KILLEEN, Texas — The Central Texas Council of Governments is facilitating new Section 8 emergency housing vouchers which will pay landlords extra bonuses to take at-risk tenants. Landlords new to the program could get an extra $1,500 if they lease to tenant in the program for two years.
Carmen Lim with CTCOG met with City of Killeen officials, the Killeen Police Department, Fort Hood Habitat for Humanity and several local property owners on Wednesday to support the program. Lim spoke with 6 News Thursday to break down what benefits the program provides and why landlords should get involved.
CTCOG still has 34 families and individuals on emergency housing vouchers looking for housing right now. Six have already made progress towards housing. Lim said emergency housing vouchers are typically provided to homeless individuals, people trying to escape domestic violence, or people recovering from human trafficking.
Landlords accepting a tenant on the program for the first time will get a $1,000 signing bonus, and they will get $500 for each additional tenant that signs a lease. Landlords already involved with the program will also get $500 for signing a new tenant.
If a landlord re-signs a tenant on the program after a year, they will get an additional $500 bonus.
Lim also told 6 News that Section 8 programs provide guaranteed income for landlords and is worthwhile for that reason alone.
"Every month our portion is guaranteed to them via direct deposit. There is no changing of hands. We don't pay the tenant to pay the landlord, It's done directly to their bank account," Lim said.
Landlords taking part can post available properties at gosection8com.
Lim said CTCOG could be contacted at CTCOGhousing@ctcog.org and would need the property owner's direct deposit information and a W-9.
Once a landlord is in their system, Lim said they could sign a tenant in as little as two weeks.
CTCOG already works with 622 landlords in the Central Texas area but most are currently full. CTCOG has 2,252 families or individuals in housing right now. They have a total of 580 people currently looking for housing, though those individuals are not on emergency housing vouchers, so the bonus would not apply.
Lim said CTCOG vouchers are now paying 110% of fair market rent to keep up with rising costs around the area.