Comments on: Tues. Afternoon Rental Option – Woodley Park

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 09:34:54 +0000

Private landlords can choose not to rent to hcv holders, so I’m guessing this was just left in as standard language? It’s a different story if the owner is receiving other housing subsidy, such as lihtc, but I doubt that’s the case, given the rent asked.

By: ksk

ksk — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 21:00:01 +0000

Gah, this question has totally piqued my inner wonk! So…eligibility is based on percentage of area median income, which for 2009 (the most recent figures in DCHA’s participant guide for Section 8) meant that technically a family of 4 could make as much as $64,000 (80% AMI) and a 1-person family as much as $44,800 (also 80% AMI) and be eligible for HCVP. However, this would be difficult to do, as HUD requires that local public housing authorities set aside at least 75% of their HCVs for people who are 30% or below area median income (so approximately $30,000 for a family of 4 and $21,000 for 1 person).

(Also, outside the realm of theoretical eligibility, there are something like 25,000 people on the waiting list for either public housing or Section 8 in DC, so unless special circumstances move certain applicants up the list…it’s a long slog to actually get the voucher.)

By: ksk

ksk — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 20:44:09 +0000

I think it would depend partially on the voucher-holder’s income. Typically (and perhaps you’re already familiar with HCVP, Anon., but in case others reading are not), tenants contribute around 30% of their income toward the rent, and the voucher pays the rest. However, there IS a “payment standard” (in this case, in DC for a 2br as of 2010, that amount was $1,643 per month), which is the maximum possible amount that the landlord/tenant can get in subsidy from the HCVP.

This is simply the absolute maximum that the voucher can subsidize, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that a tenant/landlord can get that full amount. DC Housing Authority has “submarket” areas (ie, neighborhoods) and will approve varying voucher subsidy amounts based on the market rates in that submarket area. So it’s conceivable that a Section 8 voucher-holder applying to rent in Woodley Park could get approved for the full amount of subsidy but a voucher holder seeking to rent in, for instance, Congress Heights, would get a lower subsidy from the voucher program based on overall lower market rents in that area. In any case, no voucher-holders can get more than the payment standard.

All that said, I’m guessing that the “Section 8 welcome” is included in the listing mostly for legal reasons, since Section 8 discrimination is technically prohibited (although I’d imagine it certainly happens under the radar).

By: #

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 20:29:31 +0000

Given what I assume the income requirements to be eligible for section 8 are, I am not sure how someone could qualify and still make enough to pay the difference in cash. Can you get two section 8 people for one apartment though?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 20:06:55 +0000

I like that Section 8 (Housing Choice Vouchers) are welcome at a luxury apartment. Is that a requirement, but in reality no one could do that or is there a possibility of someone using the program to rent there?

By: michael

michael — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 19:16:15 +0000

Honestly, although high, I think this is a decent price. Not a bargain, but this place looks pretty swank/large, and 2 beds in woodley park apartment buildings are going in the high $2000s these days. So if you’re comparing to those, I think its about expected.