Less than 3% of the population in the United States find themselves living in government housing, otherwise classified as Section 8 housing.
If you're applying for housing under the government, you're going to need to know that there are some guidelines that will need to be met if you want to receive housing assistance.
Read on now to find out what is reasonable rent under section 8.
Location Matters
The first factor that will be considered to determine if you'll be paying fair market rent is the location of the home you're trying to use your voucher for. The home's location has to fall within the area that Section 8 covers.
However, one exception to this rule is if the unit you're trying to live in is located nearby, you might have some wiggle room to have them accept your housing in this area.
Of course, if they accept the home as a part of their coverage area, some adjustments will have to be made to make everything work.
Comparison To Other Units
Another factor that Section 8 will take into consideration when section 8 is determining whether your rent is reasonable or not is the size of your home. They will typically consider the square footage of the unit you're looking to rent.
For example, if your home is a three bed to 2 bath home and it's 600 square feet, but it's being compared to a property that is a three bedroom two bath home at 1700 square feet, these aren't the same.
The homes that are being compared will need to have the same number of bedrooms and bathrooms and match in square footage.
Condition of the Property
The property's condition is important because you don't want to pay a higher rent amount for a home that desperately needs repair. Section 8 isn't going to compare properties that are at different stages of repair.
And truthfully, you wouldn't want them to because the point is for the rent you're paying, to be fair. While we're on the topic of property condition, this also applies to any upgrades or amenities the landlord's added to the property.
Many landlords will add to the property they rent to make it more appealing to those looking to rent. Depending on the upgrade that the landlord makes to the home, it makes it easier for the landlord to ask potential tenants to pay higher rent.
Therefore, this is something that section 8 will take into account to ensure things are being done by the book every time.
Section 8: Factors That Matter in Rent Assessment
When you're dealing with section 8, there is a period where they will evaluate your next potential home. This is to ensure you're not charged more than the home itself is worth.
Ensure the home you've chosen to live in is in the coverage area and has everything you need in a home. Want to know more about housing assistance?
Contact Green Tree Property Management for all your property rental needs. We want to be the ones to help you settle into your new home.
