Learn 5 Things You Cannot Do in Section 8 Housing

Section 8 housing gives low income renters financial help from the state government. Section 8 provides vouchers to people to help pay rent. Renters may have to live in public housing (project-based vouchers), but they can also rent from private landlords (tenant-based vouchers). Once they get Section 8, there are rules and regulations people have to follow to keep getting Section 8 vouchers. If they don’t follow the rules, people can be evicted or lose their benefits, so it is important to know the rules. This article looks at 5 rules for Section 8 housing.

You Cannot Break Your Lease in Any Way

There are, of course, obvious behaviors by any tenant that could result in eviction from any rental: criminal activity, willful destruction of property, disturbing the peace, and so on. However, there may be small things in your lease, which, if overlooked, could result in you losing your voucher. Especially if you are renting privately, make sure you read your lease carefully so you understand what is a violation.

Many people think that you cannot have pets in Section 8 housing. Generally, you should be allowed a pet, but only with permission, and different buildings may have different rules. This should be covered in the lease. You may be required to pay a protective deposit, although the same restrictions should not apply to service animals.

You Cannot Leave Damage Unreported

No matter what the damage to the unit or property, it cannot be left unreported. Doing so could be considered a lease violation. If any payment is owed for the damage, the Public Housing Authority can pay the amount to your landlord, and you can pay back the amount to the Housing Authority. You may want to make a record of your contact with the landlord in these cases. You should record the damage itself. If there is any damage to the unit or property when you first move in, you should record it and contact the landlord right away.

You Cannot Fail to Report Changed Circumstances

If the size of your household changes, you must report the change within 10 days. The official members of your household are accounted for in your family report. If anyone not on this list is found to be staying with you, you may lose your voucher. This includes newborn infants, siblings or other relatives moving in with you, as well as spouses and partners. You should also notify the Housing Authority if your household shrinks at all. This may be due to a break-up, or adult children moving away. Any changes to your income should also be reported within 10 days. This includes both increases and decreases. The income reported should include the entire household’s earnings. The amount of money accounted for by your voucher is generally adjusted to reflect the household income.

You Cannot Have Unauthorized Guests for an Extended Time

If someone staying with you is not on your family report, that means that he or she is officially a guest. This includes partners and relatives. A guest may not stay with you for more than 15 consecutive days. He or she may also not stay for more than 30 total days over a one-year period. If you have a guest staying with you for longer than this, you may lose your voucher. You can apply for an official extension of these allowed times. However, it is best to do so as soon as possible, in case the time runs out before permission is granted. If this happens, your rent may be raised, and you may have to pay retroactively for the time the person stayed with you. You may even get evicted, depending on the circumstances.

You May Not Be Allowed to Smoke

If you live in public housing, you will not be allowed to smoke inside the building. This includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes and water pipes. The restriction should apply to a perimeter of 25 feet around the building, to eliminate the chance of second-hand smoke inhalation for other residents. There will usually be a designated area beyond the 25-foot boundary where you will be allowed to smoke. For private rentals, whether you can smoke or not will depend on the lease. If you cannot find anything on your lease referring to it, you should make a point to ask your landlord what the rules are. If smoking is banned in your building, there may be a smoking area outside.