Tips on renting in this day and age?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Beware, some buildings in DC NW, and even condo towers are taking housing vouchers and have a big enough influx of tenants whose lifestyle may not be compatible with yours..

My elderly aunt had to move out, she couldn't stand pervasive pot smoke everywhere, increase in levels of noise and crime.

Op here. I have made a list of those buildings and property management companies that run them. Will be avoiding them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beware, some buildings in DC NW, and even condo towers are taking housing vouchers and have a big enough influx of tenants whose lifestyle may not be compatible with yours..

My elderly aunt had to move out, she couldn't stand pervasive pot smoke everywhere, increase in levels of noise and crime.

Op here. I have made a list of those buildings and property management companies that run them. Will be avoiding them.

Good for you, you are smart. another way to avoid it is to rent a rowhome or an SFH, this way you aren't dealing with shared hallways, and small LLs in good neighborhoods would be reluctant to risk taking on tenants without a good FICO score and a solid background check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beware, some buildings in DC NW, and even condo towers are taking housing vouchers and have a big enough influx of tenants whose lifestyle may not be compatible with yours..

My elderly aunt had to move out, she couldn't stand pervasive pot smoke everywhere, increase in levels of noise and crime.

Op here. I have made a list of those buildings and property management companies that run them. Will be avoiding them.

How did you get that list? I didn't know there was a list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally always had more luck with smaller landlords— both cheaper rent and generally more responsive. A landlord who held on their starter condo or home is always a good bet, because they have an interest in maintaining it and generally are interested in stable tenants over lots of profit.

Op here. Yeah, I think so to. On the flip side, you risk the landlord wanting to sell or move their kid in. Is a realtor the best way to find smaller landlords? I do see some single family homes/townhomes/condos on Hotpads etc from time to time but not sure if you really need to go through a realtor?

I have always used Zillow and communicated with landlords there. I’ve rented 3 different dc rowhomes that way, all were totally fine.

It’s true that many landlords want to avoid realtors, since they take first month’s pay (though the landlord pays that, not you.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beware, some buildings in DC NW, and even condo towers are taking housing vouchers and have a big enough influx of tenants whose lifestyle may not be compatible with yours..

My elderly aunt had to move out, she couldn't stand pervasive pot smoke everywhere, increase in levels of noise and crime.

Op here. I have made a list of those buildings and property management companies that run them. Will be avoiding them.

How did you get that list? I didn't know there was a list.

Just by looking online about the issue. There are I think 3 officially on the MPD “nuisance” list but several others mentioned. You can also kind of tell some of them because the price for a 2 bedroom is exactly the voucher amount. I also check reviews online and think I have identified a property management company that does a better job with screening because I don’t see complaints.

But not gonna lie, the DC voucher policy is one factor making MD look better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beware, some buildings in DC NW, and even condo towers are taking housing vouchers and have a big enough influx of tenants whose lifestyle may not be compatible with yours..

My elderly aunt had to move out, she couldn't stand pervasive pot smoke everywhere, increase in levels of noise and crime.

Op here. I have made a list of those buildings and property management companies that run them. Will be avoiding them.

Good for you, you are smart. another way to avoid it is to rent a rowhome or an SFH, this way you aren't dealing with shared hallways, and small LLs in good neighborhoods would be reluctant to risk taking on tenants without a good FICO score and a solid background check.

Ideal would be an apartment in a small building, or in a condo building. My budget is tight and I don’t think I can afford a SFH + utilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beware, some buildings in DC NW, and even condo towers are taking housing vouchers and have a big enough influx of tenants whose lifestyle may not be compatible with yours..

My elderly aunt had to move out, she couldn't stand pervasive pot smoke everywhere, increase in levels of noise and crime.

Op here. I have made a list of those buildings and property management companies that run them. Will be avoiding them.

How did you get that list? I didn't know there was a list.

Just by looking online about the issue. There are I think 3 officially on the MPD “nuisance” list but several others mentioned. You can also kind of tell some of them because the price for a 2 bedroom is exactly the voucher amount. I also check reviews online and think I have identified a property management company that does a better job with screening because I don’t see complaints.

But not gonna lie, the DC voucher policy is one factor making MD look better.

I am wondering what the outcome of voucher craze will be. Large management companies look at it as a cash cow and they don't mind when market rate tenants and especially rent control tenants are driven away by misbehaving section 8 tenants. At some point the entire buildings will turn into government subsidized privately run projects that will suck the taxpayer dry and pad the pockets of corporate landlords. Small landlords are apparently penalized if they refuse section 8 tenants or indicate in any way that they don't take vouchers. So, it is spreading into smaller buildings and single family buildings too. LLs are compensated for potential damages with higher rent should they be unlucky to get a tenant with issues. Even if they don't want to rent to potentially problematic tenants, they are forced to. But taxpayers and those living in the city next to them aren't compensated, and their taxes are likely going to rise to create more expensive housing for low income. Let's guess what happens next.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beware, some buildings in DC NW, and even condo towers are taking housing vouchers and have a big enough influx of tenants whose lifestyle may not be compatible with yours..

My elderly aunt had to move out, she couldn't stand pervasive pot smoke everywhere, increase in levels of noise and crime.

Op here. I have made a list of those buildings and property management companies that run them. Will be avoiding them.

How did you get that list? I didn't know there was a list.

Just by looking online about the issue. There are I think 3 officially on the MPD “nuisance” list but several others mentioned. You can also kind of tell some of them because the price for a 2 bedroom is exactly the voucher amount. I also check reviews online and think I have identified a property management company that does a better job with screening because I don’t see complaints.

But not gonna lie, the DC voucher policy is one factor making MD look better.

I am wondering what the outcome of voucher craze will be. Large management companies look at it as a cash cow and they don't mind when market rate tenants and especially rent control tenants are driven away by misbehaving section 8 tenants. At some point the entire buildings will turn into government subsidized privately run projects that will suck the taxpayer dry and pad the pockets of corporate landlords. Small landlords are apparently penalized if they refuse section 8 tenants or indicate in any way that they don't take vouchers. So, it is spreading into smaller buildings and single family buildings too. LLs are compensated for potential damages with higher rent should they be unlucky to get a tenant with issues. Even if they don't want to rent to potentially problematic tenants, they are forced to. But taxpayers and those living in the city next to them aren't compensated, and their taxes are likely going to rise to create more expensive housing for low income. Let's guess what happens next.

HUD recently issued a report criticizing DC for overpaying for vouchers. Maybe that will move the needle.

It’s important to point out that the problematic DC program is not section 8. It’s vouchers to house the formerly homeless. The problem is DC provides zero services to the buildings or recipients to ensure they behave properly. They just dump them in the building and say it’s the landlord’s responsibility to oversee building security.

[Anonymous]

More info on the voucher program problems. This article mentions a property management co I am avoiding.

https://thedcline.org/2019/05/31/a-connecticut-avenue-apartment-complex-shows-effects-of-a-legal-loophole-and-cracks-in-city-housing-subsidy-programs/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beware, some buildings in DC NW, and even condo towers are taking housing vouchers and have a big enough influx of tenants whose lifestyle may not be compatible with yours..

My elderly aunt had to move out, she couldn't stand pervasive pot smoke everywhere, increase in levels of noise and crime.

Op here. I have made a list of those buildings and property management companies that run them. Will be avoiding them.

How did you get that list? I didn't know there was a list.

Just by looking online about the issue. There are I think 3 officially on the MPD “nuisance” list but several others mentioned. You can also kind of tell some of them because the price for a 2 bedroom is exactly the voucher amount. I also check reviews online and think I have identified a property management company that does a better job with screening because I don’t see complaints.

But not gonna lie, the DC voucher policy is one factor making MD look better.

I am wondering what the outcome of voucher craze will be. Large management companies look at it as a cash cow and they don't mind when market rate tenants and especially rent control tenants are driven away by misbehaving section 8 tenants. At some point the entire buildings will turn into government subsidized privately run projects that will suck the taxpayer dry and pad the pockets of corporate landlords. Small landlords are apparently penalized if they refuse section 8 tenants or indicate in any way that they don't take vouchers. So, it is spreading into smaller buildings and single family buildings too. LLs are compensated for potential damages with higher rent should they be unlucky to get a tenant with issues. Even if they don't want to rent to potentially problematic tenants, they are forced to. But taxpayers and those living in the city next to them aren't compensated, and their taxes are likely going to rise to create more expensive housing for low income. Let's guess what happens next.

HUD recently issued a report criticizing DC for overpaying for vouchers. Maybe that will move the needle.

It’s important to point out that the problematic DC program is not section 8. It’s vouchers to house the formerly homeless. The problem is DC provides zero services to the buildings or recipients to ensure they behave properly. They just dump them in the building and say it’s the landlord’s responsibility to oversee building security.

also the HUD report criticised DC for leaving a big percentage of public housing vacant. So basically DC’s economic choice has been to offloaf the most difficult tenants on the private market, making them the problem of landlords who may or may not have the resources or inclination to ensure the living conditions remain safe.

[Anonymous]

Grovesnor area of Rockville/North Bethesda has older condos that are often for rent (laundry may or not be in the unit). The area leads into good schools. The condos are a mixture of older residents, young professionals and some families. Also Pooks Hill Road - the Promenade condo building in Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grovesnor area of Rockville/North Bethesda has older condos that are often for rent (laundry may or not be in the unit). The area leads into good schools. The condos are a mixture of older residents, young professionals and some families. Also Pooks Hill Road - the Promenade condo building in Bethesda.

Yeah I have seen these online, but they look frankly depressing in terms of the surroundings. The buildings and the schools and proximity to metro looks great, but otherwise a depressing neighborhood!

[Anonymous]

Can anyone please post a link to the HUD report? I tried to search and saw a Washington Post article about it but the article didn't have the name or link to the report.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone please post a link to the HUD report? I tried to search and saw a Washington Post article about it but the article didn't have the name or link to the report.

https://oag.dc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/DCReview_Final%209302022%20%281%29.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More info on the voucher program problems. This article mentions a property management co I am avoiding.

https://thedcline.org/2019/05/31/a-connecticut-avenue-apartment-complex-shows-effects-of-a-legal-loophole-and-cracks-in-city-housing-subsidy-programs/

Right. You are smart avoiding this situation. My elderly disabled aunt had to abandon her rent control apartment on CT ave in a nice convenient and previously safe and comfortable neighborhood. She had to move further out into a garden apartment unit in suburbia outside of beltway. That's all she could afford, she was basically driven out of the city, and her management company capitalized by turning her unit most likely to another section 8 tenant for much more rent money. Imagine all these apartments turning into projects and what it would do to the SFH areas around these buildings and the retail.

Middle class residents that used to live in these buildings as they provided more affordable housing than very pricey SFH/rowhomes in NWDC are now replaced with unvetted section 8 tenants, some of whom may have criminal background or are previously homeless and unable to follow rules or maintain their units, or are in need of mental health/addiction help (like the article states).