Section 8 Tenant Rights & Responsibilities

You as a resident (tenant) have rights and responsibilities that help make your HUD-assisted housing a better home for you and your family. As part of the dedication of HUD and the City of Miami to maintaining the best living environment for all residents, the following is encouraged and supported:  

• Management agents and property owners communicate with residents on any and all issues.
• Owners and managers give prompt consideration to all valid resident complaints and resolve them as quickly as possible.
• Residents' right to organize and participate in the decisions regarding the well-being of the project and their home.  

Along with your owner/management agent, you play an important role in making your place of residence""the unit (apartment), the grounds, and other common areas""a better place to live and in creating a community you can be proud of.

Your Rights  

As a resident of a HUD-assisted multifamily housing project, you should be aware of your rights.  

Involving Your Apartment

• The right to live in decent, safe, and sanitary housing that is free from environmental hazards such as lead-based paint hazards.
• The right to have repairs performed in a timely manner, upon request, and to have quality maintenance program run by management.
• The right to be given reasonable notice, in writing, of any non-emergency inspection or other entry into your apartment.

Involving Resident Organizations

• The right to organize as residents without obstruction, harassment, or retaliation from property owners or management.
• The right to post materials in common areas and provide leaflets informing other residents of their rights and of opportunities to involve themselves in their project.
• The right, which may be subject to a reasonable, HUD-approved fee, to use appropriate common space or meeting facilities to organize or to consider any issue affecting the condition or management of the property.
• The right to meet without the owner/manager present.
• The right to be recognized by property owners and managers as having a voice in residential community affairs.  

Involving Nondiscrimination

The right to equal and fair treatment and use of your building's services and facilities, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, disability, familial status (children under 18), national origin (ethnicity or language), or in some circumstances, age.  

Your Responsibilities  

As a resident of a HUD-assisted multifamily housing project, you also have certain responsibilities to ensure that your building remains a suitable home for you and your neighbors. By signing your lease, you and the owner/ management company have entered into a legal, enforceable contract. You and the owner/management company are responsible for complying with your lease, house rules, and local laws governing your property. If you have any questions about your lease or do not have a copy of it, contact your management agent or the City of Miami.   

To Your Property Owner or Management Agent

• Complying with the rules and guidelines that govern your lease.
• Paying the correct amount of rent on a timely basis each month.
• Providing accurate information to the owner at the certification or re-certification interview to determine your total tenant payment, and consenting to the release of information by a third party to allow for verification.
• Reporting changes in the family's income.  

To the Project and to Your Fellow Residents

• Conducting yourself in a manner that will not disturb your neighbors.
• Not engaging in criminal activity in the unit, common area, or grounds.
• Keeping your unit clean and not littering the grounds or common areas.
• Disposing of garbage and waste in a proper manner.
• Complying with local codes that affect the health or safety of the residence.
• Maintaining your apartment and common areas in the same general physical condition as when you moved in.
• Reporting any apparent environmental hazards to the management, such as peeling paint""which is a hazard if it is a lead-based paint""and any defects in building systems, fixtures, appliances, or other parts of the unit, the grounds, or related facilities.