Buying Next to Section 8 Housing

[Paul Kong]

Hi All, 

This is my first post! Excited to join the network and look forward to interacting with all of you for the foreseeable future! I'm new to real estate investing but am planning on getting my feet wet soon! 

I've been looking at some properties in the Atlanta area and I'm primarily looking for townhomes. It'd be a home that I could see myself living in as well. However, I want to test out the waters for Airbnb and possibly rent it out yearly if the numbers are right. It's no secret that Atlanta is becoming more and more gentrified in the city and so a few of the units that I really liked are close to Section 8 housing. My favorite home is actually across the street from a bunch of Section 8 housing units and you regularly see the tenants walking around and just hanging out on the steps and on the patio. Being from Atlanta, this doesn't bother me that much but I just wanted to get everyone's opinion on whether it'd be a good idea to buy near Section 8. Also, this home is located real close to a really thriving area of Atlanta near the Beltline. 

PK

[Paul Kong]

Originally posted by @Simcha Davidman:

Hi @Paul Kong welcome to BP!

I know some great people that are in Section 8. It's not inherently evil, as I'm sure you know. As long as the neighborhood is safe, I'd think you shouldn't have a problem. If you AirBnB, then most guests probably won't even know until they're there, and as long as there are no confrontations, it probably won't effect them much. I mean, I assume people airbnbing in Atlanta are not coming to sit on the stoop and notice all the other people sitting on theirs. And if you lease it for a year, chances are the tenants you get for that neighborhood would be ok with neighbors that may be on the lower income side, even if they're not.

 Thanks for the insight Simcha! Yes, I'm with you on the Section 8 housing tenants not being evil. I actually got along quite well with a lot of the poor residents who lived close to my Dad's store in the inner city of Chattanooga. The only apprehension was whether or not the majority of short-term and long-term renters would be comfortable with it since not all may share the same views/outlook. Thanks!