WHAT IS SECTION 8 HOUSING?
HUD has housing programs for low-income families. Once accepted
into the program the family or individual is free to choose any
housing which meets the requirements of the program.
Participants are not limited to subsidized housing projects. In
general the participants are required to pay 1/3 of their gross
income as their portion of the rent. The remaining rent is paid
directly to the landlord by the Housing Authority on behalf of
the tenant.
The major problem with Section 8 housing is that there are
limited funds. The waiting list for a voucher or a certificate
can be years in some states. Also some landlords do not feel
comfortable renting to Section 8 participants because of
government red tape. To make things worse Section 8 has received
quite a bit of bad press involving renters who damaged rental
property and/or did not take care of the property. If your
Section 8 renter should damage your property, HUD will pay for
the repairs.
AM I ELIGIBLE?
To qualify for a rental voucher or certificate the combined
family income cannot exceed 50% of the median income for your
county. The median income level varies from county to county.
Contact the Housing Authority for the income level for your area
and family size. Upon submission of your application the Housing
Authority will review your application to determine your
eligibility as well as the amount of your rental assistance
payment.
ABUSE OF SECTION 8
Unfortunately this program is frequently abused. This program is
very much needed for families who cannot afford a place to live.
The abuse comes in when families or individuals hide their
assets and income from the agency in order to qualify for the
program. The limited funds that HUD has then goes to people who
are capable of paying for their own rent and many who are in
desperate need remain on the agency waiting list. HUD is
constantly policing this situation but there will always be
those who will abuse the system at the expense of the innocent.