Section 8 housing. There may be more people than you know who are using it.
About 4.8 million Americans receive housing assistance with the program.
If you are reading this, you may be curious what Section 8 even means. How do you qualify for the program?
These are the most common questions asked about Section 8 housing.
What Is Section 8 Housing?
Section 8 housing is a program that helps low-income families ideally have safe and affordable shelter. It allows people that would not be able to afford a home in their local area to have some place to live.
Its origins come from the United States Housing Act of 1937. This comes from Section 8 of that act, in which it states that the government will provide housing assistance to those families with low income.
How Do You Qualify?
The next question is how do you qualify for Section 8 housing? Well, the answer depends on how much money you make compared to the median income in your local city.
Most times, the program accepts people who make 30% or less of the median household income in their area. However, the program technically can accept people that make up to 80% of the median household income in their area.
For example, the median household income in that city is just over $72,000. Let's say that you wanted to apply for Section 8 housing in this city.
This means that to have the best chance of qualifying for this in Denver, you should make $22,000 or less yearly. However, they may accept you with a maximum income of less than $58,000 annually in Denver.
How Long Can You Keep the Housing?
As long as you can qualify for needing Section 8 housing, you are allowed to stay in it. So, if you never meet the yearly income quota, there technically is no limit for how long you can live in the house.
However, most people do not end up staying in these houses forever. The average amount of time spent in these houses is about six and a half years for a family.
Who Gets Section 8?
One thing you may be curious about is what types of people are the ones getting Section 8 Housing. Well, the answer should not surprise you.
There are three main types of families that use Section 8 housing. Each of these types represents over 40% of the families in Section 8 housing.
The first are families that have children. This makes sense, considering that even one child is a significant additional expense compared to a single person.
Next, you have families with disabled members. Given that they are less likely to be able to work and require more medical expenses, they can find themselves needing this housing.
Finally, there are those with female heads of household. These tend to be single mothers that are relying on one income rather than two.
Learn More About Section 8 Housing
This is just a brief overview of the Section 8 program and how you qualify for it. If you meet the income quota above, you can keep it as long as you qualify. Know that there are safe housing options for you.
Do you want to know more about the program? Message us today.
