It is completely normal to find yourself in a tight spot financially. Of course, no one wants to be financially struggling. (In your head, you would rather be in a beach house, but unfortunately, you don’t live in your head. You are in the real world.) If you find yourself stuck and you need help getting out of this sticky situation, you should consider the Section 8 Housing Assistance Program. You’re probably wondering “what that is,” aren’t you? Well, the Section 8 Housing Assistance Program is a benefits program that assists low-income families and individuals.

What is Section 8 Housing Assistance?

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has a program called the Housing Choice Voucher Program, also referred to as “Section 8.” This program grants housing choice vouchers to qualifying individuals. It has four fundamental criteria that determine if a person is eligible to receive the help they need. The criteria are income level, family status, eviction history, and citizenship status. Even though HUD created this program, your local Public Housing Agency (PHA) administers it. Recipients are given housing vouchers and then can choose a housing unit of their choice. However, they are limited when choosing their properties because the properties must accept the vouchers as a form of payment. On top of that, the properties must pass an inspection that the local PHA conducts.

How to Get Section 8 Housing Assistance?

With the Section 8 Assistance Program, there are four main factors that determine if you qualify for financial assistance. The four main factors are family status, income level, citizenship status, and eviction history. It’s important to note that there are exceptions to each requirement as well! You should also consider that once you apply, you will likely be wait-listed. This is due to the fact that there are many families who are applying, just like you, but there is a limited amount of assistance available. (Just be patient, and let the magic happen.)

Family Status Requirement

There are requirements that your family status must meet to qualify for Section 8 assistance. The Housing and Urban Development Department has set its definition of a family. However, they have authorized flexibility for local PHAs to set their definition of a family as well. Generally, a family may be able to benefit from this opportunity if their family either:

• Has at least one person over the age of 62 years old
• Is with or without children
• Has one or more people with a disability
• Has been displaced from their home for a qualifying reason

Income Level Requirement

Another determining factor of Section 8 rental assistance eligibility is the income level requirement. The Section 8 Assistance Program assists low-income individuals who need help the most. To qualify for help, a family’s income every year must be below a specific amount.  Your family’s income level also defines how much financial assistance you will receive. Since Section 8 assistance assists low-income communities, every penny counts. (Or, in this case, every lack thereof.)

You might find that your overall income level falls under one of three categories. These income level categories are: “low income,” “very low income,” and “extremely low income.” If you want to understand the income level categories and where you end up, you can always use HUD’s online tool.

Different Levels of Low Income

Every year the Housing and Urban Development Department specifies the income limits. These income limits are divided into low income, very low income, and extremely low income. The area defines the income levels because the actual income levels are determined as a percentage of the area’s median income level.

• Low Income: 80% of the area’s median income level.
• Very Low Income: 50% of the area’s median income level.
• Extremely Low Income: 30% of the area’s median income level.

These income limits also go hand in hand with a family’s size. For example, a family of three making $30,000 a year will be in a different financial position compared to a family of eight making the same amount.

Prioritization of Extremely Low Income:

There is prioritization that the Section 8 program follows for low-income individuals. People that are in the most need (extremely low-income level) get first priority when it comes to available assistance vouchers. The next priority is the very low-income level, and the last priority is the low-income level. The main priority is extremely-low income families and individuals because they are financially struggling the most.

Eviction History Requirement

Another key factor of the Section 8 program is eviction history. A person’s eviction history informs the program of the type of tenant the recipient used to be. With this in mind, people can be disqualified to receive Section 8 benefits if they have been evicted for specific issues. For example, a person will be disqualified by HUD if their eviction has anything to do with a drug-related issue or other criminal activity.

Citizenship Status Requirement

The final factor that determines your eligibility is your citizenship status. There is a possibility that you can qualify for Section 8 assistance if you are not an American citizen. American citizens or those who have a qualifying immigrant status have access to these assistance vouchers. It’s also important to note that if you have a family with both eligible and non-eligible immigration statuses, you can still receive housing assistance. However, the received amount is calculated based on the family members who are eligible for housing aid. This means that having family members with non-eligible immigration statuses will not prevent them from becoming a recipient. The program will disregard the non-eligible family members when calculating the financial assistance you will receive.

Overall

In conclusion, the Section 8 Assistance Program could be a good thing for you. If you are interested in this opportunity, you will need to submit an application at your local PHA. To qualify for the program, there are four requirements that you need to meet: income level, family status, citizenship status, and eviction history. You will find that the requirements may vary from one state to another–this is why you should contact your local PHA, who is in charge of the program.

You should keep in mind that there are certain exceptions where the program would automatically disqualify you. This mostly has to do with your eviction history. If you were evicted because you were involved in drug-related criminal activity, you will be disqualified. Other than that, you still have a chance.