Section 8 Side Payments
By means of the years we have experienced a number of Segment 8 tenants endeavor to make a facet payment settlement with us in an exertion to entice us to accept their vouchers. We declined.
What are Segment 8 side payments?
Let’s suppose the asking lease for a device is $2,500. The Housing Authority has licensed a optimum sum for the unit of $2,300. The owner and the tenant make an agreement that the tenant will pay out the further $200 exterior of the arrangement with the Housing Authority. This is regarded a Portion 8 side payment. It is unlawful.
By building a side agreement the tenant could jeopardize losing their voucher. On the other hand, the Housing Authority has occur up with a incredibly inventive way for the tenant to report the extra payment whilst remaining anonymous. The consequence could be really worthwhile for the tenant even though exceptionally high priced for the proprietor who participated.
In Could 2014, the Housing Authority of Santa Clara County tackled a letter to Segment 8 voucher tenants entitled “Confidential Rent “Facet Payment” Survey.” The letter encourages the tenant to choose a study presented by Task Sentinel to guarantee their solutions are stored confidential and their housing voucher standing is secured.
The letter is posted on the Challenge Sentinel web site at http://housing.org/. Undertaking Sentinel does not share the study facts with the Housing Authority.
The study is made up of a few queries:
1. In the previous 6 decades, have you (or any individual in your house) compensated lease that was bigger than the “tenant lease” sum detailed on your most new Housing Authority hire portion letter?
2. Now, are you (or any one in your residence) paying lease that is bigger than the “tenant rent” total detailed on your most new Housing Authority rent portion letter?
3. At any time in the past, has a landlord asked for or collected hire payments that ended up greater than the “tenant hire” amount of money mentioned on your most latest Housing Authority hire portion letter?
If you’re a landlord whose tenant can answer “of course” to any of these three inquiries you must be worried.
In accordance to Job Sentinel, a tenant may be awarded a refund of the total facet payments designed to proprietor. In addition, the tenant could be awarded $1,650 to $3,300 for just about every month they produced a aspect payment to the proprietor, irrespective of the amount of side payment. Refund payments can go back as much as six decades.