Section 8 Eligibilty and How it Works

When it comes to Section 8 eligibility it all begins with two key factors: how much money your family makes (total annual gross income) and how many members live in your household (family size). In general, a family’s income may not exceed 50% of the median income for the county or metro where the family currently, or would like, to reside. Later in this guide we will show you a breakdown of the income level to family member ratio to learn if you fulfill this vital eligibility requirement. In addition to income requirements, you will also be required to provide the following:

☑️ Photo identification for all adult household members

☑️ Proof of legal residence in the United States for all household members

☑️ Social Security number verification for all household members

☑️ Verification of all household income and assets

During the application process, your Local Public Housing Authority (PHA) will also will collect information on family income, assets, and family composition. They will verify this information with other local agencies, your employer and bank, and will use the information to determine program eligibility and the amount of the housing assistance payment you will receive. In addition to this they will also check:

☑️ Criminal record of all adult family members

☑️ No Sexual Offenders (not eligible for section 8)

If you haven’t already, Get Your Background Checked Now. You can be sure HUD will check your background, it’s much better to know what’s there before they do to see what resolutions / explanations will be necessary.

If you haven’t already, Get Your Free Credit Score Now. Landlords and Owners will check your credit score before offering you a residence. It’s much better to know what’s there now and to get it repaired than to be refused housing at a later time.

 

Additional Section 8 Eligibility Factors

In addition to the above, HUD and its local agencies also consider a variety of other factors when considering a potential recipients eligibility. Need weighs heavily on the decision as local housing authorities must give preference to the following:

☑️ Low-income families

☑️ Families with household earnings less than 30% of the county or metro’s median income

☑️ Homeless families

☑️ Age 62 or older

☑️ Veteran of US armed services (widow)

☑️ Disability

☑️ Working more than 42 hours per week

☑️ Currently living in a shelter

Of new Section 8 applicants admitted to the program each year, 75% must be extremely low-income. 

 

The Reality – Being Eligible May Not Be Enough

Section 8 is not an entitlement benefit. This means that even if you qualify and are considered eligible, you still may very well not receive one. In many counties and metros, there are far more Section 8 voucher seekers than available vouchers. It has been estimated that only 25% of eligible families actually receive the voucher and even if they do receive it, waiting lists are extremely long. In the most active areas the waiting period can take up to 5 years. We don’t present any of this to discourage potential applicants, however, it’s important to have a good handle of the realities and if you’re in an emergency situation, make sure you call your local PHA now and set up an appointment with them to discuss your specific situation in detail.

 

 

Income Guidelines By Family Size

As discussed in Step 1 of this guide, the first step to finding out if you’re eligible for Section 8 is to review the Income Guidelines. Each income amount is 50% of the median income. To repeat, 75% of all vouchers are given to individuals and families that are at or less than 30% of their areas median income. It’s also important to note that median income differs from location to location. Contact your local PHA to ensure you’re viewing the correct numbers.

Income guidelines are established by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Section 8 Income Guidelines

To put these numbers into perspective, for a 2 person family the average median income would be $57,800. If this 2 person family combined had an annual income of $28,900 (50% of median income), they would be eligible for Section 8. If this 2 person family combined had an annual income of $17,340 (30% of median income) they could be considered as a priority recipient for a voucher.

 

Defrauding (HUD) Section 8 Housing

The answer to committing Section 8 fraud in one word is simple: DON’T. Not only do you risk losing your voucher putting you and your family in a terrible situation, you also risk fines and even jail time. HUD’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) Office of Investigation is the law enforcement component of the Department. Their special agents have experience in conducting investigations in all programs of the Department to include tenant and public housing authority (PHA) fraud, waste, and abuse. Unlike other law enforcement agencies, OIG is a part of the Department and has a vested interest in maintaining the integrity of Departmental programs. In addition many states have their own internal investigative unit and actively pursue those committing fraud. Keep in mind that your status to receive the Section 8 voucher is reviewed each year. Never lie during a review or you will again be risking serious penalties for both you and your family.

❌ Top fraud issues tend to pertain to the following:

❌ Knowingly omitting or under-reporting income or assets from household income.

❌ Transferring assets or income to achieve eligibility.

❌ Falsifying or using false Social Security documents.

❌ Falsifying the number of members in your household.

❌ Getting assistance on top of Section 8 without notifying the appropriate parties.

❌ Renting out or subletting all or part of the unit.

❌ Charging rent from any tenants who may be living with you.

Additionally, these are big no-no’s and could swiftly account for loss of your voucher:

❌ Use of drugs, dealing drugs, trading in prostitution or commit a crime

❌ Violation of anything in the lease agreement / damage to property

Also keep in mind that anyone could report you for Section 8 fraud. Common cases include landlords, neighbors, ex-friends / lovers. Don’t take the risk, if your status changes, you must notify your local PHA.

 

 

What If I Start Making More Money?

If you qualify for Section 8 and then your situation stabilizes, and your household’s income rises, don’t worry. That’s the goal of the program after all. The income limits for qualification only matter at the time you apply for Section 8 assistance. However, as your family earns more, your vouchers will be proportionately reduced. Once you’re earning over 80 percent of local median income, your assistance will fade out entirely.

 

Best Credit Cards for Questionable Credit
Life does not always work out as planned. Sometimes, a gap in employment leads to a few missed payments, and eviction, or a repossessed vehicle. These things happen to most people. In order build credit back up, a credit card may help. Making regular...
Women Grants in The United States
A lot is being granted to the citizens of America in the name of grant scheme. Various categories of financial needs are being accomplished through these grants. Some of the most popular grants schemes ever are the grants for men, grants for women, grants...
Run A Background Check When Applying for Jobs!
 Social media is everywhere in the air around us today. Hence it is natural for you to assume you can handpick and choose what you want your employees to see. Most people therefore imagine that once they clean up their Facebook wall and delete those...
How to Manage Credit Card Payments
Do you have issues paying off credit cards? Sometimes the interest itself can be an overwhelming monthly payment. We have gathered some information below from credit experts that can hopefully help you manage your payments and find a way out from under...
Five Great Resources for Working from Home
 There have been thousands of people watching “Good Morning America” who have sent us messages thanking us for helping them make the money while working from home. For anyone who hasn’t yet taken the leap forward but feel as though you might be ready,...
Understanding Federal Grants (Part 1)
 Let me start off by asking you this question. How would you like free money that you will never have to pay back, from the federal government? Sounds great doesn't it? Well, the simple truth is that you can get it if the government decides to award you a...
Applying and Making Phone Calls to Potential Employers
Applying and Making Phone Calls to Potential Employers Applying to Places Not Hiring: A Wise Move or Not? Are you in desperate need of a job? If you are currently unemployed or if you truly think that your current job is making you “crazy,” you may be due for a new...
Solid Advice for Credit Repair
It may be difficult to find information on the best ways to improve your credit. There is a wealth of different tips in this article to help you rebuild your journey to credit repair. Using these tips can save you from stressing and prevent headaches....
5 Helpful Resources for Women Who are Expecting
If you are living paycheck to paycheck or struggling to make ends meet, a pregnancy can put a lot of extra stress on you and your family. Luckily, there are single mom resources available to help you if you need some assistance. These programs provide benefits such as...
Affordable Housing Problems
On 1st Street in Santa Ana — not far from where authorities recently cleared a tent encampment along the Santa Ana River near Angel Stadium — developer Caleb Roope wants to build nearly 1,000 apartments that will be affordable for low-income seniors and...
Modern Millionaires Mindset
Here’s A Modern Millionaire Rhetorical Question:   If you have a spare million dollars in your bank account today… How will you spend it? Pay off all your bills and loans? Buy your dream car? Dream house? Give your family a better life? Travel all...
Finding Employment with Job Searches
Finding Employment with Job Searches Sometimes, life hits Americans hard. With ups and downs in the economy, it may be difficult to maintain consistent employment over a long period of time. Fortunately, there are options to help find a new job or career. In the...
How The New Budget will Impact SNAP
How The New Budget will Impact SNAP  The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) assists lower-income families to purchase food in order to prevent hunger. The program also provides economic benefits to communities. The proposed budget for 2018...
Ways to Face Fears | Succeed
All of us have a hard time with failure, and it can often lead us to feeling insecure about ourselves. It can even begin to compound our fears and leave us feeling nervous and anxious in unfamiliar situations. We want to be able to predict and control everything that...
Inexpensive Public School Alternatives
Sending kids to the public school a few blocks away is a simple task for some families. However, not all parents wish to follow this route. They may have concerns about the safety of the public school in the neighborhood, or they may want a different type of education...
Best Advice for Seeking Employment
Your career and life depend on you taking the time to learn all that you can about earning gainful employment. You cannot get a job without finding the right approach that will open up opportunities. Keep reading if you wish to learn more. Speak with...
Unexpected Pregnancy Resources
 If the event that you know a low-income family who is experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, you may want to reach out to help. During this time, you can feel overwhelmed and not know what steps to take. But know that you can take on a supportive role in...
Understanding Federal Grants (Part 2)
 In the last issue we talked about how the federal grant system works and how you can make it work for you. In this issue we are going talk about exactly who's eligible to apply for federal grant money. The simple fact is that almost everyone is eligible...
Receiving $4000 in Home Rebates
 Are there any home improvements that you have been contemplating lately? Are you struggling to make ends meet already? Learn more about three Programs a that could help you and millions of homeowners qualify for a $4,000 rebate. These Are Very Tough...
Natural Antibiotics and Antivirals
The issues of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria have gotten a lot of attention lately. The concern is that bacteria, having been exposed to antibiotics for so long, have developed a resistance to the antibiotics, creating "superbugs." The grim reality is...

The Premier Forex League

Subscribe

Family Picnic

Enter Your Email for Best Results

Due to the overwhelming response, please enter your name and email to ensure the proper search results.

You Are On Your Way!

Family Picnic

Enter Your Email for Best Results

Due to the overwhelming response, please enter your name and email to ensure the proper search results.

You Are On Your Way!

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This