Your meeting with the management may seem informal but it may be the only appeal/meeting with
management that you are entitled to, so it is important to be prepared and ready to state your case.
Gather proof you have about your side of the story, and why you disagree with your building’s
management. For example, if you have paid your rent, take your receipts. Many disputes are settled
at the owner meeting. However, if the owner still wants to terminate your lease, your landlord must
still go to court to have you evicted.
Eviction
Your landlord must file a Complaint for Writ of Possession in District Court before he can lock your
door or force you to leave your unit. Your landlord must go through the court process to evict
you.
For more information on eviction, please see Legal Aid’s “Eviction: The Court Process” brochure.
PART 2:
SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is a federally-funded program that helps its
participants with monthly rent payments. Unlike Public Housing, you rent from a private landlord.
If you qualify for Section 8, then the State or County agency issues a voucher for part of your rent.
You are responsible for paying the other part of your rent directly to your landlord.
Your landlord signs a contract with Section 8 called the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP)
contract. In order to receive housing assistance payments from Section 8, your landlord promises
certain things, such as keeping the apartment up to proper housing standards, or not illegally
evicting you. In order for you to continue receive housing assistance payments from Section 8, you
are responsible for doing certain things, such as paying your rent on time, not breaking the lease, and
completing annual recertifications.
Section 8 Rarely Opens The Waiting List For New Vouchers
However, you should always call the Section 8 office for the most up-to-date information. Watch for
announcements, and make all due dates if you would like to apply for a voucher. If you are on the
waiting list, make sure Section 8 always has your current address. If Section 8 cannot locate you, you
will be taken off the list. The wait for a Section 8 voucher is very long, generally a person on the
waitlist can wait more than 5 to 10 years to receive a voucher.
Unit, Landlord, And Lease Approval:
If you have a Section 8 voucher, you must find a rental with a private landlord. A landlord does not
have to accept a Section 8 voucher, and Section 8 does not have to accept a unit or landlord. Section
8 must inspect your chosen unit and must approve your lease and your landlord before you can
move in. Section 8 will not approve a unit if it is an illegal unit, if it is in bad condition, or the rent is
unreasonably high. If Section 8 does not approve the unit and landlord you choose, you need to
look for a different unit.
Section 8 gives you 60 days to find a unit from when your voucher is first issued.