As the Center for Community Solutions pointed out, over 60,000 Cleveland, OH, households earn an annual income of under $25,000. Not everyone in this bracket lives below the poverty line, but many still struggle financially, especially with housing expenses.
The good news is that the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) exists. It's a government housing support program that provides rental assistance benefits to low-income renters. Qualified tenants can use their vouchers to rent out affordable housing options in the private rental market.
As a Cleveland landlord, you can also benefit from renting your property to Section 8 tenants. But to reap these perks, you must adhere to several guidelines.
Remax Haven Realty has shared the guidelines you need to know, so please read on.
1. Schedule CMHA Inspection
One of the most crucial guidelines for becoming a Section 8 landlord is to ensure your rental passes the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority's (CMHA) inspection requirement. CMHA is the government agency overseeing and administering Section 8 in Cuyahoga County, OH, including Cleveland. According to Better Buildings, it currently serves 55,000 people.
The CMHA is the public housing authority (PHA) you'll work with when renting your property to Section 8 tenants. It will require you to schedule and pass a property inspection.
2. Meet Housing Quality Standards
To pass the CMHA inspection, ensure your property meets the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) housing quality standards (HQS). HUD's HQS list consists of 13 key aspects that measure housing quality, performance, and acceptability. Ultimately, its goal is to ensure that while Section 8 rentals provide low-income housing solutions, they must be "decent, safe, and sanitary."
Some of the aspects covered by the HQS are:
- Building structure and materials
- Sanitary facilities
- Sanitary condition
- Space and security
- Interior air quality
So, before marketing your property to Section 8 tenants, hire licensed building contractors to inspect it thoroughly. Get the pros to bring it up to HUD's standards by repairing and maintaining your property.
3. Advertise Your Property to Section 8 Tenants
Once your property is up to code, you can advertise it for free on OhioHousingLocator.org or Affordablehousing.com.
You can also market it on platforms like Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor. However, your listings must indicate that "Section 8 housing vouchers are welcome."
4. Implement Uniform Tenant Screening Policies
While CMHA helps qualified Section 8 tenants by shouldering a large portion of the rental payments, it will not screen the tenants on your behalf. You will still be responsible for conducting background checks on each prospective renter. You must also enforce a uniform screening policy on all applicants, whether they're Section 8 voucher holders or not.
Ready to Rent to Section 8 Tenants?
Becoming a Section 8 landlord allows you to help low-income households in Cleveland access quality rentals while still earning the same as you would if you rent to regular renters.
So, if you're ready to give back to your community, consider partnering with Remax Haven Realty. Our full-service property management solutions can help ensure your rental meets HUD's HQS, and we will screen prospective renters on your behalf. Our company has been operating since 2010, and throughout our years of service, we've successfully grown our portfolio to include thousands of rentals in Cleveland and Akron.
Connect with us today to learn more about what we can do and request your free rental price analysis!
