Firearms Safety in Affordable Housing

As a manager or owner of a Section 8 property, your tenants are subject to the same rights and freedoms of other non-residents. Your job as an O/A is to protect the well-being of your tenants and having rules regarding gun safety and storage is part of that responsibility.

Part of the O/A’s responsibility to make sure that housing that is provided be safe, sanitary and decent.  Our feeling is that it is  the responsibilities of each and every one of your tenants who own firearms to follow some simple policies to insure that those who live around them scan still live safely.

STATE/LOCAL TENANT LANDLORD REQUIREMENTS ARE DIFFERENT. CHECK WITH AN ATTORNEY OR HUD REPRESENTATIVE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR STATE REQUIREMENTS REGARDING FIREARMS. PLEASE DELETE OR EDIT TO CONFORM TO YOUR OWN POLICIES.

Here is some sample policy to add to your house rules:

All firearms in the possession of a resident, guest or service provider must be licensed and carried in accordance with state and local laws. All weapons/firearms must be stored in locked cabinets. If removed from the cabinet for legal use (i.e. target practice at a firing range or hunting), the weapon/firearm must be transported in an appropriate carrying case from apartment to vehicle and back to the locked cabinet. Openly carrying or displaying weapons or firearms is strictly prohibited.

The use of any type of weapon, firearm, or dangerous object is strictly prohibited within the boundaries of the property. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Shotguns, handguns, pistols, rifles, etc.
• Ammunition of any type
• Pellet guns, B.B. guns, air guns (pistols, rifles, etc.), of any type
• Archery equipment (bows, arrows, targets, etc.)
• Any and all types of sling shots or any device that could shoot a projectile
• All sharp edged or pointed objects (i.e., knife, sword, etc.) used with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or harm another
• Any and all types of explosives, fireworks, and explosive chemical(s)
• Any other type of instrument, object, and/or material that may be deemed a weapon when used with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or harm another

The illegal possession of weapons by a resident, a resident’s service provider or a resident’s guest is prohibited and constitutes a material lease violation.