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National Housing Law
Project
Housing
Law Bulletin |
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Housing Law Bulletin
Volume 31, May 2001
Community Participation and Program Flexibility are Key to
Creating A Successful Section 8 Homeownership Program
The new Section 8 homeownership voucher program, which was created by
Congress in 1998 and implemented by a Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) final rule published on September 12, 2000, is being
met with enthusiasm and motivation across the country as more and more
public housing authorities (PHAs) investigate establishing their own
local programs. This article expands on previous Bulletin
articles to provide details of how to design a successful Section 8
Homeownership Program and includes a discussion of community
participation, flexible program features, financing options, and
post-purchase practices. It also examines potential problems surrounding
the use of the homeownership option.
Homeownership Becomes a Reality for Section 8 Voucher
Holder
On April 25, 2001, Olivia Estrada realized her dream–she
bought a house in her hometown of Dixon, California. Last year a new
federal program---the Section 8 Homeownership Option—was
established that allows Section 8 voucher holders to use their vouchers
to purchase homes. Ms. Estrada became the first person in the country to
buy a home under the Section 8 homeownership program’s final
regulations. This article tells the story of how Ms. Estrada worked for
three years, with the help of agencies such as NHLP, to make her dream a
reality.
HUD Data on Section 8 Projects
Current Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) data on
Section 8 projects is available again on HUD’s Web site. No updates to
the data were posted between September of 1999 and April 1, 2001. A
statement on the site claims that the data will be updated weekly, and
at least one update has occurred since April. The Web site address of
the HUD database is: www.hud.gov/fha/mfh/mfhdiscl.html.
This short article gives detailed instructions for accessing the Web
site’s database.
California Section 8 Tenants Are Entitled to a 90-day
Notice of Lease Termination
California law requires an owner/landlord who terminates or fails to
renew a contract or recorded agreement with a governmental agency that
includes a rent limitation to give a 90-day written notice to the
tenant. During the 90-day period, the tenant’s portion of the rent
cannot be increased. The statute is codified in Cal. Civ. Code Section
1954.535. This article discusses the statute’s applicability to
tenant-based contracts, the special rules that apply in rent control
jurisdictions and advocacy tips.
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