Eagan Section 8 (Grant, Lexington: low income, apartment complex, for rent)

[Kate66]

Anybody know of an apartment complex in Eagan that is not Section 8? i am having trouble finding one that is not.

[golfgal]

There are several along Lexington Ave near Yankee Doodle-I don't know any of the complex names though.

[Camden Northsider]

Why do you need to find one that does not accept Section 8? Which, FYI, I believe there are laws against landlords/ property managers discriminating against persons using Section 8 subsidies - people are paying the same amount of rent as you, they are just getting help from the govt in order to do so. So, when a landlord/ property manager says they accept Section 8, that doesn't necessarily mean that people using Section 8 subsidies actually live there although I hope I am not giving you ideas on more questions to ask when looking.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but if I'm right, the irony that you are unable to find a place to live based on this absurd requirement strikes me as kind of funny.

[garth]

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

I believe there are laws against landlords/ property managers discriminating against persons using Section 8 subsidies - people are paying the same amount of rent as you, they are just getting help from the govt in order to do so.

A landord does not have to put his property into the Section 8 program and comply with the requirements of the program. Since they haven't qualified their property under the program, there is no "discrimination" as you put it when they turn someone away who wants to gain occupancy under the Section 8 system.

For example, I once had a property advertised for rent and I received a call about it. I told the caller it was still available and then they asked me if I accepted Section 8. I replied, "No." The they started to argue with me and eventually asked me why I didn't accept it. I simply told them that I don't "get in bed" with the government and have chosen to not be a part of the program, but I didn't have to justify my decision to them.

I further explained that there was no reason to continue our discussion with them and that our conversation was finished. It was renting for the advertised price and it was available for showing if they wanted to see it, but not as a Section 8 property. I was not giong to argue about the issue with someone who admitted to being unable to afford the advertised rent. That ended the conversation and I heard nothing further. There was no "discrimination" of a protected class involved in that situation.

Anyway, discrimination is not illegal in ths nation, except as it pertains to certain limited and delineated protected classes. . . and sometimes even that kind of discrimination is allowed under certain circumstances. For example, some states have upheld discriminaion against certain lifestyle choices when it's contrary to the religious convictions of the property owner. In any case, discrimination of some sort and degree happens all of the time by everyone, whether they admit it or not, and it's commonly not "illegal."

As for Section 8 qualification, it is not a protected class just like poverty is not a protected class and poor credit is not a protected class. You don't have to rent to people who can't pay the bill (low income) or have proven that they refuse to pay their bills (bad credit). You can choose to "discriminate" against them without breaking the law.

It is also not a welfare receipient's right to gain housing wherever they want. Instead, it is the right of the property owner to qualify, or not qualify, his property in the Section 8 system . . . and many properties simply will never qualify for many reasons. One reason might be that they rent for too high of a price for the Section 8 program. The government will only assist up to a point.

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but if I'm right, the irony that you are unable to find a place to live based on this absurd requirement strikes me as kind of funny.

I will further "correct" you, since you asked, from my position and experience. There isn't an issue of "funny" with the OP's request. It's simply a factual and reasonable question and I certainly don't view it as "absurd." Actually, I find it sad that someone can't find some place where they they're not forced into living in someone else's social experiment or under the opression of someone else's socialistic thumb.

It's actually a very serious query and I understand what the OP is seeking. As a property owner and landlord, I have never and will never put a property into the Section 8 system. It is nobody's right or place to expect me to put my own economic, and sometimes personal, welfare and safety at risk through forced acceptance of Section 8 vouchers. It simply can't happen.

I also don't need the quality of life and maintenance problems that come with the majority of Section 8 tenants, and I'm sure the OP is thinking along the same lines. They don't need to live next to the same common problems. Anyone familiar and experienced with the system can't deny that it attracts all kinds of managment and lifestyle problems for the owners, managers, and other tenants. Sure there will be the individual who doesn't cause a problem, but they're not the rule. They're the exception.

So, I hope the OP can get a reasonable answer to his original question. I felt I had to answer the one response, but I can't help the OP with the specific info he's seeking. I'm sorry. Hopefully, someone out there has more info about non-Section 8 buildings for him.

[music7lover]

I am thinking of buying a condo in Eagan and I absolutely don't want any Section 8 in the building. Why should someone who works almost 50 hours a week have to live next to people who probably don't work or else maybe party into wee hours of the morning. I have worked hard so I can escape that element !! I will NOT LIVE next to Section 8 period.

[Kamsack]

Originally Posted by music7lover

I am thinking of buying a condo in Eagan and I absolutely don't want any Section 8 in the building. Why should someone who works almost 50 hours a week have to live next to people who probably don't work or else maybe party into wee hours of the morning. I have worked hard so I can escape that element !! I will NOT LIVE next to Section 8 period.

I agree 100 percent.... from living in apartments a lot when younger there is no requirement that any complex accept section 8....some do....but no requirement as often identifying that they do will send away some people. I for one that if I choose to pay a higher rent to live in a nice upscale apartment community, I would not want it to accept section 8 as I would worry what type of people it would attract. Most people on section 8 are fine....but there is a certain small percentage that take advantage of the government and consider it a free ride.

Dan

[moving123456]

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

Why do you need to find one that does not accept Section 8? Which, FYI, I believe there are laws against landlords/ property managers discriminating against persons using Section 8 subsidies - people are paying the same amount of rent as you, they are just getting help from the govt in order to do so. So, when a landlord/ property manager says they accept Section 8, that doesn't necessarily mean that people using Section 8 subsidies actually live there although I hope I am not giving you ideas on more questions to ask when looking.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but if I'm right, the irony that you are unable to find a place to live based on this absurd requirement strikes me as kind of funny.

It is not an absurd requirement to me. After renting in both types of places, I would never again rent in a section 8 place. You end up with totally different types of neighbors, and in the section 8 places, this was never a good thing. I have always ended up with better, quieter, cleaner, nicer, and more respectful neighbors in non-section 8 apartments or by renting a condo from the owner. Maybe your experience or opinion differs, but that is mine.

[KING69]

Everyone talks about the low-lives of section 8 recipients but what about the ones that don't tear up the houses or apartments, play loud music or drink and drug? What about the landlords that try to abuse the section 8 system and try to make "side deals" with the tenant even though they have agreed to the amount of the voucher. Is this collateral or are they trying to rob the system and tenants just like they feel the tenants are trying to harm their property and/or abuse the system. Is that right to accept one price and charge another in hopes of getting more money and being greedy? Maybe the landlords would not have a problem if they treated tenants like people and not like "section 8 scum/or dummies" because not all section 8 voucher recipients come from shelters -some of them come from apartments where they,ve lived for years and the landlord won't accept section 8 "anymore" or they just wanted a better living that was affordable. Because of "gentrification" there are so many reasons to not rent to low-income and it's pushing low-income people out of here. If section 8 was for poor people only then alot of people shouldn't get it. Why is it that everyone blames the tenant? some of these landlords are only out to scam tenants. Under section 8 laws there is no such thing as "side deals". So why is so much focus is on the tenant, let's not forget those scamming-ass landlords that believe people on section 8 are desparate and stupid. RESPECTABLE SECTION 8 TENANTS DESERVE THE SAME RESPECT AS ALL OTHER RESPECTABLE TENANTS. THOSE THAT ABUSE IT SHOULD LOSE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[garth]

King69 . . . and those of us who own the property should take the risk of finding the few respectful tenants in Section 8, right? WRONG.

It's all a numbers game, but with Section 8 the odds are very poor for the property owner. The odds are better outside of the system and our assets remain better protected for a variety of reasons.

[Auntie Bob]

Wow....a lot of really judgemental attitudes about people that qualify for sec 8 housing assistance.
Someone automatically assumes that they are 'welfare' people or people that are 'living off the system'?

I live across the street from a housing complex that is entirely sec 8 related. 99% of the people living there are working, some more than one job. Granted, they are probably minimum wages jobs but, they are earning their own living. The ones that aren't working are disabled.
The buildings are well maintained and as a passerby, there's no indication that it's anything other than a townhouse complex.

Actually, about 25 years ago that's where I started out in this town myself. Things got better for me over time and I was able to afford to build my own house but, I surely never regretted living in sec 8 housing or the people that were my neighbors at the time or now.

What's always amazed me is the rent the property owner of the site gets. If those apartments had to rent on the open market, they'd probably be able to get about half of what they are charging as sec 8. So, the property owners that are scamming the system when it comes to Sec 8 housing surely aren't any better than the people that qualify to live there.