Nashville-Area HUD Administrator Says More Local Landlords Are Bailing Out Of Section 8 Program, Refusing Lease Renewals To Those Receiving Federal Rent Subsidies; Says City Could Use Another 200-300 Units In Program

In Antioch, Tennessee, WZTV-TV Channel 17 reports:

• An Antioch family says it’s about to be forced out of a Section 8 home for the second time.
  
  Courtney Norman's story begins several years ago when the owners of her home off Treuland and Meridan stopped renting to Section 8. That forced her to Antioch, and she says the same thing is happening again.
  
  As a disabled mother of four, money is tight for Norman. “I've always provided a roof for my kids,” Norman said. But she's made it work. "I've never been in fear of losing my housing," Norman said,
  
  But, that's not the case right now.
  
  Earlier this month, Pebble Creek Apartments served a 30-day eviction notice saying the complex is no longer renewing Section 8 leases. Norman says it's the second time this has happened to her, but finding a new place she can afford is much harder now.
  
  "I've been here all my life, don't have a desire to leave the state, but unfortunately, that's where it's pushing out us tenants," Norman said,
  
  Renters facing a second Section 8 displacement may soon become more common in Nashville.
  
  "We are adding and losing landlords every single year,” [Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency] Spokesperson Jamie Berry said, “We're just losing more than we're adding."
  
  Berry says Nashville currently has about 200 fewer landlords offering Section 8 housing than six years ago, and the city could really use another 200 to 300 units. "There is an issue in Nashville with housing, our Section 8 department has felt that, honestly they're working overtime," Berry said.
  
  Fewer landlords mean fewer options for this mother who dreads what's going to happen next year.
  
  "When I'm going to get that knock from the sheriff's office, telling me I have to leave and my kids are going to be on the street," Norman said.
  
  Fox 17 was not able to reach the owners of Pebble Creek Apartments for comment at the time this story was written. But, Norman says there are 18 other families there who are also being forced out.
  
  MDHA does say owners have the legal right to evict those tenants whose leases are up.

Source: Antioch woman says she's being forced out of Section 8 housing for second time.