Your Free Guide to Section 8 Housing
We are a privately owned organization, and we hold no affiliation with the government in any way or form. We have a dedicated team of writers who have extensively researched the Section 8 program to craft this guide to help consumers.
Section 8 Housing: What is it?
Section 8, also known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program, is a program funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Care (HUD) designed to provide rental assistance to people who need it.
This section discusses:
- Project-Based Vouchers vs. Tenant-Based Vouchers
Section 8 was originally created with the idea of helping senior citizens, people with disabilities, as well as low-income households, find affordable housing that won’t break the bank while also being safe, sanitary, and liveable.
With this program, beneficiaries are given a voucher that lowers the cost of the rent. HUD then takes this voucher and then pays the landlord directly, which in turn, covers much of the rental cost. It is then the beneficiary’s responsibility to pay the remaining amount of the rent.
Project-Based Vouchers vs. Tenant-Based Vouchers
The Section 8 program contains two main types of assistance:
- Project-based assistance only grants a household rental assistance if they reside in a specific unit. Since the rent assistance is linked to the unit instead of the family, you lose the assistance when you move out of the unit.
- Tenant-based assistance allows a household to locate and select the unit of their choice. This is the type of assistance that links to the family and allows them to move somewhere else while continuing to receive a rent subsidy.
Since both vouchers are parts of Section 8, they harbor the same program rules and eligibility requirements, except for the following:
| Tenant-Based Vouchers | Project-Based Vouchers |
| Families are required to locate their own units. | PHAs refer families to units they qualify for. |
| Families retain their vouchers if they leave the unit. | Families forfeit their vouchers when they leave the unit. |
The majority of PHAs combine their project-based and tenant-based waiting lists.
It doesn’t matter whether your PHA has separate waiting lists for each type of assistance, you won’t be required to apply for project-based vouchers separately. Once you add your signature to the waiting list, your PHA will also offer you a spot on the other.
Public Housing or Section 8: What’s Best for Me?
Public housing and Section 8 are oftentimes confused for one another, but HUD’s Public Housing is a separate program entirely, that’s operated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by local PHAs.
One major similarity is that the public housing program is still designed to assist low-income families, people with disabilities and senior citizens to rent affordable and safe housing.
Even though they are similar in concept, there are some differences between public housing and Section 8.
All the housing units that are a part of the Public Housing Program are owned by HUD. What this means is that HUD is able to rent out the units cheaper than their market value. Afterward, a PHA becomes the landlord of the unit after a family moves in.
Another difference is that Section 8 housing vouchers are used for units that are available on the open market. These units are owned by private landlords who have entered into an agreement or contract with a PHA.
Section 8 Contact Information
Even though Section 8 is a federal program, it is governed by dozens of local Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) from various locations all over the country.
In this section:
National Customer Service Center
People who would like to apply for Section 8 may do so via any PHA that is actively accepting applications, even if you don’t reside in the same location as the PHA. You’ll find more details regarding this information further along in this guide.
National Customer Service Center
The Section 8 National Customer Service Center is open Monday thru Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. When calling in you should have the following information readily available.
- Name
- Email Address
- Phone Number
- Any questions you may have
Section 8 National Customer Service Center: 800-955-2232
State Contact Information
The proceeding list contains various links to contact information for all PHAs who reside within your state, as well as important state-specific resources such as:
- Subsidized housing locations.
- Links to your state’s PHA websites.
- Housing counseling agencies near you.
- Utility bill assistance.
Section 8 Eligibility Requirements
In this section:
Social Security Number Requirement
Criminal and Drug History Check
Is it possible for college students to receive Section 8 vouchers?
What are the Section 8 income limits?
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) decides most of the eligibility requirements for Section 8. However, in most cases, public housing authorities (PHA) will have supplementary requirements.
It depends on which PHA you decide to apply through, and your eligibility for vouchers is generally based on various factors, such as:
- Personal criminal or drug history.
- Personal household “family” status.
- Personal income.
- Personal residency status.
- Whether or not you hold a Social Security Number (SSN).
The following sections will cover these requirements in further detail.
If you’re trying to receive a Section 8 voucher, then it’s required that someone in the family (household) holds a valid social security number (SSN).
A family can get a Section 8 voucher without a social security number (SSN ) but the level of assistance that you’ll get will be divided in a way that will prohibit you from receiving the full voucher amount.
Criminal and Drug History Check
PHAs will pull up any criminal history that you may have upon applying to the program.
You are at risk of being denied assistance if any of the following situations are true:
- A person in your family/household has a history of alcohol abuse that could endanger the peace or safety of other people living in the home or even neighbors.
- A person in your family/household has taken part in illegal drug-related activity.
- A person in your family/household is a registered lifetime sex offender. (In any state.)
To properly identify those who fall into the denied category, PHAs will oftentimes consider any drug or alcohol-related arrests. This is also true regarding convictions that have happened within at least the previous 3 years.
Occasionally, a PHA can make it mandatory for you to remain on a waiting list for a reasonable amount of time before you can proceed in the program and be admitted to receiving the voucher after a criminal offense.
If your eligibility is affected by your alcohol or drug-related activity, housing authorities may consider allowing you to apply for assistance after undergoing a specialized treatment or a rehabilitation program.
Family Status Requirements
HUD defines “family” by using two general categories:
- A single person.
- A group of people (with or without children) who identify as a family and live together. This can mean even if they are not blood-related, married, or share any other type of legal bond between them.
HUD doesn’t decide your family status on variables like:
- Actual or perceived gender identity
- Actual or perceived sexual orientation.
- Marital status.
To further understand how HUD categorizes family members such as “elderly,” “disabled” and “displaced from home”, look at this.
- An elderly family is comprised of a head-of-household, co-head, or spouse who is at least 62 years old.
- A near-elderly family has a head-of-household, co-head, or spouse who is between the ages of 50 and 62.
- A displaced family is a household that has each member of the family involuntarily displaced from home because of:
- A formally declared natural disaster that has rendered the individual homeless.
- Various government actions.
- A disabled family has a head-of-household, co-head, or spouse who has been legally considered disabled with some form of physical, mental, or emotional impairment.
Is it possible for college students to receive Section 8 vouchers?
Students who are attending college typically are not eligible for housing vouchers. With that said, however, there are a couple of exceptions.
- You are a professional graduate student.
- You are a U.S. armed forces veteran, or you are currently serving on active duty.
- You are at least 24 years old.
- You are married.
- You are or were an emancipated minor.
- You have children or legal dependents other than a spouse.
- You were an orphan, ward of the court through the age of 18.
Residency Requirements
It’s not a requirement for you to be a resident of the state where you wish to apply for assistance. You can sign up for Section 8 with any PHA. You can also try more than one, as it’s rather common to apply for Section 8 through multiple PHAs at once.
With that said, you should know that PHAs are permitted to establish local residency preferences, which means they can prioritize applicants who reside in a particular area, including the PHA’s local area.
Income Guidelines
To qualify for Section 8, a family must fall into the category of “very low income” according to the state Section 8 income limit. What this means is that their income can’t be higher than 50 percent of the median income in whichever area they elect to live in.
Median incomes are different depending on the area, so different places will inherit varying Section 8 income limits.
It’s worth pointing out that even if your family isn’t considered to be a “very low-income family,” it’s still possible for you to apply for Section 8, as PHAs oftentimes tend to give housing vouchers to low-income or even moderate-income families depending on their unique situations.
What are the Section 8 income limits?
Just like median incomes, income limits also vary depending on the area. There are two common ways to calculate the Section 8 income limits for a specific location:
Option 1: You can access a PDF with all income limits for 2021 by clicking on this link or typing the URL into your browser’s address bar: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il/il21/Section8-IncomeLimits-FY21.pdf
Option 2: You can search for an area’s current income limit by following these steps:
- Visit the following URL:
- For 2021 income limits, click the button that says, “Click Here for FY 2021 IL Documentation.”
- Select your state from the list. A county list will appear to the right.
- Click the county whose income limits you want to check.
- Finally, click “View Calculations” to see income limits for the selected area.
You’ll find that the results detail the limits for families who earn 30 percent. These families are considered extremely low income. Families who earn 50 percent are very low income and families who earn 80 percent are just considered to be low income, based on the area’s median income.
It’s a good idea to consider the income limits based on the size of your household or family.
How to Apply for Section 8 Housing
There isn’t a national application for Section 8 housing vouchers since it is administered locally.
In this section:
How to Fill Out a Section 8 Application
To get started with the application program, you need to start by applying to a PHA that already has an open waitlist.
For starters, PHAs will have you begin by filling out a preliminary application that is also referred to as a “pre-application”. This pre-app will ask you for basic information such as:
- Date and time of application
- Annual income estimate
- Size of family
- Racial or ethnic designation of the head of household
- Your address
This pre-application is detrimental in figuring out your initial eligibility. Once you’ve finished with this step, you likely be added to a waiting list or denied Section 8.
How to Fill Out your Section 8 Application
After your name is chosen from the waiting list, your PHA will generally ask you to complete another full application. Unlike the pre-application that was mentioned earlier, the full application goes into further details regarding your household information.
Most PHAs have their own set of instructions for filling out a Section 8 application. Even so, there are various rules and guidelines that you should adhere to regardless of where you apply.
In most cases, full applications typically request:
- A list of savings and checking accounts for every member of the household.
- A self-certification detailing how accurate the provided information of the applicant is.
- In-depth information regarding your family’s income, sources of income, and frequency of getting paid.
- A general estimated cost of childcare, disability, and any other types of medical expenses.
- Details regarding any past drug- or alcohol-related arrests.
- Details regarding dependents, disabled family members, elderly family members, etc.
- Details regarding evictions from federally assisted housing anyone in the household may have had recently.
- Contact information of previous landlords.
Section 8 Application Methods
As mentioned above, most PHAs have their own processes regarding application methods and procedures. Even though they can be different, someone can generally apply one of these ways:
- By mail or fax
- By phone
- In-person
- Online
If you’re interested in learning more about the application options available to you, the best thing for you to do is contact the PHA you’d like to apply with.
For state-specific PHA contact information, refer to the section called “State Contact Information” in this guide.
So, I applied for Section 8, what’s next?
Once you have submitted a Section 8 application, your family should either:
- Have your name added to a waiting list.
- Receive a letter of denial.
- Receive a voucher instantly, if funding is available.
In this section:
Can you appeal a Section 8 denial?
How does the informal review work?
Local Preferences for Waiting Lists
Remember, if you get denied you are still able to appeal the decision. Details on how to go about this are listed below.
Reasons for Section 8 Denial
If you can’t figure out why your Section 8 application was denied, consider the following potential reasons:
- You didn’t meet the eligibility criteria for the program.
This may be because of the area income limit, immigration status, college enrollment, or perhaps other various requirements discussed in the section called “Section 8 Eligibility Requirements.” - You have been previously evicted from rent-assisted housing.
if a member of the household was evicted from federally assisted housing during the last five years, PHAs reserve the right to deny Section 8 admission to a family. - Fraud, bribery, and other criminalistic activity regarding rent assistance.
PHAs can simply deny an application if a member of the family has taken part in any criminal or corrupt acts that can be connected to a federal housing program. This also includes if the applicant submitted false information on their application. - If you currently have an outstanding balance with a PHA.
If anyone in the household owes rent or has an outstanding balance with any PHA, there’s a good chance the application may be denied.
The decision is typically made by the specific PHA that you applied to.
If a family member was previously removed from the Section 8 program but has since undergone and finished a supervised rehabilitation program, the PHA reserves the right to approve a new application.
Can you appeal a Section 8 denial?
Absolutely! If your application is denied, the PHA is required to provide you with a written notice explaining why. It’s also their responsibility to inform you that you are permitted to ask for an informal review of the decision.
How does the informal review work?
The PHA will select someone to look over and review their decision to deny the application. In this case, the reviewer is not allowed to be the same person who originally denied the application. You are permitted to respond to the PHA’s decision with either a writer or a verbal statement. When doing this, be sure to explain your situation and provide examples of why you think the PHA’s decision is wrong.
After the process of the informal review is finished, the PHA will notify you of the final decision, with a brief explanation as to how they reached it.
Getting on the Waiting List
If you’re eligible for Section 8, then chances are good that you be placed on a waiting list once you submit your preliminary application.
Anytime a new waiting list opens, the PHA(s) will announce it publicly via popular newspapers.
PHAs are also encouraged to try and contact at-need residents in various other ways, such as:
- Posting flyers or applications at public places like laundromats, schools, hospitals, etc.
- Making announcements via local TV and radio.
- Purchase advertisements on taxis, subways, buses, park benches, etc.
- Asking current participants to reach out to their friends, families, co-workers, neighbors, etc.
If the PHA you applied through has a closed waiting list, you can apply for assistance with any other PHA, in fact, it’s not a bad idea to apply through multiple PHAs all at once.
Local Preferences for Waiting Lists
A local preference is a component that will most times affect the speed at which you receive assistance. PHAs may assign preferences to those who are in dire need of affordable housing. You stand a good chance to qualify for a preference if you meet some of the following requirements:
- You are a local resident.
- You are a veteran.
- You are a victim of domestic violence.
- You are disabled.
- You are homeless.
- You are living in substandard housing.
- You have been displaced from home.
- You’re elderly or close to being elderly.
The exact preferences will be different in each specific housing authority, as certain PHAs don’t have any local preferences at all.
Using Your Housing Choice Voucher
In this section:
How to Find HUD’s Fair Market Rental Rates for an Area
Where can you use a Section 8 voucher?
How do PHA jurisdictions affect where I can use my voucher?
Where else can you look for housing?
Can a landlord refuse to accept Section 8 vouchers?
How long is a housing choice voucher valid?
What happens when I choose a unit?
Section 8 Housing Quality Standards
Tenant Responsibilities in the Section 8 Program
Recertifying Your Section 8 Eligibility
Can you move and keep getting assistance?
After your family is selected from a waiting list, the PHA will send you a letter in the mail, notifying you of their decision. As we covered earlier, you will then be required to fill out a full application, as discussed in the “How to Fill Out a Section 8 Application” section of this guide.
After completing the full application and once your information has all been verified by the PHA, the following happens:
- The written notice provided by the PHA will invite you to an individual or group briefing that goes over details of the program.
- During this briefing, you’ll learn about:
- How to receive benefits from Section 8 if you need to relocate.
- Locations where you can lease a unit.
- Program details.
- Your responsibilities.
- An additional informational packet will also be provided by the PHA detailing:
- A detailed explanation covering your obligations to the program.
- How long your voucher is good for.
- Information that covers where to find housing.
- Your total rent assistance payment amount.
If you’re interested in seeing what a housing voucher looks like, click the link: https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/52646.PDF
What’s the amount of rent that tenants pay?
The expected contribution of a family or household depends on the total income and fair market rental rates in a specific area.
To effectively deduce how much rent a Section 8 household will need to pay, HUD will use one of the following methods (generally the greater one.):
- 30 percent of monthly adjusted income
- This is gross income (before taxes) minus deductions for dependents, child care, and disability assistance. Elderly or disabled families can also claim an elderly deduction and a medical expenses deduction.
- 10 percent of gross monthly income
- This is income before taxes and deductions.
- The welfare rent in as-paid localities
- The “welfare rent” only applies to families who are on welfare (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) in places where the welfare office designates a certain amount of cash assistance for rent. Not all welfare offices do this, so this does not apply to everyone.
- The PHA’s minimum rent
- This varies by PHA but is between $25 and $50. A PHA will only impose a minimum monthly rent if each of the previous three formulas equals less than $25.
How Can I Find HUD’s Fair Market Rental Rates for an Area?
To check an area’s fair market rental rate, follow these steps:
- Visit the following URL:
- Click the button that says, “Click Here for FY 2021 FMRs.”
- Select your state from the list. A county list will appear to the right.
- Click the county whose income limits you want to check.
- Finally, click “Next Screen” to see the fair market rents for the area.
The results you receive will display the fair market rents for units up to four bedrooms.
Note:
When you initially apply for Section 8, applicants aren’t permitted to pay more than 40 percent of whatever their adjusted gross monthly income may be on rent.
Where can I use a Section 8 voucher?
It’s possible to use your voucher for various types of available housing on the open market, including apartments, townhomes, mobile homes, single-family homes, etc.
With that said, you won’t be able to use a Section 8 voucher for the following:
- A nursing home, care home, or any other type of facility that provides psychiatric, nursing, or medical care.
- A unit occupied by its owner.
- Any other unit already receives a federal subsidy.
- College dormitories.
- Prison or reformatory units.
- Public housing units.
How do PHA jurisdictions affect where I can use my voucher?
In the beginning, when you first start receiving assistance, your PHA can make you select a unit located within their jurisdiction. What that means is that the service area is covered by the PHA.
Generally, you are required to rent within a PHA’s jurisdiction if you didn’t already live in the area when your voucher was originally granted.
Where to Search for Section 8 Housing
There are several different ways for you to find Section 8-approved housing. An online search is by far the easiest way to locate a unit. If you need more help with finding places, check these tools below.
HUD’s Resource Locator Tool
- Click on the following link or input the URL into your browser’s address bar:
- Allow location access.
- Click “Find Affordable Housing Opportunities Near Me.”
- Next, enter a city or address in the search bar.
- A local map will appear with multiple icons on it. Click on an icon to learn about the housing unit.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Listings
- Click on the following link or input the URL into your browser’s address bar:
- Click on a state on the map.
- Next, click a county.
- Finally, click on the name of a rental property from the list.
PHA Listings
A PHA may provide you with:
- Links to apartment searching websites that the PHA endorses.
- A list of landlords who have rented to Section 8 participants in the past.
- Flyers from local landlords.
A large amount of PHAs partner with third-party websites so they can advertise rental listings. Two of these websites are, GoSection 8.com and SocialServe.com.
Is there anywhere else I can look for housing?
Since a housing choice voucher provides you with the freedom to choose whichever rental unit you want, you’re not solely limited to only using the above resources. You can also look for more housing options in:
- Any mainstream apartment searching website, such as Apartments.com or Zillow.
- For-rent signs in the neighborhood.
- Newspaper advertisements.
- Online classifieds.
Remember that you don’t need to limit your search to housing that is strictly advertised to low-income renters. Instead, you’re able to choose whichever unit you’re interested in as long as it complies with all the requirements.
Can a landlord refuse to accept Section 8 vouchers?
The federal government doesn’t prohibit discrimination when considering the source of income. What this basically means is that landlords are able to refuse Section 8 vouchers at their discretion.
Even so, most states, counties, and cities have laws in place that protect against forms of discrimination based on the source of income (SOI). In these places, it is 100% illegal for a landlord to refuse to rent to you just because they learned that you have enrolled in the Section 8 program.
Below is a list of places that have such laws against discrimination regarding the source of income.
| States with SOI Laws for Section 8 | California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, NewYork, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington |
| Counties with SOI laws for Section 8 | Marin County (CA), Santa Clara County (CA), Broward County (FL), Miami-Dade County (FL), Cook County (IL), Frederick County (MD), Howard County (MD), Montgomery County (MD), Erie County (NY), Nassau County (NY), Westchester County (NY), Suffolk County (NY), King County (WA), Dane County (WI) |
| Cities with SOI Laws for Section 8 | California: Berkeley, Corte Madera, East Palo Alto, Fairfax, Los Angeles, Mill Valley, Novato, San Anselmo, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Woodland; Colorado: Boulder, Denver; Delaware: Wilmington; Georgia: Atlanta Illinois: Chicago, Glenview, Harwood Heights, Naperville, Urbana, Wheeling; Iowa: Iowa City, Marion; Kentucky: Louisville Massachusetts: Boston, Cambridge, Newburyport, Quincy, Revere; Maryland: Annapolis, Baltimore, Frederick; Michigan: Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kentwood, Lansing, Wyoming; Minnesota: Minneapolis; Missouri: St. Louis; New York: Buffalo, Hamburg, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse, West Seneca; Ohio: Cincinnati, Linndale, South Euclid, University Heights, Warrensville Heights, Wickliffe; Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Borough of State College; Texas: Austin, Dallas; Tennessee: Memphis; Washington: Bellevue, Bellingham, Kent, Kirkland, Olympia, Redmond, Renton, Seattle, Spokane, Tumwater, Vancouver; Wisconsin: Cambridge, Madison, Milwaukee, Ripon, Sun Prairie, Wauwatosa |
If you reside in one of these locations and think you were a victim of discrimination based on your Section 8 status, you possess the right to file an official complaint. Contact your PHA for further information regarding the state, county, or city office that is able to take in your complaint.
How long is my housing choice voucher valid?
After you are accepted, you should start your search for housing ASAP. As required by law, PHAs must provide you with at least 60 days to secure a rental home. However, some PHAs may increase this time If you’re unable to find a unit prior to the deadline, or if your voucher expires and becomes invalid.
It’s possible for a separate housing authority to let you apply for an extension of at least 90 days if you are experiencing issues locating a property. Some PHAs may provide longer extensions depending on the situation or location. For example, Miami-Dade offers a 60-day extension in addition to the 60-day initial term, resulting in a voucher term of 120 days.
The process that you will need to go through regarding an extension varies based on the individual PHA. If and when you are accepted into the Section 8 program, they will go over this information, detailing how you can go about getting an extension.
Additionally, PHAs use their own eligibility guidelines when it comes to granting extensions which means that some may only grant the extension under mitigative circumstances, such as a family emergency. If you’d like to know more about these guidelines and extensions, contact your PHA.
You can find contact information in the “State Contact Information” of this guide.
What happens when I choose a unit?
After you have selected the unit that you wish to rent, you need to reach out and contact the landlord. Once you’ve done that, you may do the following:
- Partake in an interview with the landlord.
- Submit to a background check or other type of screening procedure.
- Tour the property.
It’s important to remember that landlords, not PHAs, are the ones who are responsible for screening tenants regardless of whether you have met all your PHA’s requirements. A landlord can decide on their own custom rules when it comes to tenant approval if the rules don’t infringe on any federal, state, or local laws.
The HUD urges recipients to think about various units before deciding on one. Your PHA can provide information for you regarding landlords in your area who have previously done work with the program before, however, it is your responsibility to find and chose a satisfactory housing unit.
After you’ve settled on a housing unit, you’ll then need to get with the landlord and work on an agreement. Afterward, you need to contact the PHA by putting in a request for tenancy approval. The PHA has to then provide a form that you’ll need to complete and sign (and be sure to include the signature of the landlord as well) to submit this request.
Another thing you’ll need to do is submit a copy of your lease agreement and the tenancy addendum that was given to you by HUD.
Once both documents are submitted to the PHA, the PHA will ensure the following:
- Ensure that the unit is eligible for Section 8 vouchers.
- Ensure that the landlord is acceptable.
- PHAs won’t permit you to rent from landlords who have previous infractions such as committing fraud, engaging in criminal activity, etc.
- Ensure that the unit meets HUD housing standards.
- Refer to the next section, called “Section 8 Housing Quality Standards”, for details on housing standards.
- Ensure that the rent is reasonable.
- Refer to the section called “Using Your Housing Choice Voucher” for specific information on HUD rental limits by area.
Once everything is done and all of these requirements are satisfied, the PHA will execute a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract with the selected landlord and from there, you begin to receive rent assistance.
As soon as the lease starts, the PHA sends an amount of the rent paid straight to the landlord whenever the payment is due. However, it’s you who is responsible for paying the remaining rent amount directly to the landlord.
Need some more information regarding specific rent amounts? Check out the section called “How much rent do tenants pay?”
What kind of Housing Quality Standards are there for Section 8?
When selecting a unit and applying for a tenancy via your PHA, they will bring an independent agency on board to do a full inspection of the unit.
Be sure to reference the policy of your PHA’s, as some may require a member of your household to be present during the time of the inspection. PHAs are required by law to provide you with ample notice to ensure you can make the necessary arrangements.
The inspectors ensure the housing authority unit is:
- The proper size for your family.
- Free of major issues, such as:
- A poor foundation.
- Broken doors, locks, or windows.
- Damaged floors, walls, or ceilings.
- Inadequate heating and/or cooling systems.
- Inadequate lighting or faulty outlets.
You can find more information on HUD’s publication “A Good Place to Live” at the link below: https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/DOC_11735.PDF
What are the Tenant Responsibilities in the Section 8 Program?
When you start receiving rent assistance, you need to make sure you follow the program rules as well as the terms of your lease. As a tenant, you are responsible for the following:
- Allowing annual PHA inspections.
- Contact the PHA as well as your landlord before relocating.
- Ensure that your rental remains in good condition and be sure to contact the owner if repairs are needed.
- Inform your PHA of changes to your income or family composition.
- Pay your portion of the rent on time each month.
Recertifying Your Section 8 Eligibility
Once you have your voucher and start renting, you need to take part in yearly reexaminations to maintain your assistance.
The purpose behind reexaminations is to verify that you’re still eligible for Section 8 assistance. During this time, the PHA will verify your:
- Assets.
- Expenses.
- Family composition.
- Income.
Make sure you’re ready and able to verify any information you give with the proper documentation, such as W-2 forms, bank statements, etc.
Can I move and continue to receive assistance?
If you have a tenant-based housing choice voucher, you can relocate to somewhere else while maintaining your assistance.
This is called “portability.” Before you decide to pack up and move, be sure to keep these rules in mind.
- When using vouchers, you (in most cases) are not allowed move more than once a year.
- You need to give your PHA, as well as your landlord, appropriate notice.
My Housing Rights
You’ll be happy to know that as a renter or homeowner, you have rights. Under the Fair Housing Act, it is illegal for you to be discriminated against based on:
- Color.
- Disability.
- Family status.
- National origin.
- Race.
- Religion.
- Sex.
In this section:
How to File a Complaint Against HUD or a PHA
Illegal discrimination happens when a landlord does one of the following acts, concerning one of the protected categories:
- Assigns people to certain sections or buildings.
- Creates custom housing terms, conditions, or privileges for specific applicants.
- Delays or fails to provide maintenance services.
- Evicts a tenant or a tenant’s guest.
- Falsely denies that a property is available for rent, sale, or inspection.
- Limits or discourages a rental or sale.
- Makes any type of statement (written or verbal) that defines their preferences, discrimination, or limitation about a potential rental or sale.
- Makes housing unavailable.
- Provides different services or facilities.
- Refuses to negotiate housing terms.
- Refuses to rent altogether.
- Uses various criteria to assess possible tenants or owners (income, requirements, etc.)
For more examples of housing discrimination, click the link below: bar: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/examples_housing_discrimination
How to File a Complaint Against HUD or a PHA
If you believe yourself to be the unfortunate victim of having any of these previously listed rights violated, you can file a complaint with the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO).
Online
You’re able to file a complaint online in either English or Spanish.
If you’d wish to file a complaint in English, click on the following link or input the URL into your browser’s address bar: https://portalapps.hud.gov/FHEO903/Form903/Form903Start.action
Para presentar una queja en Español, haga clic en el siguiente enlace: https://portalapps.hud.gov/AdaptivePages/HUD_Spanish/Espanol/complaint/complaint-details.htm
By Email
To file a claim by email, download the PDF document in the table below. Then, complete the Housing Discrimination Information page and email your local FHEO office according to your region:
| State or Territory | Email Address |
| CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT | [email protected] |
| NJ, NY and the Caribbean | [email protected] |
| DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV | [email protected] |
| AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN | [email protected] |
| IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI | [email protected] |
| AK, LA, NM, OK, TX | [email protected] |
| IA, KS, MO, NE | [email protected] |
| CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY | [email protected] |
| AZ, AS, CA, GU, HI, NV | [email protected] |
| AK, ID, OR, WA | [email protected] |
By Phone
To file a complaint, speak with an FHEO intake specialist at:
1-800-669-9777 or 1-800-877-8339
By Mail
To file a complaint by mail, download and print the PDF document in the table below. Then, complete the Housing Discrimination Information section and mail the form to the office for your region (office addresses are included in the document):
The HUD Public Housing Program
In this section:
What is the Public Housing Program?
Who qualifies for public housing?
How to Apply for Public Housing
How much do you have to pay in rent for public housing?
How long does public housing last?
The Department of Housing and Urban Development also oversees the Public Housing Program as well as the Section 8 program.
What Exactly is the Public Housing Program?
The Public Housing Program provides safe rental housing to:
- Disabled people
- Elderly
- Low-Income families
Just like the Section 8 program, this program is also overseen by public housing agencies. The HUD makes sure that the PHAs receive their federal funding so that they can maintain affordable rental costs across the board.
There are different types of housing available via the Public Housing Program, such as apartments and single-family homes.
Who qualifies for public housing?
You need must meet the following requirements to qualify for the Public Housing Program:
- Your annual gross income needs to be lower than the income limit in your given area. Income limits differ depending on the PHA.
- If you are: elderly, disabled, or a family.
- You need to be a valid U.S. citizen or a legal resident of the country.
Just like with the Section 8 program, if you satisfy the above requirements, the public housing agency will verify your references to ensure that your family will be model tenants. If there are any indications on record regarding alcohol or drug abuse, or other criminally related habits that may harm the housing environment, the PHA may refuse your application.
HUD provides an online tool where you can learn more that grants you access to see the income limits of individuals and families in a given area.
Simply choose your state and county to view the income limits in your area: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html
How Do I Apply for Public Housing?
The process to apply for public housing is exactly the same as the Section 8 process.
Start by reaching out to your local PHA, to which you will need to provide the following:
- Names, genders, and birthdates of all the people who will be living in the household.
- The relationship between all the people living in the household.
- Your contact information, which includes your residential address as well as your phone number.
- The proper contact information for your landlords. (They will be asked about their tenant)
- An estimate of one-years worth of income for the entire household, including all sources of income.
- The PHA will need contact information to confirm your income estimate, as well as any deductions that you may be eligible for. They will also inquire about your family makeup, baking information, and employment history.
- They will request that you then sign a release form to allow the PHA to obtain this sensitive information.
- Information regarding potential preferences that you may qualify for, such as having a disabled veteran living in the household.
Note:
If you are applying for Section 8, it’s not necessary for you to submit a separate application for the Public Housing Program. After you have put your name on the waiting list for Section 8, your PHA must also offer you a spot on the public housing waiting list.
If you need to contact your PHA, you can find state-specific contact details in the section called “State Contact Information” in this guide.
What happens after I apply?
After you apply, it’s the PHAs obligation to notify you via writing concerning their decision. If you don’t qualify will be notified in writing detailing the reasons behind their decision.
Just like with Section 8, you can request an informal review if your application was for some reason denied.
If you do qualify, then you will be added to the waiting list and contacted as soon as your name comes up.
Unfortunately, long waiting periods are typically unavoidable since the demand for public housing almost always exceeds the number of available units. Also, since PHAs can provide preferences for certain groups of people, these applicants are able to receive public housing sooner than other applicants on the list.
Preferences differ depending on the PHA, so make sure you reach out and get ahold of your local public housing agency to learn more about preferences in your area and to find out if you qualify to get faster housing access.
Public Housing Leases
If you find out that you do in fact meet the requirements for public housing and you take the unit you are offered by the PHA, you’ll move into the lease signing stage.
In this case, the PHA then becomes your landlord. Depending on the specific housing agency, it’s possible that you may be required to pay a security deposit as well.
How much do I need to pay in rent for public housing?
Your rent cost depends on what your family or household is expected to earn during the year, with any deductions you qualify for, deducted from this amount.
Renting under the Public Housing Program is determined similarly to the way it is for Section 8. Your PHA calculates your unique rent payment is by figuring out what the highest of the following four options is:
- 10% of total monthly earnings
- 30% of adjusted monthly earnings, which is total income minus deductions
- A minimum rent of $25-$50
- The amount of welfare rent
If pertinent, your PHA will factor in whatever deductions you qualify for after reviewing your application.
As stated by the HUD rules, the deductions a PHA is permitted to deduct from your gross income are:
- Subtracting $400 for every elderly or disabled member in the household.
- Subtracting $480 for every dependent member in the household.
A PHA is also permitted to subtract specific medical expenses if the head of household is elderly or disabled.
How long does public housing last?
Simply put, for as long as you follow the rules and guidelines provided in your lease agreement.
It’s worth pointing out that PHAs will review your ability to follow your lease agreement, while also verifying your eligibility requirements on a regular basis. This means that they will generally do a yearly inspection of your income.
If it’s determined that you earn too much money to qualify for assistance anymore, there’s a good chance the PHA will terminate your lease.
But, if the PHA notices that your family needs assistance it’s their responsibility to help you and make any needed repairs or renovations to the unit as needed.