Mandatory Section 8 in Los Angeles and LA county

[Steve Graves]

Copied this from the California Apartment Association website on 6/21/19: 

Both the city and county of Los Angeles this week advanced policies that will require landlords to consider applicants who would use Section 8 to help pay their rent.

The ordinances – one for the city of L.A., the other for the county’s unincorporated areas – will prohibit landlords from rejecting applicants based on their use of housing vouchers and other government assistance. Further, the laws will prohibit landlords from advertising that Section 8 is not accepted at their properties.

While the city ordinance is expected to take effect in January 2020, the county has not yet determined an effective date for its law.

My question to anyone is knowledgeable in Section 8 is:   How can they make it mandatory for me to accept Section 8 if my properties haven't been Section 8 approved?

I tried to make a duplex into a Section 8 property and there were so many hurdles and road blocks put in my way that I gave up. The property was nice and in good shape but they required all of these ridiculous nickel and dime requirements that were endless. So I guess they can say I need to accept the vouchers but will they waive all of the hoops and hurdles they put up to make a house compliant?

I honestly don't know how much longer I can stay a landlord in California. It's becoming so radically different from the state I grew up in.

[Steven Warner]

Steve: 

The law states that you cannot reject a tenant based on them using a section 8 voucher - not that you have to accept them as tenants.  

When I rent in LA County, I always note why I rejected an applicant as a tenant.  If I have a more financially stable prospective tenant, I note that on their application

As far as a qualified building, I have not converted a home and tried to jump through their hoops but I have found that in some case their little things are actually good for me (i.e. such as a tenant that removed a GFI from the bathroom and replaced it with a normal outlet.)  At that point it was a safety issue that I gladly paid.  

Yes, section 8 can be a pain but God I love have that money show up every month like clock work.... 

Hang in there.. 

Steve