Evicting a Section 8 Tenant (TAW) in MA - Process/Time/Cost?

[Salina Doe]

Hi Investors & Landlords, 

I am evicting a Section 8 TAW for nonpayment of rent. I inherited a section 8 tenant when I bought the house last month who has been here for 10 years and has not paid his partial of last month's rent. Him and his wife both have cancer and the section 8 is under his wife's name who is hospitalized for some time. This tenant has ignored my warnings - to stop smoking in the unit (multiple times), having unauthorized guests in the unit without my permission, have spread rumors and lies about me throughout the neighborhood, and have ignored my texts (only method of communication).  Just wanted to see how long does it take to evict someone in Massachusetts and is also a section 8 recipient + cost? 

Thank you in advance! 

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @Salina Doe:

The question isn't whether or not you can still receive Section 8 funds. The question is whether or not you want to keep this tenant. I don't know why you would.

1. They are probably below market rate so you are losing money.

2. Despite receiving government assistance for a decade, they're still incapable of paying their portion on time or appreciating what they've got.

3. They are damaging the property by smoking inside.

4. They are violating the lease by allowing unauthorized occupants.

5. They are acting hostile towards you.

This is not normal behavior. This is how the bottom 10% of tenants act. If it were me, I would contact the caseworker and explain that you want to terminate their lease for non-payment of rent and other lease violations. Whether the caseworker helps or not, you should figure out how to get rid of them, clean up the unit, and rent it at a fair market rate to people that will appreciate your rental.