Cohousing-L Mailing List: HUD, renting, low-income

[Karin Landsberg (karin]

I am curious to hear about how other groups have made rental units 
available. Are they owned by an individual? the group? Have other groups 
had renters who have been involved in the process of developing the 
community? How has that played out?

I am currently receiving Section 8 rental assistance. I had hoped to be 
able to use my rental assistance to pay a mortgage to buy a unit in 
Dearborn Commons Cohousing in Seattle, as we are working with a local 
non-profit to land trust five of our units to make them affordable to 
lower income individuals and families. However, it looks as though I 
will not qualify for the program the local housing authority is likely 
to start (they will be targeting those living in housing authority 
buildings). (There is a fairly new HUD program providing for the use of 
Section 8 rental assistance towards mortgage payments, however it is up 
to the local housing authority whether or not they implement the program 
and how.) So now I am hoping that I will be able to rent a unit. What I 
can pay in rent is limited by a cap set by the housing authority, 
however, I think it will be enough to rent a one-bedroom unit. We have a 
site, building plans, and are looking for one or two more who are 
interested and able/willing to put in some money to move forward with 
the permitting process.

Karin

karin [at] serv.net
www.dearborncommons.com

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