The Housing Choice Voucher Program offers valuable support for individuals seeking housing assistance. Designed to make rent more affordable, this initiative—commonly referred to as Section 8—provides qualifying participants with vouchers they can use toward safe, clean, and decent housing.

Understanding Section 8

Although Section 8 is funded at the federal level, it is administered locally by public housing authorities (PHAs), which receive funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). With a voucher in hand, recipients can select housing that meets PHA requirements—not just traditional public housing. Eligible properties include any rental that accepts vouchers, and in certain cases, the assistance can even go toward purchasing a modest home. The PHA pays the landlord or property manager directly, while the family covers any remaining rent balance.

Understanding Eligibility Criteria for Section 8

While exact eligibility requirements can differ by location, they generally fall into four main categories:

• Family Status Requirement
• Citizenship Status Requirement
• Income Level Requirement
• Eviction History

Family Status Requirement

One important part of the assessment process is family status. The guidelines are written by the HUD, but your local PHA will have their own specific requirements. There is some criteria that most local PHAs consider like:

• Is anyone in the household disabled?
• Has anyone in the household been displaced from his/her home due to a government decision, such as an evacuation because of a natural disaster or safety hazard?
• Is anyone a senior citizen?

It’s important to note as well that if a tenant who is already receiving Section 8 assistance leaves the property, but lets a family member stay in the property, then the vouchers can still be used for that remaining member. According to their rules, he/she is part of the same household that was getting the Section 8 vouchers.

Citizenship Status Requirement

It is important to note that anybody who is not a U.S. citizen or a legal immigrant in the United States will not be eligible for Section 8 assistance. As a reference, you can use the HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook (accessible on the HUD website) to determine your immigration status to see if you qualify for the vouchers. Make sure you have relevant immigration documentation handy.

Income Level Requirement

In other words, show me the money! Instead, this is not about how much money you have, it’s actually about how little you have. Based on your income, you fall into one of three distinct categories that are used to determine whether or not you qualify for Section 8 Assistance which are:

• Low Income
• Very Low Income
• Extremely Low Income

The details of each category are pretty easy to understand. The extremely low income class of applicants are prioritized when it comes to getting vouchers, but it’s important for you to learn about a key principle. When you are categorized, those who are involved in the assessment will consider how your income is able to sustain a family that is a certain size. A very small family that makes $15,000 dollars per year falls into the “extremely low-income” category, but a family of eight can also make it into the same category, even if they make $30,000.

Eviction History

If you’ve been a troublemaker, then you’re definitely in trouble here. To qualify for Section 8 assistance, you must not have been evicted for dealing with illegal narcotics or for being involved in the production of methamphetamines on the grounds of a low-income project’s property. If you have these on your record, then you may face your application being denied.

For more information on any of the eligibility criteria above, you will want to get in touch with your local PHA.

How to Handle the Application Process

Now that you’ve read the eligibility requirements, it’s time to start the application process. It’s not complicated, but the thing is it could take a long time. Which is all the more reason you should start immediately, and we are going to walk you through the entire process. The best part about these applications is that they are free! So even though they could take while, it is definitely worth the time and effort to at least apply. You can break the application process down into 5 steps:

• 1st Step: Do Your Research
• 2nd Step: Make Contact with Your Local PHA
• 3rd Step: Complete a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Application
• 4th Step: Play the Waiting Game
• 5th Step: Inspect Before You Accept

Overall

Many Americans struggle to get affordable housing. It can be hard to keep up with bills, especially for those dealing with financial hardship. Luckily, there is a way that people can get support in handling expensive bills like rent, and utilities. The Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) can help people get affordable housing through vouchers. Eligibility for this program varies but generally includes requirements around these four parts:

• Family Status Requirement
• Citizenship Status Requirement
• Income Level Requirement
• Eviction History

While this article talked about some parts of the program, you can get more information at your local PHA. From there, you can begin the application process (for free)!