Travis County Section 8

[Mike De Lota]

Hello, I am considering accepting Section 8 voucher tenants for my SFH and small MF rentals in Travis County. After reading previous forum posts, I've come to find out Section 8 can be tenant or landlord "friendly" but this varies from market to market and even county to county. Has anyone had experience renting to Section 8 tenants in Travis County? My properties are in solid B class areas and have been well maintained and will be professionally property managed.

I like the idea of guaranteed rent checks, especially with such tumultuous and uncertain economic times and am not turned off by the idea that my properties have to be kept up to code and in good shape. Assuming the applicants are properly vetted and found to be qualified, what are your thoughts on renting to section 8 tenants? Pros vs cons? Can they be treated like any other tenant in that if they violate the lease agreement they can be evicted (assuming not due to a COVID-related hardship)? What's the process like for raising rent to market value year after year (any restrictions about this)?

Thanks in advance!

[Steve Morris]

In Portland, so TX may be different.  Here you cannot discriminate based on source of income, even if it is a Sec 8 voucher.

Having said that, I have no problem taking apps using Sec 8, however, they need to pass the same screen as any other applicant (which is good practice in general in light of fair housing rules).

I broker LIH and some people love Sec 8 (mainly because you get the EFT on the 1st), but most times you have a tenant co-pay that you need to collect.  So I'd consider Sec 8 not a swing factor either way.