HUD VASH tenant question

[Brianna Jackson]

A prospective tenant just asked f we accept hud-vash....I found info on how they apply but not sure what that means to me as the landlord...can Antwon share some insight or links to help me out

[Patti Robertson]

I've housed many VASH voucher holders and agree with @Gail K..  These are just like any SEC 8 tenant, except they come with two case workers.  Be careful to remember if they are part of VASH, they are "disabled VETS". Not only can landlords in some states not discriminate on the basis of source of income, their disability also makes them a protected class no matter where you are landlording. In my area, their one bedroom vouchers almost always affords them a standard two bedroom apartment price. Working with these tenants is not for the faint of heart. I've never seen any get out of the program because they regained financial independence.  Rather, more than half in my pool, had their vouchers canceled because of the tenant's failure to adhere to the rules of the program. Unlike a regular SEC 8 tenant who loses their voucher when they cheat, lie, or steal, a VASH tenant general gets in trouble because of the severity of their mental disabilities that result in them going in and out of facilities - hospitals, jails, etc. I always want to help them, as do their case workers, but sometimes we want to help more than the voucher holder wants to help himself. (In my case they have always been male tenants, although I am sure there have to be some females in VASH too.)