If you filled out a Section 8 housing application online and you were approved for the program, you’ll likely be placed on a waiting list full of other Section 8 participants who are waiting for benefits.
This waiting list can form when the program has utilized all its funds on eligible applicants, but more eligible enrollees continue to apply for benefits.
When a Section 8 housing list begins to form with eligible candidates, you are typically placed at the bottom of the list, upon the approval of your application. In some cases, it can take months or years for you to reach the top of the list and obtain assistance with your next rental property.
While you are on the Section 8 waiting list, it is important to continue notifying the PHA if you have had family composition or income changes. These changes may affect your eligibility, which is confirmed, again, when your name reaches the top of the list.
Informing a PHA representative about household and income changes can ensure you are not waiting on the list for benefits that you will not qualify to receive.
You can also continue to look for a low income apartment for rent while you are on the list. If you feel confident in your ability to pay rent on a new property without assistance, you can advise the PHA to take you off the list.
You PHA will set local preferences for potential Section 8 housing candidates on the waiting list. These local preferences will vary depending on your location, but may include a:
- Homeless individual or family.
- Family living in substandard and unsanitary conditions.
- Household spending more than 50 percent of its monthly income on rent.
- Family that has been displaced involuntarily.
If you meet one of these local preferences, you may be able to move to the top of the list. However, keep in mind you may still have a short wait before you obtain your first voucher.
How to Find the Right Home Through HUD
If you are looking into how to get low income housing fast, you may be on the hunt for a list of rentals in your area.
Whether you are the recipient of Section 8 housing choice vouchers, or you are enrolled in another type of government rental assistance program, it is important to find homes that meet the specific program’s qualifications.
If you choose a rental home that does not meet program guidelines, you will be ineligible to utilize the benefits and assistance provided by the program.
You may be searching for a list of low income apartments for rent in your neighborhood to ensure you can find affordable housing on a tight monthly budget.
Learning about the resources you can use to find these available properties – and the proper way to search – can be paramount in finding eligible rentals quickly.
Learn more about the process for finding Section 8 houses for rent by reviewing the following information.
How to Get a List of Low Income Apartments for Rent
Before you begin to look for Section 8 listings, it is important to identify the rental housing assistance program for which you qualify.
There are several low-income rental assistance programs available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including:
- Privately owned subsidized housing
- Public housing
- The Housing Choice Voucher Program (also known as Section 8)
HUD homes for rent may meet the qualifications for one or more of these programs. If you are eligible to receive assistance through an HUD-sponsored program, it is important to also review the standards and guidelines the home you choose to rent must meet.
For example, if you live in a low-income household and qualify for public housing, you must locate a local public housing apartment complex that participates in the program. There are different HUD homes for rent listings available, based on the program’s eligibility criteria.
For example, if you qualify for public housing because you are an elderly or disabled resident, you must look for public housing apartment complexes that cater to your needs, and are approved by your local public housing authority (PHA).
Learn About Standards for Section 8 Houses for Rent
If you are looking into how to get low income housing fast, keep in mind there may be a waiting list for Section 8 vouchers in your area. Waiting lists are formed when there are more program enrollees than there are funds available.
In some locations, it can take months or years to receive funds from this program. You should also consider applying for additional rental assistance programs offered by the government, or looking into a list of low income apartments for rent in your area.
If you are approved to receive housing choice vouchers, you are required to search for a qualifying rental property, yourself. Therefore, there are no Section 8 listings that you can specifically browse through when looking for properties to rent using your vouchers.
However, Section 8 houses for rent must meet the minimum standards set by HUD and your local PHA.
If you plan to use these vouchers with your next rental home, you must ensure your prospective landlord accepts these program benefits, and that your criminal history and background are congruent with the landlord’s guidelines.
You must also review important characteristics of the property, including whether pets are allowed, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and the deposit due at the beginning of the lease.
Before you can rent a home, your prospective Section 8 listings are inspected by a PHA representative.
The home you choose must meet HUD’s standards in regards to:
- Food preparation and trash disposal.
- Space.
- Security.
- Electricity and lighting.
- Interior air quality and water supply.
- Smoke detectors.
- The absence of lead-based paint.
- Sanitary facilities.
- Building structures and materials.
While you are free to search for HUD homes for rent owned by landlords who accept these vouchers, keep these quality standards in mind while browsing. If the home you choose fails the PHA inspection, the landlord may be responsible for making repairs.
However, if you need a rental home quickly, you may need to continue looking for qualified rentals.
How to Find HUD Homes for Rent
If you have completed a HUD housing application and have been approved for rental assistance through one of the department’s programs, your next step is to find a rental home that qualifies for that specific program.
While the HUD does not own homes that it rents to qualifying candidates, the Department does provide funding for these government rental assistance programs.
To find a list of low income apartments for rent, you must contact your local PHA. The housing authority in your area can provide you with information on public housing in your desired neighborhood, which will include apartment complexes that only rent to tenants who earn below specific income levels.
To qualify for this low income housing, you must be able to prove that your household earns below this income threshold. Before you receive approval to move in, a PHA representative may ask you to submit your:
- Household member information.
- Paycheck stubs.
- Tax returns.
- Bank statements.
- Other financial documents.
Additionally, a PHA representative may visit you in your current home to review your household members, and to examine the upkeep of your property.
Once you are approved, and have been offered a low income apartment for rent in your area, you may be provided with a lease to sign. You may be responsible for providing a deposit and other financial obligations.
Before signing your lease, it is important to review the terms and conditions with a PHA representative. This can ensure that you have the financial ability to uphold your responsibilities with the property.
If you earn a low income, and are looking for HUD homes for rent listings, you may also seek privately owned subsidized housing. These privately-owned complexes have the ability to set more affordable monthly rents to potential low-income tenants with funding assistance from the HUD.
You can obtain a list of low income apartments that offer subsidized rent for qualifying tenants in your area through the HUD. If you qualify to rent one of these apartments, you can apply directly, through the apartment complex’s management office.
Keep in mind, you may also be required to provide proof of income to ensure you are eligible for the property’s reduced rent.
What to Do if You Don’t Qualify for Section 8
If you were counting on Section 8 housing assistance for your next rental, a long waiting list or strict eligibility criteria may have made it hard for you.
However, there are alternatives to the federal assistance program that can be helpful when attempting to rent a home on a low income.
While you may have thought you would be browsing Section 8 rentals for your next move, keep in mind, there may be other low-income apartments or options that can make your new rental more affordable.
It is important to review these potential choices, and understand how a new rental home can affect your budget – before you make a move.
To find out more about why your Section 8 application may have been rejected, and alternatives to this rental assistance program, review the following sections.
Learn About Section 8 Housing Waiting Lists
If you filled out a Section 8 housing application online application, and you were approved for the program, you may still have a long road ahead. Oftentimes, your local Public Housing Authority (PHA) will have an extensive list of eligible Section 8 tenants who are waiting for benefits.
This waiting list can form when the program has utilized all its funds on eligible applicants, but more eligible enrollees continue to apply for benefits.
When a Section 8 housing list begins to form with eligible candidates, you are placed at the bottom of the list, upon the approval of your application. In some cases, it can take months or years for you to reach the top of the list and obtain assistance with your next rental property.
While you are on the Section 8 waiting list, it is important to continue notifying the PHA if you have had family composition or income changes. These changes may affect your eligibility, which is confirmed, again, when your name reaches the top of the list.
Informing a PHA representative about household and income changes can ensure you are not waiting on the list for benefits that you will not qualify to receive.
You can also continue to look for a low income apartment for rent while you are on the list. If you feel confident in your ability to pay rent on a new property without assistance, you can advise the PHA to take you off the list.
You PHA will set local preferences for potential Section 8 housing candidates on the waiting list. These local preferences will vary, depending on your location, but may include a:
- Homeless individual or family.
- Family living in substandard and unsanitary conditions.
- Household spending more than 50 percent of its monthly income on rent.
- Family that has been displaced involuntarily.
If you meet one of these local preferences, you will move to the top of the list. However, keep in mind, you may still have a short wait before you obtain your first voucher.
Learn About Restrictions on Section 8 Rentals
You must meet specific eligibility requirements before you can look for Section 8 rentals, or be placed on the PHA’s waiting list.
These eligibility guidelines are based on your family’s size and the combined income earned. There are strict restrictions on which household members are counted in your family size.
Additionally, all household members that will live in the home must meet other eligibility requirements set by the PHA. For example, to be eligible for rental assistance benefits, your household cannot include a member who has been placed on the lifetime sex offender list.
When you complete a Section 8 housing application, a PHA representative will review your family composition, income and assets to determine your eligibility. You are required to submit proof of any information you provided on the application.
You may be asked to turn in:
- Paycheck stubs.
- Tax returns.
- Social Security cards.
- Additional financial information.
If your family composition or income changes at any time while living in a Section 8 rental, you must notify the PHA immediately. These changes can affect your eligibility.
If you are no longer found to be eligible for the program, you will not continue receiving vouchers.
Learn About Alternatives to the Section 8 Housing List
You can generally find low income apartments no waiting list options if you cannot afford to wait for Section 8 benefits. There are also other alternatives to the Section 8 program if you are ineligible for benefits.
It is important to learn about other rental assistance programs for which you may qualify, or low-cost rentals in your area, in order to ensure you continue to live within your means.
How to Find Low Income Apartments for Rent
You can usually find a low income apartment for rent in your area. These apartment complexes receive funding from government programs though the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
With this funding, they are able to offer lower monthly rents to tenants who earn low incomes.
By searching for “cheap apartments for rent near me” online, you may be able to find local properties that offer subsidized rent. Keep in mind, your household must earn within a specific income limit to live in a low-income apartment.
When you apply for an apartment, the property manager will review your income and household composition to determine if you qualify as a tenant.
How to Rent a Room
If you do not qualify for Section 8 housing, but are on a tight monthly budget, renting a room from a neighbor, friend or family member may work for you. While you may want your own place, renting a room is usually half the cost of an entire rental home.
By staying in a rented room for a few months, you can save your income, so you can afford a rental deposit on your own home quickly.
How to Lower Your Cost of Living
If your Section 8 application was rejected, but you feel you need assistance with your monthly rental payments, you may simply need to re-analyze your budget.
Cutting down on monthly expenses can make it easier for you to afford your rent.
You should consider:
- Getting rid of cable.
- Shopping around your internet or mobile phone plans.
- Limiting the number of times you go out to eat each month.
- Using coupons and other tactics to save money on groceries.
You can also look into a low income apartment for rent in your area, in order to see if you qualify. However, if you work hard to reduce your monthly expenses in other areas, you will find it easier to pay your rent each month.
