Section 8 (at least in my neck of the woods) requires that the RENTAL UNIT be inspected initially before being approved to be in the section 8 program. Reinspection is done annually. How detailed this is seems to vary greatly among various housing departments and sections of the country. A landlord would screen a potential section 8 tenant as they would any other (including credit, criminal history, etc). Section 8 determines "fair market value" rent for your unit (somethings most landlords would argue about), typically based on the number of bedrooms and you cannot accept extra money "under the table" from your tenant. They also determine how much they will reimburse you for and how much the tenant is required to pay. Their share is typically handled through direct deposit; you are responsible for getting the additional rent from the tenant. Landlords who deal with section 8 tenants will often have the smoothest experience with tenants who are employed (many are but do not make enough to live on without assistance). The "working poor" in this program are often easier to deal with than ones who are not employed. Gail
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