Transcript Working with Landlords Permanent Housing Options • Public sector serves as landlord (e.g. public housing under control of housing authority) • Under contract w/the.

Working with Landlords
Permanent Housing Options
• Public sector serves as landlord (e.g.
public housing under control of
housing authority)
• Under contract w/the public sector, a
private business or non-profit
organization serves as landlord (e.g.
CDC, Section 8 developments).
• Private rental market.
Challenges
• Families you serve have minimal incomes
– very few units are affordable to them.
• Given dearth of rental units affordable to
very poor families, landlords can be very
selective.
• Families you serve have challenging, if
any, rental history.
• Landlords may have had bad experiences
before, want to play it safe.
What you can offer
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Help landlord (private or public) meet their
goals
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PHA’s – voucher utilization rates, administration
challenges – inspections, etc., decrease turnover
and evictions.
Back-up – a resource to resolve issues that might
arise and protect the property/asset.
Opportunity to contribute to their community while
minimizing their personal risk.
Bringing Landlords to the Table
• Sell your mission, your program’s services
and your families.
• Listen to concerns and explore how to
resolve, not refute, them.
• Be reliable & trustworthy – success breeds
success.
Negotiations are Possible!
• Lower renter requirements
– Credit checks, etc. are the landlords’ protection
against making a bad choice – e.g. someone who will
not pay their rent. Are their mechanisms you can
adopt to minimize their risk AND allow them to rent to
the family you are working with?
• Lower rent!
– Upfront rental payments or assistance with upkeep of
the property may allow landlord to offer unit for
reduced rate.
Strategies – From Beyond Shelter
• Know what you are ‘selling’
– Marketing materials: benefits to owners, organizational history of
success, educate and dispel myths/stereotypes
• Market to Whom
– Private landlords, property management companies, other
entities – including public sector
• Cold calls & community searches
– Neighborhood searches, door to door, internet listing,
newspapers
• Warm hits
– Previous landlord partners, word of mouth, owners w/history of
philanthropy, personal experience/knowledge
Strategies – From Beyond Shelter (cont)
• Networking
– Associations, presentations, informal opportunities
• Follow-up
– Follow up with current owners, go the extra mile!
• Lessons Learned
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Non-monetary incentives can work
Beware of unanticipated costs
Understand needs and wants of landlords
DO NOT make promises you cannot keep
Document all communications w/landlords
Myth: landlords do not want to rent to homeless families or
agencies serving them