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Updated almost 11 years ago on . Most recent reply

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Sam McClellan
  • Oakland, CA
10
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owner/occupant in duplex - rent to section 8?

Sam McClellan
  • Oakland, CA
Posted

Hey BPers,

I just recently closed my first deal: a duplex in Oakland, CA where I am living in one unit and will rent the other. I also just put up a listing advertising the other unit, and got a quick response from someone who wants to know if I will accept Section 8?

Interested in hearing about the pros and cons from those who have experience in this. In particular, anyone who has both owned and lived in the same building to Section 8 tenants.

Most Popular Reply

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Mel Selvidge
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Berkeley, CA
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Mel Selvidge
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Berkeley, CA
Replied

My biggest worry with a Section 8 housemate is that the individuals reason for needing assistance would be something that would make them a challenging neighbor, and you are not allowed to ask if a prospective tenant has a mental illness.  I don't have experience as a landlord, but I have one as a housemate and one as a friend to someone with Section 8 assistance:

  • In the last apt. that I rented briefly before we moved into our "forever home" the downstairs neighbor was a beautiful young woman with a tragic psychotic disorder.  She would scream and fight and throw things at her imaginary tormentors all night long.  It was excruciating.  She was ill and needed a place to live, but it was not sustainable for us to live above her either.  I could be wrong on my recollection/knowledge of the set up, but I believe her very physically handicapped aunt was the official section 8 tenant, and the niece was a "guest" who was not supposed to be staying there.  Since the niece wasn't the tenant, and I'm guessing that evicting someone as painfully and extremely debilitated as the aunt (extreme arthritis?) challenged his morality and charity, nothing happened.
  • A friend of mine (a close friend's brother) is mentally ill and receives Section 8 assistance.  He's a super sweet and intelligent guy, but he does make some questionable hygiene choices, and about once a year he has a melt down that ends with cops and/or EMS coming.  He also has two registered service cats that pee on everything but help keep him calm.  I love this guy, and I love cats, and I'm glad he has nice housing, but it would be a tall order to live with him.

I've known several people less well through my friends in the itinerate rock climbing community and my work in community colleges who received section 8 assistance because their social and emotional disabilities were significant enough to make full-time, ongoing employment untenable.  Again, mainly these are likable folks who just need help achieving a decent standard of living, but it could be challenging proposition to share a home space with them.

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