The Section 8 federal housing voucher program was conceived as one in which owners of rental properties participate voluntarily, but that may be changing. One straw in the wind: the push for “source of income discrimination” laws prohibiting landlords from turning away Section 8 tenants. Another: a new Third Circuit decision declaring that the owner of a unit converted to market-rate could not refuse to renew a lease even after the original tenant died. I look at Hayes v. Harvey in my new post at Cato.
2 Comments
Re: Philip Harvey
A right of inheritance to someone else’s property. Couple that with compulsory acceptance of Section 8 tenants, and you’ll have another ingredient in the pattern of a failed housing market.The investment challenge can bring construction and renovation to a complete halt. Who would take the risk without years of negotiation?
Hello Houston.
A voucher isn’t legal tender. A check isn’t legal tender. I cannot be required to take electronic payment.
Cash money is legal tender.
Therefore, I can refuse to provide services if they are not paid in legal tender.
Acceptance of payments in forms other than legal tender is voluntary on my part.
On a more practical level, incentives matter. Make it a pain in the neck for landlords and less of them will participate.