Working with CPS?

Question

Hello!  We showed one of our properties to a women yesterday and her 2 kids.  She really liked the place and asked if we would be willing to work with child protective services.  She said that she is displaced right now and CPS is going to pay for her to get a place.  Anyone have experience with this?  Is this section 8? Do we have to get inspections? Do they typically have a rent amount limit they will pay for their women/children?  Any specific advice to protect myself/need any specific paperwork for taxes?  Thanks.

Bradley Bogdan · Answer

There are a lot of ways one can wind up in the CPS system, so lets not make more assumptions than needed. Abuse and neglect are the most common reasons CPS gets involved long term, but if the kids are being housed with the mom, odds are less than 50/50 that mom was the perpetrator, if that was even the issue. Getting evicted is almost never a reason to be involved with CPS, as almost nowhere in the US is being homeless with children considered a danger to the child in and of itself. Its considered more of a school district issue and whatever community resources there are, including some federal funds specifically for homeless youth, are usually funneled through there. That's a different discussion though.

If the tenant is talking about CPS paying for her place, I would definitely have the tenant provide you the information of their CPS worker and discuss what EXACTLY the payment arrangements will be. Usually, CPS funds are for "resettlement and stabilization" of a family, so perhaps a family moving away from an abusive adult, resettling after the parent completed an alcohol or drug program, or moving the family to somewhere where they have family supports (grandparents, healthcare, etc.). Usually, they are short term, ie they will pay for something like deposit and part or all of 6 months rent to get them on their feet. They will usually have support from CPS during that time, for what its worth. Just like local Public Housing Authorities vary widely, so do CPS departments.

A couple things I would make sure of:

- Don't skimp on your due diligence. Check references, credit, and especially criminal history, along with anything else you usually check.

- If the rest of the application looks good and meets your normal requirements, but you don't want to rent to them, make sure you don't run afoul of any local income discrimination laws, if your area has them.

- Make sure the tenant has the ability to continue paying on the place after the assistance ends. If she has no income or plan for income after any short term assistance expires, that's obviously a good reason to not rent to her (again making sure that the short term assistance doesn't run you afoul of income discrimination).

- Get the maximum deposit you're allowed to.

- DON'T PUSH HER FOR PERSONAL DETAILS. Obviously, require all the normal information for an application, but don't ask any questions that could leave you open to a discrimination suit. There are A LOT of rules protecting victims of domestic violence and I don't claim to be an expert in them, but those are definitely the kind of questions that could leave you open to trouble if she is a victim and you end up choosing not to rent to her.

- While you shouldn't push her for personal details, you should have a good long conversation with her to see if she wants to "volunteer" information. You'd be surprised with what people feel comfortable sharing with a virtual stranger, and that should give you a better idea of what kind of tenant she and her children would be.

- Finally, find a good balance for you personally in your investing. Some investors are very good at taking the emotion out of their work, and an example applicant such as this one obviously has red flags all over the place. Other investors very much link their personal values and vision of the world to their work, taking on (or not taking on) neighborhoods, people and programs that other investors wouldn't be willing to. Personally, even as a social worker in my day job, based on the info you've shared I probably wouldn't rent to her. I don't know that that's the right answer for you though (especially since you'll probably be getting much more info). The right answer for you is the one that you can sleep with at night, even if that means taking a measured risk of an eviction in the future.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Tony Christian · Answer

I would start by speaking directly to "CPS".  she'll supply you with information she either believes is correct or suits her needs.

I'm going to make the assumption that she was evicted from her previous dwelling.  She probably is already in the system with child protective services for anything from neglect to abuse.  So CPS probably checks up on her to make sure her living environment remains safe and secure.

It's CPS's job to look out for the welfare of children.  So they may give aid to families that are being evicted so the children won't be homeless.

Tell her to give you the contact number to her case worker.  Drill them with questions.  It's their job to give you answers.  Have them fax or email any relevant information.

Even if they'll pay for her expenses, still require a criminal and credit background check.   Speak to previous landlord, employer, etc.

It may be similar to programs we have here.  Move In expenses are paid.  After that, they're on their own.  Their are even programs where a tenant can bring them a notice for eviction and they'll help them find a new place.  So ask them, do they offer services like this.  If so, that's a tenant you probably don't want.

Sarah Miller · Answer

Right that's why I am asking.  It just caught us off guard during the showing and we had no idea what to even ask.  She said she will be applying so I was planning on gathering more info and then calling her.

Nicolaus Staccato · Answer

My ex was in court the had to get her kids back she finnishs in November 14th that pay her rent and electric she said there is a year lease i beleave thay pay everything but don't know how much except that it is a two bedroom apartment on the east side of Bakersfield ca

Nathan Gesner · Answer

CPS usually helps with the initial costs of getting settled. I don't know of any programs they offer that will continue paying rent for more than a couple months.

I personally don't care if CPS pays the bill but how is the woman going to keep up on the payments once that well dries up? What kind of credit does she have? Landlord references?

I've seen many cases like this and they almost always end badly. Sure, some women are in bad situations through no fault of their own but a large percentage of CPS cases involve people that have made bad choices over and over and over again. They do not make good tenants.

Jay Hinrichs · Answer

Nice post !!

my first thought was not the mom but maybe protecting kids from predatory relatives father.. My daughters mother in Law working Santa Clara county in code enforcement etc.. and when dispatched to hoarder houses she would call cps  its quite amazing the level of neglect in the way the house is run ( read filth) that is allowed before the state steps in..

Sarah Miller · Answer

@Bradley Bogdan

Thank you for the detailed response!  I did talk to the prospective tenant and she is going to apply.  She said she didn't really know the specific details of what CPS was offering but that her case worker told her to ask us if we would be willing to work with them if she was approved.  I told her to get as much info as she can about the arrangement and include the description on her application and to also provide me with her case worker's phone number and department information.  She said a lot has happened in the past few months and she is 'technically displaced' with her 2 kids.  I plan on checking everything like I would normally do (income, background, criminal, eviction, etc).  We'll see what happens.

Barbara G. · Answer

Is CPS only going to pay to get her settled?   Are they going to Pay the security and the first and last months rent?   Are they going to ask you to accept her as a section 8 Client?   You need to know how she is paying for the rest of the rent.  Is she on Public assistance?  You need to know much more before anyone knows what to tell you.

Jeremy Pace · Answer

Without the name of the program it is hard to tell you for sure.  I can tell you that it's not section 8.  They probably do have an inspection process (of some kind).  You need to ask the (prospective) tenant to provide you the landlord application for you to review.  Are they giving her a grant to get her started, or are they paying for her rent for X number of years?  These are all things that should be obvious in the documentation.

Working with CPS?

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