Laundry in 1 Bedroom Units for Voucher Holders?

Question

I'm doing a reno on a couple of 1-bedroom units, and while I'll rent to anyone, my target tenant is voucher holders.

I've looked into adding laundry, and the cost is going to be 8-10k.  The units are in a decent but not great neighborhood west of the river.  I'm concerned that without the laundry I'll have trouble finding tenants, as it seems there's a lot of inventory of 1 bedroom units.

Any insights from folks who have worked with voucher holders would be most appreciated.

Matthew Paul · Answer

If you have room for a laundry , why not make it a 2nd bedroom ?

Will Johnston · Answer

@Matthew Paul , yeah, it's a code issue.

@Teresa F., That's good to know, thanks!

Matthew Paul · Answer

I dont see a problem with 1.5 inch for a washer drain , all my houses are that .Unless code calls for something else .

Teresa F. · Answer

Will, if you are willing to take a "rapid re-housing" tenant (generally these tenants are homeless or are in a precarious living situation) you will have very little problem finding a tenant.  Up until very recently, I was getting at least one call a week for tenants looking for housing.  Generally rapid re-housing folks have a one year voucher, however, there are also tenants who qualify for the rapid re-housing program who have a regular voucher in hand.  Best, Teresa

Will Johnston · Answer

@Ray Johnson, @Teresa F. thanks for the guidance! The 8-10k is total for both units and includes 2k for machines, as well as digging into the floor to tap into the main drain line, as the sink drains are only 1.5 inches.  They're going in the kitchen, the plumbing is the real cost.  The units themselves are in NE but are west of the river.

@Matthew Paul, I'd love to make it a second bedroom, but I'm just adding W/D to the kitchen. There's no space for a second bedroom.

Ray Johnson · Answer

@Will Johnston I have a few 1 bedroom units in DC and I have laundry in all of them, Are you in SE DC or in NE on the other side of the Anacostia? Even the voucher tenants in DC have a lot of options for 1 bedroom units with laundry, I would factor in laundry if you want to mitigate turnover.

8-10k seems a little high to add a laundry closet in a 1 bedroom, All of your bids are coming in around this same range?

Teresa F. · Answer

My 1 bedrooms have an LG washer/dryer (single unit) in the kitchen instead of a dishwasher.  Tenants seem to happy with the convenience of having an in-unit laundry and know that comforters, etc. will need to be washer at the laundromat.  Putting it in the kitchen may also cut that 8k rehab cost.

Laundry in 1 Bedroom Units for Voucher Holders?

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