WHAT IS SECTION 8 AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

WHAT IS SECTION 8?

The Section 8 Program is the Federal Government's major operating program which provides assistance for low income families in the private rental market through the Housing Assistance Payments Program.

SCOPE OF SECTION 8

Eligible participants select a unit from the private rental market. Rental assistance makes market rate housing affordable for the family. Program participants normally pay no more than 30% of their monthly adjusted income towards rent and utilities. The Housing Assistance Payment subsidizes the balance of the rent to the property owner.

The Section 8 Program places the choice of housing in the hands of the consumer. Under this program, lower income eligible families are encouraged to negotiate directly with landlords to locate rental housing best suited to their needs and which meets both rental and housing quality requirements of the program.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A UNIT TO BE RENTED UNDER THE PROGRAM?

All rental units must meet Federal housing quality standards as established by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); requested rents must be within approved payment standards and comparable to market rates (rent reasonable).

The City Housing Department will be responsible for informing eligible families and landlords as to what standards are required. When the family has selected a unit, they will request the landlord to complete a Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) form. The tenant returns the RTA to the Housing Department. After the RTA is accepted, the landlord or tenant may call to schedule an inspection on the unit.

Payment Standards by unit size are established by the City of Pensacola's Housing Department through guidelines established by HUD for each county or metropolitan area. When a family is determined to be eligible for the program, they are advised of their appropriate bedroom size, based on the family size and composition, and their applicable payment standard. The family's share of the rent may not exceed 40% of the family's monthly adjusted income during the initial lease period (24 CFR 982.508).

THE LANDLORD'S ROLE

The landlord's role is to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing to tenants at a reasonable rent. The rental unit must pass inspection to insure that it meets HUD's housing quality standards (HQS) and stay in compliance for as long as the owner receives rental assistance payments. In addition, the landlord is expected to provide the services agreed to as part of the lease with the tenant.

THE LEASE AND CONTRACT

After the unit passes inspection and the rent has been approved, the landlord and tenant enter into a lease for an initial term of one year, and the housing authority (HA) and the landlord sign a Housing Assistance Payments contract, through which the rent is assisted for one year. After one year, the lease is renewed for a specified time period.

After the initial term of the lease (12 months), the tenant may vacate with a 30-day notice. If the tenant remains in the unit, the tenant must be recertified for eligibility. The unit must be inspected for HQS annually at which time the landlord may request an annual adjustment in the rent. The request for rent increase must be received 60 days prior to the lease renewal and must be approved by the HA.

RENTAL ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS

The rental assistance payments are made directly to the landlord each month as long as the tenant continues in occupancy and the unit is maintained in standard condition. If the landlord fails to meet his obligations under the contract, the City has the right to terminate assistance payments. The landlord is responsible for collecting the tenant's portion of the rent each month.