can better afford to meet required deposits while landlords are assured greater protection against damages.
Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) would provide a bonus to PHAs that retain a dedicated landlord liaison on staff. The bill would also increase funding to the Tribal HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program and call on HUD to expand its 2016 rule requiring the use of Small Area Fair Market Rents to calculate fair rents in certain metro areas.
The bill would also “encourage HUD to reform its annual evaluation of PHAs to promote an increase in the diversity of neighborhoods where vouchers are used.”
The bill has been endorsed by multiple housing and real estate trade groups including the National Association of Realtors, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Building Owners and Managers Association.
“We support the Choice Act, which addresses many challenges our members encounter, and are ready to collaborate with Congress to reform the program,” said Bob Pinnegar, president and CEO of the National Apartment Association.
Horrible bill
I had a section 8 tenant, started out with 2 kids ended up with 4. Bright and beautiful girl, started out with a pharmacy tech job and went down hill from there. Would never keep the house clean and had junk all around the yard. Would not mow as was in her lease. I never had a clue she had a drinking problem. Ended up in a coma, had to live with mom, 2 younger kids shipped to “family Friends” and older ones moved in with friends. Section 8 gave her money towards utilities too, and they were always threatening to turn off. Truly a waste of a life. Ended up needing 3 dumpsters to haul out all of her stuff once I got possession. These people are not responsible. I say do not help anyone if they are not working full time and if they quit their job they are automatically off Section 8. Section 8 did not require her to work full time, so she had plenty of time to goof off and drink…. Roofer has employee that never comes to work on Mondays -gets to live free on baby moms section 8. I say get rid of it, and instead let the local government and churches help. And Craig, encouraging them to get off it does not work they need a big foot LOL
The section 8 program has a legitimate place however there is soooo much abuse in the program it needs to be restructured to encourage people to get off assistance and make room for those that legitimately need it. The system as it is encourages people to stay on the program and creates generational dependence.
I agree. The entire social welfare net creates generation after generation relying on taxpayers for assistance. This needs to stop. Renters using Section 8 who damage and destroy properties should be thrown out and not allowed benefits again.
All voucher programs should be funded at the local level under state controlled programs. The Federal Government should have no administrative role in this process.
I would feel better of doge looked over it first. I really would like the printing machine stopped cold.
The housing agencies validating these tenants need to be liable for the repairs to the units that get trashed and destroyed!
Never ever known a Landlord who didn’t regret the damage the tenants did. The problem is Section 8 inspects after their tenancy and blame the Landlord for how “Bad Condition” the property is in! No, a bad program that has no repercussions for damaging tenants!!!
When I was a real estate agent (now retired), I placed dozens of section 8 recipients in rentals in the Greater Boston Area. There were never any complaints about any of the families I arranged to get leases.
Horror stories I’ve heard can often be attributed to lack of investigation into applicants, which can be rigorous, but worth it for both landlord and tenants. This is not to say that occasionally there are unforeseen issues that cannot be uncovered regardless of how fully an applicant’s background is researched, and I realize that I was lucky. But the horror stories, though comprising a small percentage of Section 8 rentals, are the ones that get repeated most often and contribute to a landlord’s reluctance to rent to Section 8 recipients.
All of the Section 8 recipients I placed were hardworking people who needed financial help to find a better place to live for themselves and their families. If they’d been otherwise, any real estate agent knows who would hear about it first.
Additionally, I found that the Housing Authority staff I worked with were a no-nonsense mix of social worker and bureaucrat, who fought all kinds of obstacles to advocate for fair housing for all and for their clients in particular.
I dealt with Section 8 tenants and it was always a disaster. Tenants would trash units and there would be no consequence. I am all for helping but they never care about the properties. Give the money to vets who made sacrifice for our country.