Homeless in Oregon

[grandpacamper]

Just recently I was talking with my daughter (the soon to be vandweller) whom is selling her home, planning to buy a piece of property to homestead.  There are several close by counties that allow homesteading or at least have lowered their building codes to accommodate homesteading & tiny home occupancy.  She had been living in her 12 x 12 since Oct '16 as a trail run to see how she could adapt to the VanDwelling life.  She loves it.  Her renters were a young couple that both had jobs, a little higher than minimal wage but still could never seem to get enough to pursue the American Dream.  

Here is my thoughts, they are on numerous waiting lists for suitable apartments or houses. They have grouped with 2 other couples & placed their names on multiple lists hoping to get a place to rent.  The housing market here in OR is horrendous, they are building non-stop but losing ground to the influx of new residents including the homeless crowd.  To get on the list they must put down a deposit for each tenant, average $50 more or less, the fee is NON-REFUNDABLE, they say it's for the cost of a background check & referrals & such.  The couple has only had one referral since Oct.  But still keep putting their names on the lists.  

I'm sure everything is on the up & up, with all the honest property management companies taking their deposits.  They mentioned they were on 8 lists (8 X 2 X $50 = $800) if each couple they are coupled with has paid the $800 then the Mgt Company has now pocketed $2400 for one referral.  There are several companies within our area all taking the names of countless people, anyone what to guess how many prospective renters that involves?  I'm sure there's other gratuities involved if they do finally get a rental either from them or the landlord.  WHAT A SCAM!  We have tent cities all over the place, under overpasses, along river banks, parks, streets & the panhandling that goes on at each offramp is laughable.  Each has a nice bike & big dog sitting by their side, while they sit with their cardboard sign on a 5 gal bucket.

 

[Ballenxj]

 I'm sure everything is on the up & up, with all the honest property management companies taking their deposits.  They mentioned they were on 8 lists (8 X 2 X $50 = $800) if each couple they are coupled with has paid the $800 then the Mgt Company has now pocketed $2400 for one referral.  

Maybe somebody like you should gather as much data on them as possible and report them to the Feds?

 

[user 37446]

Forgive me but I wasn't too sure what the post was about. At first I thought maybe homesteading due to this statement: "[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]homestead.  There are several close by counties that allow homesteading or at least have lowered their building codes to accommodate homesteading & tiny home occupancy."  [/font][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Which would have been good to read about since western Oregon is pretty prime real estate. [/font][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]But then it went to renters on waiting lists and the exhobitant costs. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Is the topic about your [/font][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]daughter[/font][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] who is soon to be van dwelling or mostly about the lower income housing shortage in Oregon (Portland or other cities I presume). I'm just confused. [/font][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]:huh: [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]I couldnt tell the date of this article (poo) but here is a portion of it: [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][font=Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif]Open Section 8 Waiting Lists in Oregon [/font]
[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][font=Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif]
[img=200x78]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--4gbNNWKb0o/UplJpTNGutI/AAAAAAAABSo/XoD-VM0Y2j4/s200/open-section-waiting-list.jpg[/img]

Many people are under the misconception that the section 8 waiting list in Oregon is closed until further notice. Afterall, it wasn't that long ago that Multnomah County opened their list for a few days, allowing sum 20 thousand people to apply, only to choose 3000 applicants to add to their waiting list, and then reclose it. Those 3000 applicants were chosen via a lottery.

Given the need in Multnomah county, this seems like a pretty fair way to handle the overwhelming requests.

The list in Washington County, and in Tillamook County are closed too, in fact that's the case in many counties around the world. But... if you REALLY want to get yourself a section 8 voucher, which is now more commonly called a Housing Choice Voucher, well, I'll tell you how.

You can wait for one of the major county's to open their lists. Then see if you're a lucky lotto winner, and I wish you luck. I plan to do just that.

I also plan to seek out lessor known counties in Oregon and apply with them. There are counties with open lists. In some cases, you can even use that voucher in the county you want to live in! You may be able to immediately port your voucher to Multnomah, Clackamas, or Washington county, or you might have to wait a year, in the county where you applied, and then port to your county of choice, or you might just be stuck where you applied.

[/font][/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][font=Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif]Taken from: http://oregonlowincomehousing.blogspot.ca/p/open-section-8-lists-in-oregon-many.html[/SIZE][/font][/font]

 

[grandpacamper]

Just recently I was talking with my daughter (the soon to be vandweller) whom is selling her home, planning to buy a piece of property to homestead.  There are several close by counties that allow homesteading or at least have lowered their building codes to accommodate homesteading & tiny home occupancy.  She had been living in her 12 x 12 since Oct '16 as a trail run to see how she could adapt to the VanDwelling life.  She loves it.  Her renters were a young couple that both had jobs, a little higher than minimal wage but still could never seem to get enough to pursue the American Dream.  

This was my attempt to introduce the subject I wanted to open for discussion.  Sometimes I relate too many mundane details,  Sorry.

Here is my thoughts, they are on numerous waiting lists for suitable apartments or houses. They have grouped with 2 other couples & placed their names on multiple lists hoping to get a place to rent.  The housing market here in OR is horrendous, they are building non-stop but losing ground to the influx of new residents including the homeless crowd.  To get on the list they must put down a deposit for each tenant, average $50 more or less, the fee is NON-REFUNDABLE, they say it's for the cost of a background check & referrals & such.  The couple has only had one referral since Oct.  But still keep putting their names on the lists.  

I'm sure everything is on the up & up, with all the honest property management companies taking their deposits.  They mentioned they were on 8 lists (8 X 2 X $50 = $800) if each couple they are coupled with has paid the $800 then the Mgt Company has now pocketed $2400 for one referral.  There are several companies within our area all taking the names of countless people, anyone what to guess how many prospective renters that involves?  I'm sure there's other gratuities involved if they do finally get a rental either from them or the landlord.  WHAT A SCAM!  We have tent cities all over the place, under overpasses, along river banks, parks, streets & the panhandling that goes on at each offramp is laughable.  Each has a nice bike & big dog sitting by their side, while they sit with their cardboard sign on a 5 gal bucket.

This was my concern, I was wondering if this was going on.  No one had an answer, some just shrugged their shoulders & said, they assume the money is probably being pocketed.  

I will try to be brief from this point on. I actually thought it was self explanatory, but what do I know not being a writer.

 

[VanKitten]

As a ex-landlord I can tell you those management companies do not get to pocket that application fee.

The agencies that do nationwide background checks and criminal checks require the landlord to pay $30 each for them. Then another $20-$25 for the credit check. Which includes the full credit report.

This is paid per person. This is done through a direct bank withdrawal.

So...for each person I paid $50-55. I did not "pocket" any money in this process.
But, I sure wasn't paying that myself. I started absorbing that cost. But...after 3 or 4 prospects failing ...I quickly realized I was paying a lot of money and still had no qualified tenant.

 

[Wabbit]

I was under the impression that background checks can be done thru subscriptions services. No matter either way. This whole concept of having to pay for your own background\credit checks is sketchy as hell. Who benefits and who loses? I know who loses, those that don't have the resources to afford this multiple times. Who benefits? No idea, but I have some thoughts. If you're on the side of, "its cool, nothing to see here", then count yourself lucky that your able to think that. A lot of people aren't as lucky and think the process is a setup\scam. Hope you never find yourself or someone you care about on that side of the fence. Life is cool, but realistically, its mostly luck. I do understand the averting ones eyes and keeping your mouth shut about things that seem hinky, if you don't, the pack might turn on you. Everyone knows this, self preservation just prevents them from admitting it to themselves. Or, maybe I'm an idiot(I am) and I'm completely off base and I need to drink more of the delicious koolaid. Who knows.

 

[VanKitten]

Wabbit.... why would you think that a landlord should absorb the cost of doing those checks?
Yeah..it is a subscription service...and it costs and average $15 per person, per check. Nothing scetchy about it. As a landlord, I HAD to do complete vetting. As a landlord, I could not afford to pay out of my own pocket for every application. This could run into several hundreds of dollars each time I rented a place!

I get that it is a bummer that people had to file multiple application with various places. But, it is what it is. I know many of the tenants I had through the years had great credit and clean backgrounds......they only ever made one application because they knew wherever they wanted to go they would be accepted.

So..any way, don't make it sound like landlords are making money on this....they aren't.

 

[jonsun]

like had as in required by law? if so that's BS.

 

[frater secessus]

Wabbit....  why would you think that a landlord should absorb the cost of doing those checks?

Because it's a deductible business expense?

 

[mizjewels]

I would think anyone who could afford to own and maintain income producing property should be able to afford credit checks as a cost of doing business.

 

[Cammalu]

As a landlord myself I believe what VanKitten was referring to on having to do vetting was not that he legally had to but that he needed to cover his butt so doesn't get a bunch of bad renters.

I haven't run a credit check on any of my renters myself but they don't know that. I check on them in others ways which isn't that hard in a little po dunk town. But you do need to do some checking.

 

[IGBT]

I would think anyone who could afford to own and maintain income producing property should be able to afford credit checks as a cost of doing business.

It is a cost of doing business.  The tenant is just the one who pays the cost.

The law is overwhelmingly in the tenant's favor on everything else.

If you want to change things, require that credit reporting companies give out credit reports for free.

 

[justbreathe]

These checks should be given to the renter who paid for it and then they can give the same one to multiple places they apply to rent from.

This whole having to pay for it over and over is a scam.

 

[VanKitten]

Just because it is deductible does not make it free for the landlord.

So.. you would have me pay $$$$$ for background/credit checks. Then I get a 20 cents on the dollar reduced tax.....yeah...

Any landlord knows that failing o vet out a prospect means that odds are good you will get screwed by the tenant.

Bad tenants have histories of being bad tenants, Nothing costs more than a bad tenant.

Failing to know that history means you will lose your shirt and possible your property because you cannot pay your bills.

Stop believing that landlord are rich and should support their tenants.

 

[GotSmart]

Bad tenants ~~~

In eight months I had tenants trash my 4BR house to the tune of $10K. (Parts only)  It would have been twice that, but I did all the repairs myself.  

I just should have given them $5K to go somewhere else instead of being nice and renting to them.  

No more rentals.

 

[Ella1]

Are you still reading this thread?
You said, "...They have grouped with 2 other couples & placed their names on multiple lists hoping to get a place to rent. The housing market here in OR is horrendous, they are building non-stop but losing ground to the influx of new residents including the homeless crowd. To get on the list they must put down a deposit for each tenant, average $50 more or less, the fee is NON-REFUNDABLE, they say it's for the cost of a background check & referrals & such. The couple has only had one referral since Oct. But still keep putting their names on the lists..."

Maybe your daughter should do the same background checks on her buddies that the management companies do, and find out which ones, if any, are causing the problem. She may be able to get some of the information through public records.
It takes only one of a group for the entire group to be rejected. Why is she going with a group--8 adult people? to rent a house? As a landlord, I wouldn't rent to that many adults. That is a bad situation for a landlord, and actually, for the group members as well. THAT alone is possibly the reason they are being refused.
Who in the group is going to hold the others responsible for damages? Who in the group is going to pay the rest of the rent if one or more refuses? In many states it's difficult, time consuming and expensive to evict, then clean and repair, and re-rent.
For instance, your d may may fill all the qualifications--local, state, federal, on her own to rent a place she'd want. It's entirely possible that one or more--maybe NONE of the others do. Really bad situation for your daughter. Even if your d were applying with ONE other person, if ONE of those people did not qualify/fit the
management co criteria, they would be rejected as tenants. The criteria should be based on fed, state, local laws, and other legal management criteria.
Most landlords will not permit subletting without owner approval, and that person must go through the same background checks, and keep the limit of visitors to days, to prevent problems. Many states regulate the number of non-related adults living in the same place.

The problem is not the management companies.
The problem is the group, and all or some of the members of the group.

Landlords who do not do thorough background checks should quickly learn to do that.
Those checks probably include credit, income, employment, criminal, judicial, evictions, past landlord references, etc.

 

[grandpacamper]

If you had taken the time to read my post, you would have found out that she rented to this couple because they both had jobs, young, just married with no prior problems & they were only wanting the rental until May. I was the one who questioned them when I found out that they were trying to get an affordable place to rent. Oregon was in the dumps back in 2008, they were renting to anyone who had a pulse. The lumber industry was kaput! There were vacant houses all over. Landlords were begging anyone offering 2-3 months free.

Then the worm turned we watched as anything resembling a house could be rented for more than a house payment. The landlords were getting several requests every day. That in itself brings out the leaches so to speak. The students which is a very real group here were taking up all the available housing. 6-8 kids were renting dumps. So it stood to reason that the fringe of society would take advantage of the situation. Supply & demand.

My only query was were these kids being taken advantage of with bogus lists. Scams abound in the rental markets as does it exist in used & new car dealerships, real estate offices,,,etc. Dishonest humans all over are waiting to take someone's money for whatever reason. I was only wondering if this was going on. I have a home, have excellent credit & would not worry about qualifying. But I'm be damned if I would drop any money without a guarantee that the requester was on the up & up & not taking me for a ride.

For every 'honest' salesman there are 10 that I wouldn't trust with my dirty underwear. I TRUST NO ONE!!!

 

[Bast]

Why should the law privilege landlords over tenants. Try being nonwhite and getting a rental or a mortgage regardless of credit or rental history.

 

[Cammalu]

Bast. Not everyone discriminates. I have a couple rentals and I sure don't.

You have to cover your investment and weed thru tons of people sometimes.


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[mizjewels]

It is a cost of doing business.  The tenant is just the one who pays the cost.

The law is overwhelmingly in the tenant's favor on everything else.

If you want to change things, require that credit reporting companies give out credit reports for free.

That's funny .... I don't see anywhere where I suggested I wanted to change anything... so please ...with all due respect... keep your words in your own mouth and not mine. Thanks.