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With tens of thousands of military personnel overseas in 2003 and 2004, Congress rewrote a World War II-era law that provides certain financial protections to members of the military and their families. Today, the conflicts abroad are continuing to require the service of thousands of men and women in uniform. On the home front, it is the responsibility of housing providers to comply with the law and thus relieve some of the burden of service on military families.

In a court case decided in January 2009, a New York owner tried to evict a Section 8 resident, claiming that she had violated her lease by creating a nuisance. In the notice of termination, the owner claimed that the resident engaged in violent behavior during domestic disputes. The violent incident that put the owner over the edge entailed the resident allegedly stabbing her boyfriend. At that time, the boyfriend told the police that the resident had stabbed him, but she denied this allegation and claimed that she was a victim of domestic violence and not the aggressor.

Many owners and managers of assisted sites use leases that give them the right to conduct periodic inspections of units to discover unsafe and unsanitary conditions and unreported maintenance problems. Early detection of these and similar situations can help prevent problems, such as insect and rodent infestations, offensive odors, major repair jobs, and flooding, says Mark Chrzanowski, a compliance specialist at the Gene B. Glick Company and an expert in HUD rules.