Tenants & Neighbors Section 8 Fact Sheet

More New York City Section 8 buildings in jeopardy
As project-based Section 8 contracts continue to expire all over New York City , Tenants & Neighbors organizers have stepped up efforts to keep buildings in the program.
As project-based Section 8 contracts continue to expire all over New York City, Tenants & Neighbors organizers have stepped up efforts to keep buildings in the program.
The federal project-based Section 8 program combines benefits to landlords and rent subsidies to tenants to provide over 83,000 units of affordable housing in New York City and almost 44,000 units in the rest of the state. The program is successful in many ways, but unfortunately it is not permanent. Landlords have the option to “opt out” of the program and convert their subsidized buildings to market rents after an initial contract period of 20 years. More than 23,000 units in the city are at risk of opting out in the near future.
In many cases, tenants in opt-out buildings are given Section 8 vouchers – rent subsidies – in order to help them remain in their homes. But these vouchers do not benefit all tenants. Before receiving a voucher, each tenant must be rescreened for eligibility. Tenants & Neighbors has found that many tenants who were eligible under the project-based Section 8 program do not qualify for vouchers and lose their subsidies as a result of an opt-out.
The successful use of a voucher also depends on landlords choosing to accept them, and on apartments meeting housing quality standards. What’s more, Section 8 vouchers must be renewed yearly, and thus do not provide the same security as a long-term contract.

or these reasons, Tenants & Neighbors is trying to help tenants in as many buildings as possible stop opt-outs before they occur.
Tenants & Neighbors is currently working with Rose Gardens in Brooklyn, home to many elderly and disabled tenants. The owner has sent a notice indicating that he does not intend to renew the Section 8 contract when it expires in July 2003.
Assembly member James Brennan’s office has offered to help pressure the owner to renew the contract through the Mark-Up-To-Market program. This would allow tenants to keep their apartments at their current rent and provide the landlord with increased subsidies from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The owner stated in a recent meeting with Brennan that he will be opting out of the program. But we are not giving up on Rose Gardens yet. The owner has until the last minute to make a final decision. The tenants, with the help of elected officials, HUD, and Tenants & Neighbors will continue to pressure the owner to sign a contract for the longest term possible.
Tenants in Terrific Tenements in Manhattan have also received an opt-out notice from their landlord, this time stating that he may not renew when his Section 8 contract expires in August 2003. The tenants recently had their first general meeting. Because market rents in this area are high, Terrific Tenements is also a candidate for the Mark-Up-To-Market program.
Terrific tenants are enthusiastic about forming a tenant association to fight for a contract renewal. As one tenant said at the meeting, “We have to work together. I speak Spanish and English and people are welcome to come to my door for information any time.”
According to HUD, the owner is willing to discuss a contract renewal. While this is good newFs, the struggle has just begun.
Section 8 contracts in New York City buildings continue to expire every month. Tenants & Neighbors continues to work vigilantly for tenants and the long-term preservation of affordable housing.

FACT SHEET ON SECTION 8 VOUCHERS

Hundreds of buildings in NYC are affordable for low-income families because they are subsidized with project-based Section 8 contracts. At some point, these contracts expire, and at that point, owners may not renew these project-based contracts. Should the owner not renew (or ‘opt-out’ of) the project-based Section 8 program, tenants may receive a tenant-based Section 8 voucher which may enable them to remain in their homes. However, this conversion poses a number of problems for current tenants, and it will not keep the building affordable for future low-income families who need an affordable home.

Several Factors are Considered to Determine Eligibility:

All tenants living in the building when the project-based Section 8 contract expires will be screened by NYCHA or HPD to determine if they are eligible for an Section 8 “Enhanced Voucher.” Tenants who do not qualify for a Section 8 voucher can only remain in their apartment if they are able to pay the new rent set by the owner. There are several factors that determine eligibility. They include, but are not limited to the following.

• Housing Quality Standards Inspections: Your unit will undergo new inspections. In order to use your voucher to stay in your apartment, it must be able to pass the inspection.

• Size of Unit: You must be living in what is determined to be the appropriate size unit for your family in order to use your voucher in your apartment.

• Criminal Background Check: If any member of your household has committed a felony within the last 5 years, you will not receive a voucher.

Funding Concerns for Section 8 Vouchers:

Funding for the Section 8 voucher program is reviewed by the President and Congress every year. The Bush Administration has proposed cuts and programmatic changes that would negatively affect the Section 8 voucher program for each of the last 3 years. Project-based Section 8 contracts are a more long-term and reliable guarantee of affordable housing.

Moving with a Section 8 Voucher:

Some tenants find the option to move with a Section 8 voucher appealing. However, finding a new apartment with your Section 8 voucher can be difficult.

• Enhanced versus Regular : While an enhanced voucher covers a subsidy for whatever the contract rent becomes, as soon as you take your voucher to find a new apartment, it is no longer enhanced.

• Value Cap : There is a cap on the value of your subsidy. You will be restricted to apartments within your price range. Additionally, voucher subsidies have not kept up with market rents in New York City, and finding rents at levels covered by a regular voucher is not easy.

• Landlord Choice : Very few states protect voucher tenants from discrimination by owners. Landlords can decide not to rent you an apartment simply because you have a voucher. In competitive housing markets, that means landlords often choose tenants who can pay cash over tenants with vouchers.

For more information, contact Patrick at Tenants & Neighbors at 212-608-4320 x306.

Algunos Hechos Sobre los Certificados de Sección 8

Cientos de edificios in NYC son viviendas economicas para familias con ingresos bajos porque los edificios estan subsidiados por contratos de Sección 8 ‘basado en proyecto.’ Pero estos contratos se expiran, y a ese punto, los tal vez duenos no renovarian los contratos de Sección 8 basado en proyecto. Si el dueno no renueva (o ‘opt-out’ de) el contrato de Seccion 8 ‘basado en proyecto,’ los inquilinos pueden recibir un ‘voucher’ o Sección 8 ‘basado en inquilino’ con que se pueden quedar en su apartamento. Sin embargo, esta conversión es un problema para inquilinos actuales y no se mantiene en el edificio como vivienda economica para familias con ingresos bajos en el futuro.

Hay Varios Factores para Determinar Quien Calificará para Los Certificados:

Todos los inquilinos viviendo en los edificios cuando los contratos expiran van a estar repasados de NYCHA o HPD para determinar si son elegibles para un “Voucher Mejorado.” Hay varios factores que determina elegibilidad. Incluye, pero no son limitados a los siguientes:

• Estándares de la Calidad de Vivienda – su apartamento estará inspeccionado. Si no pasa la inspección, Ud. no calificará para un certificado.

• Tamaño del Apartamento – Ud. tiene que vivir en un espacio que es determinado ser el tamaño apropriado para su familia para calificar para un certificado.

• Verificación de Antecedentes Criminales – si algún miembro de su familia ha cometido un crimen dentro de los ultimos 5 años, Ud. no calificará para un certificado.

Preocupaciones Sobre Fondos para los Certificados de Sección 8:

Los fondos para los certificados del programa Sección 8 son repasados por el Presidente y el Congreso cada año. La Administración de Bush esta atacando la financiación de los vouchers y esta tratando de cambiar el programa de Sección 8. Un contrato basado en projecto de Sección 8 es una garantía más duradera y confiable de las viviendas economicas.

Para Mudarse con un Voucher de Sección 8:

Algunos inquilinos piensan que la opción de mudarse con un certificado es atractivo. Sin embargo, es dificíl encontrar un apartamento nuevo con su certificado.

• “Mejorados” contra “Regulares”: Un certificado “mejorado” cubre un subsidio para lo que el alquiler sea, pero el en momento que Ud. sale de su apartamento el certificado no será “mejorado.”

• Limites de Valor: Hay un limite del valor de su subsidio. Ud. será restrictado a apartamentos dentro de su gama de precio. Ademas, certificados no se han emparejado a los alquileres altos de Nueva York, y es muy difícil encontrar apartamentos economicos.

• Dueños que Rechazan Certificados: Muy pocos estados protegen a los inquilinos de discriminación de dueños. Dueños pueden legalmente rechazar personas con certificados. En mercados competitivos como Nueva York, duenos a menudo aceptan los que pueden pagar el alquiler entero, sin certificado.

Para mas información, llame a Patrick de Tenants and Neighbors (Inquilinos y Vecinos) a 212-608-4320 x306