CBS New York Investigates: Housing voucher discrimination in New York City

Investigative reporter Tim McNicholas has found that the city has scaled back use of a tool to prevent this type of discrimination by nearly 90%.

[@fanatiquemusique]

None of these landlords accept vouchers. Most will not say anything and there is nothing that can be done about it. The brokers will ghost you.

[@SSk5k]

Exactly

[@libraqueen920]

Yup!! They sure will smh I’m experiencing this now.

[@HunterHemlsey]

They're doing the same thing in Bushwick play someone like nobody's taking it find a place like Bushwick where I grew up at and where I'm from

[@JustinDiGiulio]

If the state and city spent time and money on making the voucher programs easier and more streamlined, less time on testing, they'd see a wider acceptance. -I work with vouchers often and the system is working against itself. Landlords I work with are open to accepting vouchers but don't want to wait 3-4 months for the process to start the lease, when someone else could come tomorrow with a check in hand. Let's fix the system!

[@miguelpatrick79]

I need help finding something in bklyn can you help me

[@julissasarmiento4420]

Hi I'm a section 8 holder do you have anything in Queens

[@lady2550]

Lmfao the get cheap housing and destroy it. I dont blame them. But whats with this fee of driving in the city? We alreadt pay taxes for the road. The dems are taxing almost 30 dollars a day per car and still pay to park. Why isnt the media blowing this up

[@RockawayBeachNY]

No LANDLORDS want to deal with the disfunction and bureaucracy of NYC govt. It horrible for both landlords and tenants to deal with. Earlier this year a Judge agreed with the landlords’ argument, concluding the source-of-income discrimination statute violated the Fourth Amendment as it required property owners to consent to warrantless searches of their property and records. Needless to say the govt sucks!

[@Tortilla.Reform]

What they want is irrelevant, it’s illegal to refuse The government sucks, but it’s better than corporations running unchecked. They wouldn’t stop dumping chemicals in rivers and cutting down forests if we didn’t have a government. When was the last time you got E.coli from food at the grocery store/heard about a breach that was caught and contained thanks to regulation

[@RockawayBeachNY]

@clipclop15 yes govt is a necessary evil BUT it's NOT illegal to refuse. In a recent New York State Ruling by a judge Source of income law is Unconstitutional. The state is appealing.

[@chayukykenig3055]

Here are few reasons why this is 1)it takes good few months for a unit to get approved for sec8. This means few months vacancy =no rent. 2)it brings down the RE value 3) sec8 tenancy tends to not care about the apartment, destroy the property and cause trouble.

[@Tortilla.Reform]

Still illegal, housing is a human necessity

[@mrpeel3239]

The plus side is Landlord never worries about the check clearing! Ps how are the rent increases figured into a Section 8 tenant's lease?

[@mstwelvedeadlycyns]

Realistic. But whst if it was a migrant.

[@sparkle3000]

Landlords have rights too. Saying that some get subsidized to even build the buildings they have. There's nothing worse than tenants moving in then six months later stop paying rent bc the vouchers stop. Now you have problems.

[@Babyboo-qd8wb]

Same thing as a person losing their job

[@joecurry382]

No Landlords have no rights

[@Underdog271]

Don’t be a landlord them. Sell , do something else. Invest elsewhere. Stop crying and do something about it

[@AudreySatori]

Cash tenants can have the same problem, it is delusional to assume that just cause the person has a voucher that things are definitely going to go bad it’s an excuse to not accept vouchers

[@yeslion333]

I was a rental agent. No one accepts vouchers. It is what it is

[@fallenbeforefiona9000]

Well then it's a crap city that will get crappier. If gov money isn't good enough what else could you expect when you're aiding in homelessness

[@yeslion333]

@@fallenbeforefiona9000 I can't judge. Read the comments, you'll see many landlords had their property destroyed by them, and how many didn't pay rent after the voucher expired and they couldn't get them out of the apartments. It's easy to pass judgement when your life savings isn't on the line

[@Underdog271]

@@yeslion333landlords are not totally innocent in this . There are many cruel and inconsiderate landlords

[@DVS57REBEL]

Facts 💯 ​@@yeslion333I know a landlord who has accepted vouchers after much vetting. And I know others who are tired of being Fd as they aren't rich and can't afford tenants non payments or wrecked Apts.

[@Scarsofevil]

Lets be honest. Section 8 tenants are generally not the best tenants to deal with. It's too risky.

[@JasDvsn219]

Theres a stigma against ppl who hold housing vouchers unfortunately. Landlords need to take time to analyze every prospective tenant individually cause we are not all the same. There are some responsible ppl w integrity to keep home clean, be respectful, and stay on top of their portion of rent payments but just find themselves in economic hardship and need the housing assistance, New York is not cheap

[@leelee185]

WELL SAID

[@Hedra718]

I was in the shelter for nearly 3 years. I applied to 100 apartments and the only one that responded was the one I've been in since last April. He responded only cos I called him out on not wanting to even show me this place cos I was homeless and had a voucher. Only when I said I should sue him did he do everything he could to hold this place for me. This place is not cheap without that voucher, I'd be forever homeless without it.

[@leelee185]

@@Hedra718 Bless you sis, hoping everything works out for you.

[@Hedra718]

@@leelee185 thanks, Leelee, everything is great. I finally have my own home and peace of mind. Have a safe holiday and Happy New Year.

[@leelee185]

@@Hedra718 your very welcome

[@johnnyfive1412]

Do the vouchers pay 100% of the rent? I doubt it, so why should property owners take the risk? Also, how long can someone have their rent paid by tax payers? There should be a limit. You cant expect your rent to be paid by other for the rest of your life.

[@soprotivleniye7620]

Yes, it does. I have a voucher and it pays 100 percent of my rent.

[@PedroLopez-qu8wt]

@@soprotivleniye7620yeah only for a yeat

[@nybiggs]

I received a 1 year prepaid voucher for a family. It ended up being a terrible decision. As soon as they moved in they complained and demanded many changes to the apartment after I explicitly wrote in their lease and told them the apartment was as-is. The other tenants living there complained about all the problems they were causing including noise, mess, arguments and even gun shots fired right outside the apartment building. When their voucher expired they started paying late. Then demanded I write them a referral to move into government housing. Left the apartment damaged and a mess and said if they didn’t receive their full security back they wouldn’t leave the apartment.

[@joecurry382]

Don't be a landlord

[@ThatGuy68580]

shut up failire.@@joecurry382

[@wileecoyote5749]

​@joecurry382 That would be all owners concern snapperhead

[@Underdog271]

You could have screened them before you gave them a lease. Stop complaining and do your job

[@bennyfigdish1195]

As is?????

[@roberttailer1464]

Maybe cbs should heed desire of the people to protect property

[@rokmare]

If you accept the vouchers good luck selling the property since you can’t force the tenants to leave many apartments in my neighborhood couldn’t sell the property because the tenants had vouchers

[@wileecoyote5749]

When a potential buyer sees a property for sale and is occupied by vouchers, it's not rocket science to know the seller at their wits end

[@imaslob6168]

These people just destroy everything!!!! I’ve seen it a million times!!!

[@julissasarmiento4420]

Not true! Sorry!

[@BHUT-JOLOKIA]

I have 7, 3 family homes all vacant. Most didn’t pay rent and it took me 3 years to get them out. Bad luck for me. Thank goodness I have no mortgage. I’ll sell eventually. NY is garbage.

[@daniella8400]

How much is rent? I just recently separated from the Navy and looking to move back to NY.

[@Underdog271]

Sounds like a terrible landlord. Not one decent person wanted to live there. 🤔

[@daniella8400]

@@Underdog271 you must have never dealt with renters.

[@Underdog271]

@@daniella8400 you must have never dealt with shady landlords ! Saying one is better than the other is ignorant

[@daniella8400]

@@Underdog271 I have and also dealt with shady tenants. It’s 100xs easier to get your money for an landlord than it is a tenant!

[@zhilaxfow7888]

Its not discrimination its good business. Progressive thought is destroying this city and America.

[@astromech2530]

nyc has a budget of $3m to go around the city looking for voucher housing discrimination 😂

[@elykalontar3847]

I wonder if it’s found any yet?

[@xyzgta]

NYC DPY COMMISH: we will ramp up testing this year!! This year = 22 days left!! Someone is taking E.O.D (End of December) way too seriously!!

[@DB-sj3xv]

That’s why you have homelessness!

[@smaweyes]

do you think the city purposely made these vouchers require strict compliance and slow processing time, even months, to turn away landlords wanting to accept them? this way the city can save the unwithdrawn money

[@user-du2sk7pc9e]

You know, it's wrong. I am 60, White, educated, on disability, a 40 year nyc resident, dont smoke, drink or do drugs. And I am quiet, clean and pay my rent. I get HASA, a voucher propram for those who have HIV/AIDS. I was diagnosed with "having tested positive for the AIDS virus" in OCTOBER 1990 - 33 YEARS AGO!!!! And I find a building that is in a decent condition and neighborhood that takes HASA. $2,300 available to pay in rent, in a decent, safe neighborhood in Brooklyn or Queens (not Manhattan or the Bronx....), and nada. And the worst part, GMHC offers NO HELP or support, and that's sad. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone. Gringo Jeff.

[@elizabethtejada2251]

Hey there apply for the nyc lottery apartments I got my apartment from there but always I never lost my fait and always pray to God is the main here is the only can help you for him nothing is impossible and for the record in the same year in 2022 I won 3 apartments lottery and i chose the one I lives now 😊

[@Lobsterman5481]

my property my rules!

[@wileecoyote5749]

NYC is worse place to be owner when trying to repossess a unit. Florida, less than 30 days,NYC, You're lucky less than 2 years.

[@Underdog271]

Oh please , so go to Florida and stop complaining

[@wileecoyote5749]

​@Underdog271 Obviously you have a voucher

[@Underdog271]

@@wileecoyote5749 not at all. Never have. I own my own home though it is a single family. But I am aware of what goes on with these landlords and tenants. Also don’t complain about our homeless when the government is helping them but the American people are not

[@wileecoyote5749]

​@@Underdog271You have no idea as a single family home owner. You WILL be destroyed. Just trust the comments

[@CarsGuitarsAudio]

What Democrats have done to NY is unforgivable Imagine being forced to allow savages into your property the damages they cause exceeds the rent .Not worth it ...

[@DiakosDelvin]

Columbus started it.

[@AudreySatori]

I’ve been a cash paying tenant, then had to transition to voucher and I can say there are a lot of discrimination that goes on in both categories. Paying cash I was heavily discriminated based on age and credit score even though my credit wasn’t bad it’s the assumption that I don’t have enough tenant experience so I’d get turned away as opposed to a couple or family. As a voucher holder landlords act like you can’t even get a chance to view the place smh if they’d at least give an equal opportunity to apply THERE WOULDN’T BE ALL THIS NOISE about DISCRIMINATION

[@alicepopovski3643]

My house , my rules .

[@mactastic144]

What’s the point in reopening the Section 8 Voucher Waitlist if nobody is going to accept the vouchers they give out?

[@HugoBsbetancur]

i think you need to make another one explaining how this work because people that has a disability has been discriminated as well. please

[@SamAsm367]

What's the penalty for violating the fair housing act or not accepting vouchers? Demand is high for rentals & so is greed.

[@JustinDiGiulio]

$16k for first violation, $37k for second, $65k for third -per my quick Google search (don't quote me on this). In my experience, it's the agents who don't know any better who make unknowing mistakes, more often than an agent or landlord intentionally turning away a voucher holder -which is bad news.

[@chapter1762]

Zero penalty if u can word urself correctly. Applicant must have good credit score and sufficient income. Required of w-2 from last year and 3 months of rental on time payment history from ur bank statement. Any Non sufficient fund charge or late payment will be automatically denied

[@JustinDiGiulio]

Can't require W2 if someone is unemployed and using a voucher. Voucher is considered income and in turn, that would be income discrimination. Also, can't check eviction history anymore in NY, plus a credit score can only be checked if the tenant has a portion over $50/month they must pay.@@chapter1762

[@patrickpsseymour]

This still happens. There is no regulation.

[@jessa5388]

My heart hurts for these people. Their case manager has to do an inspection and then it takes weeks for a decision to be made. It makes dealing with the voucher system unworkable. I would have liked to reassign my lease to a voucher holder but I can't because it's not a 12 month lease. Market rate renters have much more flexibility.

[@ardent9422]

Nobody cares, all the landlords have the same solution: raise the rent, keep raising and then raise it some more, and one day all the landlords will be billionaires while everyone else lives in the street and still pays them rent, this will be perfectly fair to them.

[@chapter1762]

Some of ya didn't pay rent for 3-4 years now. How is the landlord gonna be rich ? 😂😂 The only rich is the tenant and the poor is the landlord going for foreclosure due to non payment

[@wileecoyote5749]

I would've busted out laughing if I was showing an apt to well dressed well mannered wholesome man in suit asking if "Will they accept my vouchers?" HA HA obviously a "mole"

[@SunshineSpring-ye2wl]

Vouchers are only for ♿️ handicaps and the poor . . To go in the projects in pa.

[@cliffordleon5422]

It's been going on, I have a cityfheps voucher from covid 2021 and I got denied from 2021 to 2023 and I'm still without a place

[@ClickLaughs]

They do accept vouchers…

[@iamzuckerburger]

Let's reimagine asset forfeiture and eminent domain to seize the luxury condos for redistribution.

[@HelsmleyHunter]

What about Ridgewood

[@SunshineSpring-ye2wl]

They know where there trying to keep you

[@HelsmleyHunter]

What about bushwick 11237

[@SUB-SAHARAN-DNA]

5hays a lie they are still doing it

[@someoneinclass1500]

Money is money they should be forced to accept the U.S. dollar

[@wileecoyote5749]

you're obviously not an owner

[@DVS57REBEL]

Most folk who have little understand the hardships of maintaining a property or assets. Most landlords are middle class folk who can't risk their hard work being destroyed by degenerate tenants . People have a terrible habit of not taking care of what's not theirs .

[@Lobsterman5481]

@@DVS57REBEL 100%

[@charlanetrapani30]

Good 👍