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For those of you who hold a certain stereotype of Section 8 recipients, check your assumptions carefully. I currently hold a Section 8 voucher. I am a law-abiding single white female, 33 years old, no children, work full time, college educated, and have recently returned to school to become a Registered Nurse. My intention was to use the voucher during the next year while I completed nursing school and took a job that would allow me more time to study.

Three months ago, I was granted a Section 8 voucher which I am eligible to use in any town within my current state of residence. Since my current apartment met the Fair Rent guidelines, and I have lived in it for nearly 5 years, I notified my landlord that I had been approved for the program. He initially told me that he did not accept Section 8. When I requested his assistance and explained what the program was, he agreed to complete the necessary paperwork. However, he has neglected to return the paperwork to me. In the meantime I have contacted the Fair Housing Commission in my state and they have contacted him. The response they got was that he would not renew my lease. As a result, I am filing a complaint of housing discrimination.

The Section 8 program has many rules and regulations both for the tenant and the landlord. Apartments are inspected every year and they must meet certain standards for the subsidy payments to be made. If tenants do not follow the rules, they are removed from the program.

I currently work as a psychiatric caseworker and have assisted clients with getting and retaining a Section 8 voucher. These are people who are psychiatrically disabled, may have criminal records, poor credit, racial minority status, and do not work. However, they were treated better when it came to renting an apartment. I never had to worry about housing discrimination until it became an issue for me.