No, Section 8 would cover that income. The tenant could pay higher than that.

How do you take into account for utilities when water is included in the condo fees?

If it's really Hillcrest, you can't rent it for that price to Section 8 unless all utilities are included: https://www.dchousing.org/vue/customer/rent.aspx says it's $1423 for a 1br with utilities and $1226 without. So if you want the guarantee of the Section 8 income, you'll have to cut the price.

I would rent to Section 8 at the for the highest amount allowed by the Housing Authority. Someone with a 1-bedroom voucher is probably single, not to mention that the current HCVP waitlist is about 20 years, so a voucher holder is not going to do anything to risk losing their subsidy. Put in a clause in the lease that allows you inspect the unit every 6 months.

The answer is not to be a landlord in DC. Guaranteed income? Guaranteed by whom? DC? Again at the end of the day you don’t have rights. Higher risk, more work, mediocre returns.

Anonymous wrote:It is illegal to make this decision based on source of income. That's illegal discrimination.

This. Your only discernible problem with the Section 8 tenant is that they're a Section 8 tenant.

Anonymous wrote:It would be illegal to turn down the section 8 renter just because they are using section 8.

If the two tenants are equally bad options, it is still possible to choose the other tenant without being discriminatory or illegal. Landlords don't HAVE to take a Section 8 tenant just because that Section 8 tenant applies.

That said I think this is a troll post.

It is illegal to make this decision based on source of income. That's illegal discrimination.

Sell the place.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be illegal to turn down the section 8 renter just because they are using section 8.

You can always choose a different reason for turning down a section 8 renter, just saying. No one would ever know.

This seems an improper discussion.

Anonymous wrote:It would be illegal to turn down the section 8 renter just because they are using section 8.

You can always choose a different reason for turning down a section 8 renter, just saying. No one would ever know.

I am not trying to turn down anyone but picking my tenants as they come and want to know the choices I have in hand with each selection.

I am also leaning a bit more around the section 8. Buying this condo in REO at a very good price so thought about buying and putting it for rent. Condo sale market is not as hot as the rest otherwise I would have flipped. Might do that in a few years.

Anonymous wrote:It would be illegal to turn down the section 8 renter just because they are using section 8.

I don't think this is what OP is trying to do.

It would be illegal to turn down the section 8 renter just because they are using section 8.

Neither is ideal. DC is so anti-landlord, it doesn't take much to get screwed by the broken system. With that said, given the aforementioned + courts being backed up, I would go the Section 8 route.

With your rental rate of $1400-$1500, you're less likely to get a renter who is a professional. Just my opinion.

I have a 1 bedroom condo in Fairfax Village/Hillcrest in SE DC. It's a good area and the current rent is about $1400-1450 in that area with water included(through HOA) in the rent.

I have an option of renting it out to a section 8 tenant or regular but need some input as what this board think of that. Section 8 tenants are low-income but rent is guaranteed and there is no delay in rent or anything else. The regular tenant is also good but I am afraid that they would not pay rent and use the advantage of tenant friendly law in DC. With Covid and everything else, the courts are all backed-up and though the eviction moratorium is going to be lifted at the end of June, I am concerned that some tenants could just paying rent because it is so difficult to kick them out in DC.

What are the ways I should protect myself if I pick a regular tenant and is there anything I could do with the lease to make my case stronger?