How to Make a Complaint About the Section 8 Office or Section 8 Inspector.
/Have you ever found working with a Section 8 office or PHA, Public Housing Agency, nothing but FRUSTRATING? I know I have. Many times I have wanted to file a complaint but I just didn’t know how…until NOW!
Are You Sure You Want to File a Complaint?
The frustrations we deal with are typically either with a caseworker or an inspector.
Caseworker Complaint:
The caseworkers are doing the most thankless paper-pushing job I can imagine. When I researched what it takes to be a caseworker, the standards at Detroit Housing Commission are that the applicant has a minimum of a GED and the starting wage was around $12/hour. I found out at another PHA the wages are closer to $19/hour. Regardless of what they are paid, if you’ve ever been a manager or boss, you know that there are lazy and insubordinate employees everywhere. To complain against a caseworker, you will need to figure out who the director of that housing commission is and complain directly to him or her.
Communication with Section 8 is usually via email. I recommend keeping your complaint very nonemotional. I remind myself that they are government regulated people so they need documentation for everything. Whatever documentation you can provide will be your only help. Clearly, if you just sound angry and like a chronic complainer, your email will land in the trash.
I have to say, I hesitate to complain though because I’ll be working with that caseworker for years. Another tactic I have done is to make an appearance at the Section 8 office if at all possible. This has gotten me the most results.
Inspector Complaint:
A common complaint about inspectors is that they call out cosmetic or weather-related issues. Be sure you are fully aware of the requirements before you complain, only to find out it’s standard. I recommend you read through HUD’s A Good Place to Live on the Detroit Housing Commission’s website before you complain.
A Good Place to Live: http://www.dhcmi.org/Page.aspx?level=2&id=62
If you find the complaint to be ridiculous due to the weather, such as a new roof during an ice storm or cement work in the cold of winter, you are able to contest the inspection result with the PHA director and ask for an extension. It is HUD guidelines that PHAs may give extensions at their discretion.
This is from the Detroit Housing Commission’s Website:
DELAYED EXTERIOR REPAIRS GENERAL PROCEDURE A Landlord/Property Manager may request an extension to complete repairs due to climate conditions beginning October 15th through April 15th. You may call anytime before June 1st to have the unit inspected for Delayed Exterior Repairs. However, any unit that remains outstanding as not have a passed inspection will be notified the first week in June.
Step 1: All interior items must pass the Housing Quality Standards inspection before requesting an extension.
Step 2: In order to qualify for a delayed exterior extension, repairs must be related to the following 6 items: 1) exterior painted surfaces 2)exterior concrete steps 3)driveways,4) patio decks 5)walkways 6)masonry work.
Step 3: All request for delayed exterior repairs must be submitted in writing to DHC Inspections department no later than five business days following an annual inspection or complaint inspection.
Step 4: All delayed exterior repairs must be completed by the first week of June. A notice will me mailed out informing the Landlord/Property Manager of the re-inspection date.
Step 5: Failure to complete repairs by the re-inspection date will result in a retroactive abatement. Abatements will date back to the initial failed inspection. The amount of the abatement cannot be charged to the tenant.
There is one housing commission I stopped working with because I felt their inspector had gone rogue. When applicants would call me and they were from that housing commission, I told them no and why I could not work with them. Every time they told me I wasn’t the first landlord to tell them that. The right thing I should have done was crafted an email to the director with evidence of why I felt every inspection was bad. The directors don’t necessarily know this is happening, but they do know there is a lot of turnover which causes extra work. I would think that would be something they would like to know!
How to Complain About the PHA
In order to better understand the relationship between HUD and your Section 8 office or Public Housing Agency (PHA) please check out my other blog and video…..
Blog: https://bit.ly/WhatIsSectionBlog
Each Section 8 office is under the jurisdiction of the local HUD office. In Michigan the HUD field office is in the McNamara building downtown Detroit on the 16th and 17th floors. I’ve been told they are less than helpful to landlords. They are only interested in regulation violations. And the local PHAs don’t work for them.
So who is the PHA’s boss? The PHAs that are named after a city or municipality answer to a five-person board of commissioners who are appointed by the mayor of that city. You may attend those meetings thanks to the open meetings act. The PHA director who told me this said he has yet to see any Joe Public attend that meeting though. If you do attend, you have the right to speak to the panel.
If you need to complain about a MSHDA office, I would recommend finding the MSHDA office which is near MSU in Lansing, Michigan. You will have to do some digging to find out who their boss is. I would think it would be easier to complain to the head MSDHA office than to meet a panel and give a speech!
Are you wondering if you should even bother renting to someone with Section 8? Please see my video on the pros and cons of renting to a voucher holder…..
I have to say, I’m not a big complainer to Section 8. I have actually NEVER done it officially. I do believe in having excellent relationships with them. I am always kind and to the point with them. It has worked for me, that and an occasional visit to their office. When they see me and recognize me, they are all smiles because I am the rare landlord who isn’t there to tear them apart.
To learn more about your place with Section 8, check out my video and blog about the roles of the landlord to the tenant to the PHA. It’s good to know your Ps & Qs!