Housing and home repair
Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)
A Housing Choice Voucher, often called Section 8, pays part of your rent on a home you choose in the private market, so you usually pay about 30% of your adjusted income. Older adults, people with disabilities and families with very low incomes may qualify. You apply through a local public housing agency, and waiting lists are often long.
Who may qualify
| Income limit | Generally no more than 50% of the median income where you live ("very low income"). HUD sets the dollar limit for each area. Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) (source 4) |
|---|---|
| Who gets most new vouchers | At least 75% of the households a housing agency admits each year must have "extremely low" incomes Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) (source 3) |
| Citizenship | U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, as HUD defines it Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (source 1) |
| Social Security number | The head of the household must have a valid Social Security number Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (source 1) |
| Where you apply | You don't have to live in an agency's area to apply. If you move from outside it, the agency may require you to live in its area for the first 12 months. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (source 1) |
What you may get
| Your share of rent and utilities | Usually 30% of your adjusted monthly income. It can be as high as 40%. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (source 1) |
|---|---|
| What the voucher pays | The housing agency pays the rest, up to a local limit, straight to your landlord Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (source 1) |
| Where you can live | A home you choose: an apartment, townhouse or single-family house that passes inspection Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (source 1) |
| Older or disabled households | The agency subtracts a yearly allowance and some medical costs from your income before figuring your share Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) (source 5) |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| Waiting lists | Often long. HUD suggests applying to more than one housing agency's list. |
|---|---|
| Time to find a home once you get a voucher | 60 to 120 days, set by your housing agency. You can ask for more time. |
| Yearly review | Each year the agency rechecks your income and who lives with you |
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (source 1)
Good to know
- HUD counts a household as elderly when the head, co-head, spouse or only member is 62 or older.
- To find the housing agencies near you, use HUD's Public Housing Agency directory and pick your state.
- Keep the housing agency up to date on your address, phone number and who lives with you. If you don't, you may be removed from the waiting list.
- If you have questions about how HUD's rules for non-citizens apply to your household, a free legal aid office can help. The Legal Services Corporation's finder lists the one near you.
Sources: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) (source 6), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (source 2), Legal Services Corporation (source 7)
What to have ready
What to have ready
- Proof of income and your bank information
- Paperwork for other benefits you get, such as SSI or SNAP
- Proof of citizenship and Social Security cards
- What you need can vary by housing agency, so ask yours
What people get wrong
MythSection 8 means living in a public housing project.
Not true. With a voucher you choose a home on the private market, such as an apartment, townhouse or house, as long as it passes inspection.
MythI can only apply where I live now, and only to one list.
Not true. You don't have to live in an agency's area to apply, and HUD suggests getting on more than one waiting list.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Housing Choice Voucher tenants: applicant and tenant resources (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Public Housing Agency contacts (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives), 24 CFR 982.201: Eligibility and targeting (Housing Choice Vouchers) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives), 24 CFR 5.603: Definitions (very low income, extremely low income) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives), 24 CFR 5.611: Adjusted income (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives), 24 CFR 5.403: Definitions (elderly family) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Legal Services Corporation, I Need Legal Help (find LSC-funded legal aid) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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