Section 8 - Bergen County Question

[Kenneth Jackson]

Hello BP, 

I'm thinking of purchasing a duplex using an FHA/203K loan somewhere in Bergen County, NJ. I plan to live in one unit while renting out the 2nd unit. The 2nd unit would be rented out to my parents. Since they can't afford local rental rates in Bergen County NJ I wanted to see if the following was possible:

1 - Get my property Section 8 approved.

2 - Have my parents apply for Section 8 - Their only source of income is social security.

3 - Once both are approved they move in.

Is this even possible? 

[Kevin Hill]

Often there are long waiting lists for section 8 housing in NJ and sometimes they do not take on new applicants.

Generally, no a family member cannot be the landlord of a Section 8 household, unless the tenant is disabled and requests a reasonable accommodation.

A relative by blood or marriage may only be the landlord of a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher household if the tenant is disabled, they require a specially-modified unit, and such a unit is only available from a relative.