Extra money offered to Kenton Co. landlords who switch to Section 8

COVINGTON IS OFFERING HUNDREDSOF DOLLARS TO LANDLORDS WHOJOIN THE CITY'S SECTION 8PROGRAM.THIS INCENTIVE AIMS TOPROVIDE MORE AFFORDABLEHOUSING IN THE AREA TO HELPLOW-INCOME FAMILIES.AS WCPO 9NEWS REPORTER PAOLA SUROEXPLAINS... THE CITY HOPESTHIS WILL ALSO HELP THOSE WHOMAY HAVE LOST A JOB DURING THEPANDEMIC REBOUND AND FIND APLACE TO LIVE."there are more families inneed than there are landlords"FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW - LARRYGRIESINGER HAS SEEN THE NEEDFOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FIRST-HAND THROUGHOUT THE 12PROPERTIES HE OWNS INCOVINGTON - LATONIA AND TAYLORMILL.AND NOW - DURING THEPANDEMIC - EVEN MORE SO."there's a lot of people thati know - my tenants as well -who lost their job and are inneed of the section 8 housing."THE CITY OF COVINGTONRECOGNIZES IT TOO-"a lot of our participantshave been directly impacted bythe covid-19 pandemic.

We havea lot of families who work inthe service industry so wethought we could offer alittle assistance to them."THAT ASSISTANCE COMES IN THEFORM OF 500 DOLLARS PER TENANTTO LANDLORDS IN KENTON COUNTYWHO SIGN A NEW LEASE UNDER THEHOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM- ALSO KNOWN AS SECTION 8.

INRETURN - MAKING AFFORDABLEHOUSING MORE AVAILABLE IN THECITY."we have a lot offamilies who are unable tofind landlords who are willingto participate in the section8 program.

So we have a lot offamilies whose names reach thetop of the waiting list butthey're unable to use theirvoucher"SURO/@PAOLASNEWSnow -more properties could becomeavailable - to help the morethan 120 low-income familiesin covington.the city hopesthis will open the eyes ofproperty owners who have neverthought of participatingbefore."we have a lot ofelderly participants - we haveveterans - we have singleparents we have students, sothere's parents we havestudents, so there's a widerange of families out therewho just need a little bit ofassistance" GRIESINGER WILL BEONE OF THE PARTICIPATINGLANDLORDS - AS HE WORKS TOCONVERT ALL HIS PROPERTIESINTO SECTION 8HOUSING."hopefully it'll get alot of people changed over tosection 8.

It'll help bothsides." PAOLA SURO WCPO 9NEWS