Getting this housing choice voucher is not an easy task, but remaining the benefits stay with you is also considerable work. To kick-off, you must know what can cause you to lose your Section 8 voucher? This will help you determine what you should do to protect your benefits. Go ahead and keep reading with Hanfincal.
1. Understand the difference between eviction and termination
What is the difference between eviction and termination? Termination is the act of being removed from a subsidy program, as opposed to being evicted from one.
To put it another way, an “eviction” occurs when a tenant is forced to leave their apartment for any reason. Section 8 tenants must go through the same eviction process as other tenants.
In Section 8 housing, a “termination” occurs when a subsidy recipient is removed from the program because they broke the rules and are no longer eligible to participate. As a result, the tenant will be liable for the entire amount of the rental agreement. The landlord may begin the eviction process if the tenant cannot pay the full rent that the landlord has demanded of them.
The benefits Section 8 brings to tenants are undeniable. So, do you want to get one? Fill out the form in the button below. Section 8 voucher is in your hands!
2. What can cause you to lose your Section 8 voucher?
2.1. Criminal activity
Criminal activity is the quickest way to cause you to lose your Section 8 voucher. Here are some specific criminal acts:
- Drugs: The Public Housing Authority (PHA) must have a policy for dealing with household members whose illegal drug use interferes with other residents’ health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises.
- Violent criminal activity: The family must not engage in violent criminal activity, but this isn’t an automatic termination.
- Abuse, assault, and stalking are forbidden. Domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking won’t be grounds to terminate a victim’s or a family member’s voucher.
- Meth: The housing authority must evict anyone convicted of making meth in federally assisted housing.
2.2. Nonreporting is what can cause you to lose your Section 8 voucher
Nonreporting is another reason for losing your housing choice voucher benefits. Voucher holders must report household members’ incomes. The housing authority may terminate a voucher for “noncompliance” with reporting procedures if a tenant/voucher holder doesn’t do this.
What can cause you to lose your Section 8 voucher?
2.3. Dodgy reasons
Some dodgy reasons that the PHAs in the United States can consider to evict or terminate the Section 8 housing choice voucher of low-income tenants, as below:
- If one household member is jeopardizing the housing of the others, the PHA can remove that person from the voucher but keep the rest of the family on it.
- The PHA must make reasonable accommodations for disabled family members.
- The PHA can consider whether a tenant still uses illegal drugs or abuses alcohol.
- Domestic abuse, sexual assault, and stalking survivors are protected.
- Plus, PHAs can’t terminate vouchers for discriminatory reasons.
2.4. Various reasons
Other reasons cause you will lose your Section 8 housing voucher listed following:
- “Serious or repeated” lease violations are prohibited.
- Before moving out or ending their lease, voucher holders must notify the housing authority.
- If the landlord issues an eviction notice, the family must notify the housing authority. Eviction notices are only grounds for termination if the family doesn’t provide a copy.
- Tenants must allow housing authority inspections.
What can cause you to lose your Section 8 voucher? Albeit the accidental or intentional action, illegal activities can cause you to lose your Section 8 voucher in a short time. Remember the waiting time you had experienced on the waiting list? It is not a fast period, right? That is why you should make every effort to protect and hold your benefits to stay with you as long as possible. Bear in mind all the reasons that Hanfincal noticed in the post above. They are helpful in any case.
