Families are eligible to participate in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher programs as long as at least one member is a U.S. citizen or eligible immigrant. Families that include both eligible and ineligible members are referred to as “mixed,” and their assistance will be prorated to cover only the eligible members.
Yes. You must be 18 years of age to apply for rental assistance as the head of your household.
College students are welcome to apply for housing assistance under specific circumstances. To qualify you must first meet the income requirements and at least one of the following:
- The individual is at least 24 years old by December 31 of the award year for which aid is sought.
- The individual is an orphan, in foster care, or a ward of the court, or was an orphan, in foster care, or ward of the court at any time when the individual was 13 years of age or older.
- The individual is, or was immediately prior to attaining the age of majority, an emancipated minor or in legal guardianship as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in the individual’s state of legal residence.
- The individual is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces or is currently serving on active duty in the Armed Forces for other training purposes.
- The individual is a graduate or professional student.
- The individual is married.
- The individual has one or more legal dependents other than a spouse (for example, dependent children or elderly dependent parents).
- The individual has been verified during the school year in which the application is submitted as either an unaccompanied youth who is a homeless child or youth, or as unaccompanied, at risk of homelessness, and self supporting by:
- A local educational agency homeless liaison
- The director of a program funded under subtitle B of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act or a designee of the director
- A financial aid administrator
- The individual is a student for whom a financial aid administrator makes a documented determination of independence by reason of other unusual circumstances .
- The individual was not claimed as a dependent by their parents pursuant to IRS regulations, as demonstrated on the parents’ most recent tax forms.
- The individual provides a certification of the amount of financial assistance that was provided by their parents. This certification must be signed by the individual providing the support and must be submitted even if no assistance is being provided.
No. There is no minimum income requirement for eligibility.
In general, your gross household income may not exceed 50% of the median income for the county in which you have chosen to live.
According to HUD, the following items contain criteria that may prevent someone from qualifying for housing assistance. Please note that the denial of rental assistance is not limited to the criteria listed below.
- If the application does not include any citizens, nationals, or eligible noncitizens.
- Inability to provide social security numbers of all members of the household.
- If any member of the applicant family fails to sign and submit the consent forms for obtaining information in accordance with 24 CFR 5, Subparts B and F.
- Being currently engaged in drug use (HUD defines “currently” as within the last three months).
- If the Housing Authority has reasonable cause to believe that a household member’s current use or pattern of use of illegal drugs, or current abuse or pattern of abuse of alcohol, may threaten the health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by the resident.
- If any household member has been convicted of drug related criminal activity for the production or manufacture of methamphetamine on the premises of federally assisted
- Any household member is subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender registration program.
- Any member of the household has been evicted from federally assisted housing in the last 3 years.
- If any member of the household knowingly provided false information.
- Abusive or Violent behavior by any household member towards any Housing Authority staff members; this includes, but is not limited to: racial epithets, or other language, written or oral, that is customarily used to intimidate may be considered abusive or violent behavior.
- The family owes rent or other amounts to any Housing Authority in connection with Section 8 or other public housing assistance. Likewise, if a family breaches terms of a repayment agreement.
- If any family member has committed fraud, bribery, or any other corrupt or criminal act in connection with any federal housing program.
If you owe money to a Housing Authority or Section 8 landlord, you will be required to repay this debt prior to qualifying for assistance.