Am I obligated to report someone who is taking advantage of section 8 housing?
Full Question:
Answer:
The role of the landlord in the rental voucher and certificate programs is to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing to a tenant at a reasonable rent. The dwelling unit must pass the programs's housing standards and be maintained up to those standards as long as the owner receives housing assistance payments. The landlord must comply with HUD and Section 8 requirements, along with the terms and conditions of the approved lease agreement and the Housing Assistance Payment contract. If the landlord fails to meet his/her obligations under the lease, the Housing Authority has the right to terminate assistance payments.
A tenant must comply with the terms of the lease agreement and the Section 8 Family Obligations.
As stated on the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority’s website, fraud, willful misrepresentations, or intent to deceive with regard to the Section 8 programs are criminal acts and will lead to cancellation of program participation and legal actions. Examples of fraud would include collecting assistance payments for units not occupied by Section 8 tenants and collecting extra amounts for tenant rent.