Affordable Housing

At the Federal level, housing assistance programs are the responsibility of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. These housing assistance programs are placed by HUD into four categories.
Public housing is low rent housing built by the Federal government and operated by local housing authorities. These are "the projects" which blight many cities. Now that they are recognized as a general failure, they are being slowly phased out. This program is of little interest to landlords as there is no way for them to participate, nor would many want to do so if they could.
Privately owned subsidized housing consists of privately owned buildings, subsidized directly by HUD, with a rent charged to the tenants which is set by HUD.
The third category of affordable housing program is the block grant. In this scheme, money is channeled through Washington to individual States and local governments, who administer programs tailored to their own needs, but approved by HUD. Such programs are growing in popularity because they permit politicians to fulfill the requirement that Federal money be spent as far away as possible from its source. Thus, money from Massachusetts is sent to California to fund housing programs while money from California is sent to Illinois, and from Illinois to New York, and so on. The true cost of the "Federal money," i.e., the cost of everybody else's program, is effectively concealed from the people of Massachusetts by this stratagem, that State's congressional delegation getting credit for the subsidy, without having to explain the cost.
The fourth category of assistance program is what is generally referred to as "Section 8." We will deal with this in a little more detail below.
In addition to the Federal programs there are state and local programs which are too numerous to list. They should be explored through local government listings.
Within broad guidelines as to procedure and certain economic formulas promulgated by HUD, the Section 8 program is run by individual local housing authorities. While procedures and the format of documents may vary among the local housing authorities, the basic pattern is as follows. A prospective tenant having qualified for Section 8 assistance is issued a certificate and other documents and sent out to find a rental unit. If the landlord agrees to accept a Section 8 applicant, a proposed rental agreement is prepared according to the accompanying instruction sheet. This is turned into the local housing authority which determines whether the rent is within HUD guidelines, inspects the property to ensure it is habitable, then executes the housing assistance payments agreement, a document separate from the lease. If this is all acceptable to the landlord, the housing authority will send a monthly check for the portion of the rent it has agreed to pay, and the tenant will pay the portion of the rent the tenant has agreed to pay. There is no qualification or registration required of the landlord. His only requirement is to fulfill the lease and housing assistance agreement he has signed. Participation in the program is voluntary, and the fact that the landlord has accepted one Section 8 applicant does not mean he has to accept more. At the end of this document is a list of HUD administrative offices. The landlord who is contemplating participating in the Section 8 program should contact the one closest to him to obtain further information about the program in his locality, and how it is administered.
Whether or not the landlord should participate in the Section 8 program is a different issue. As with all such decisions, there are pro's and con's.
Reasons why Section 8 may be good for the landlord:
Practically all the rent is guaranteed by the government. In low end properties, obtaining financially stable and responsible tenants is usually a problem. Section 8 can ameliorate this risk.
There is not appreciably more paperwork involved in a Section 8 lease than in any other.
HUD Section 8 certificates are an extremely valuable commodity to the tenants who have them. Behavior which would create a risk of loss of the certificate, such as cheating, damaging the property, etc., is, therefore, to some extent deterred.
The tenants are, to some extent, pre-screened (but see below).
Reasons why Section 8 may not be a good idea: The landlord must operate the property according to HUD standards, thus losing some control over it.
The pool of available tenants tend to be less sophisticated as well as poor. While the vast majority will be just fine as tenants, there are some who will not. Perhaps the prospective tenant's poverty stems, in part, from habits which would not be in the landlord's best interest to tolerate.
A tenant paying only $100 or so for monthly rent is not likely to have much pride in the premises.
Some local housing authorities have in the past, and still do, impose onerous dispute resolution procedures in the event the landlord attempts to evict for certain reasons.
The landlord must commit to one year of occupancy of the premises during which time he may only evict for breach of the lease, or, in the case of certain lease forms used by local housing authorities, only for certain types of breaches.
Even though the housing authority will, to some extent, screen the tenant, the landlord should not rely exclusively on this, but go through his ordinary screening routine, ensuring the information he verifies is the same as that provided by the housing authority application form.
In the future we will be adding additional information not only about Section 8 subsidies, but also other programs. We would welcome email from visitors who wish to highlight a program in their area.

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How to Set-up a Moving Budget

Most people who move feel they don't have time to set up a budget first. However, not preparing financially could cost you more in the long-run. Small items such as a new shower curtain, sheets or restocking your shelves all adds up. I recommend setting a budget first, before you do anything else. Know what the move is going to cost so you're prepared and aware of what you're spending. Note: Each item below should be listed as separate line items.
1. Create a Moving Budget TemplateSoftware programs are probably the easiest way to create a budget template; Microsoft Word or Excel are the best programs to use, with Excel allowing you to use formulas for easy calculations. For your convenience, I've created a moving budget template in Excel that will provide you with everything you need, including formulas and and easy-to-use breakdown. It blends perfectly with this article.If you'd like a copy, just email me and put "moving budget template" in the subject line. Please note that this template can only be used in MS Excel.
If you'd rather have something more portable or if you don't want to spend the time setting up a document on your computer, purchase a bookkeeper's record book at your local office supply store. You may need to make a few adjustments to the column titles or entry boxes, but it will provide you with the basic outline of expense tracking that you'll need. Also, make sure you have a good calculator or adding machine on hand.
2. Moving Company ExpensesIf you're hiring a moving company, you'll need to include the following amounts:
Moving Company Fee: Includes fuel charges and labor. Ask for estimates from three and even if you haven't decided on which company you'll choose, add the highest quote to your budget. Additional Insurance: If your items are worth more to you, you may need to add this on to your total moving costs. Extra Services: Could include preparing appliances, moving a piano, etc. Ask the moving company for quotes if these services apply. Extra Charges: These may include accessorial charges, expedited service charge, flight charge, longhaul charges, long carry charges and shuttle service. Claims/damage costs: you may not need to include an amount here, but to be safe, add in a 5 percent contingency rate based on the total moving company fees. Professional Packing: This is an optional service.
3. Moving YourselfIf you're moving yourself, these are the items you'll need to include:
Truck Rental: Rates vary according to size and whether you're moving one way or return. Mileage/Gas: Ask the rental agency how many miles to the gallon you can expect from the van or truck that you're renting. If you're moving any distance, find out the cost of fuel along your route. Do this by going to the Fuel Calculator, a service offered by AAA. Insurance: Before you purchase insurance, contact your credit card companies to find out if you're covered under their service. This could save you some extra money. If you're not covered, make sure you include an insurance fee. Extra Equipment Rental: This may include a dolly, a loading ramp, mattress and furniture covers, etc. Before you add this item into your budget, ask the rental agency if they'll throw these tools in for free. Incidentals: Add in an extra contingency amount, just in case the price of gas goes up again or in case you need to make some extra stops along your route. It's better to build extra coFor apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments. After a day of hard work you can relax in your luxury rental apartment and buy undergarments for yourself or your loved one online here. You can check out the women’s clothing undergarment blogs and shapewear here, here, here and here. For shapewear and it’s a great place to buy women’s undergarmentssts in up front.

How to Tell Your Neighbor the Music's Too Loud

You don't want to rock the boat or tip the neighborhood canoe, but you do want to be able to sleep in on Saturdays. With a tactful approach, you can achieve your goal.
1Start by smiling. Catch your neighbor's eye when he heads out in the morning or give him a friendly nod when he comes home. Step2Get to know this person if you don't already. What's his name? Where does he work? How long has he lived on your street? Step3Try to make pleasant chitchat and find a common interest'sports? gardening? movies? Step4Mention, in an offhand way, that you can hear his music from your house. Tell him it sometimes wakes you up. For many people, this will be enough to let them know that their behavior needs to change. Step5Wait a week or two to see what happens. Step6Mention in a more direct way that you'd like the volume lower. Be clear and specific with your request - and don't forget to be friendly. Step7Find out if other neighbors are bothered, if no change happens, and ask them to mention it, too. Step8Consider soliciting the help of one of his friends on the block - he might be willing to heed the complaint from someone closer. Step9Wait a week or two to avoid creating a conflict that could become hostile. Step10Escalate if you must: Write a letter, solicit legal advice or call the police. These methods up the conflict ante, so use them with care. For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments. After a day of hard work you can relax in your luxury rental apartment and buy undergarments for yourself or your loved one online here. You can check out the women’s clothing undergarment blogs and shapewear here, here, here and here. For shapewear and it’s a great place to buy women’s undergarments