What is Section 8?
How do I qualify for Section 8?
Where do I apply for Section 8?
How much rent will I have to pay if I have a Section 8 voucher?
Can I choose an apartment with rent higher than the Fair Market Rent established by HUD?
How long does it take to get a voucher?
How do I find a home once I have my voucher?
Do I have to rent an apartment in the same city or county where I received my Section 8 voucher?
What is
Section 8?
Section 8, or the Housing Choice Voucher Program, is a Federal housing
program which provides housing assistance to low-income renters and
homeowners. This assistance comes in the form of rental subsidies,
limiting the monthly rent payment of the assistance recipient.
How
do I qualify for Section 8?
To qualify for Section 8,
your
family
must be
very
low
income (below 50% of
the Area Median Income).
|
INCOME LIMITS - SECTION 8 PROGRAM |
|
1 Person
|
$18,050
|
|
2 Persons
|
$20,600
|
|
3 Persons
|
$23,200
|
|
4 Persons
|
$25,750
|
|
5 Persons
|
$27,800
|
|
6 Persons
|
$29,850
|
|
7 Persons
|
$31,950
|
|
8 Persons
|
$34,000
|
Where
do I apply for Section 8?
Section 8 is a Federal program administered nationally by the
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). However, the program is
administered locally by public housing authorities or other designated
agencies and organizations.
How
much rent will I have to pay if I have a Section 8 voucher?
Your rent payment is based on your income. You need to figure out your
household's total annual income. Once this is done, you need to subtract
any mandatory deductions, such as child care, disability assistance, and
medical expenses. This is your adjusted annual income. Divide this amount
by 12, which gives you your monthly adjusted income. To determine your
share of rent, it is the highest of the following amounts:
30 percent of the family's monthly adjusted income; or
10 percent of the family's monthly income.
The
maximum amount that can be paid by the Franklin Housing Authority is as
follows:
|
PAYMENT
STANDARDS - SECTION 8 PROGRAM |
|
Efficiency
|
$460
|
|
1
Bedroom
|
$503
|
|
2
Bedrooms
|
$600
|
|
3
Bedrooms
|
$759
|
|
4
Bedrooms
|
$860
|
Can
I choose an apartment with rent higher than the Fair Market Rent
established by HUD?
Yes. But you will have to pay any additional rent charges in excess of
the
Payment
Standard.
So, if the
Payment
Standard
for the area is $400 and
the apartment you want rents for $600 you will have to pay $200 in
addition to 30% of your adjusted income.
How
long does it take to get a voucher?
It varies for each Housing Authority. Currently, the waiting list
for housing assistance at Franklin Housing Authority is
approximately
2 to 3
months.
How
do I find a home once I have my voucher?
So you have your voucher. Now comes the fun part. You go shopping for
an apartment. You may use your voucher with any
landlord that accepts
Section 8. Many landlords accept Section 8 because it is a dependable
revenue stream. But landlords are not required by law to accept Section 8
vouchers.
When you find an apartment or home that meets all Section 8 program
requirements, including a physical inspection to insure the building is
decent, safe and sanitary, the housing authority executes a contract with
the landlord to pay
a
portion
of
the
rent on your behalf.
Do
I have to rent an apartment in the same city or county where I received my
Section 8 voucher?
Yes.
Tenants
who
do
live
in
the
City
of
Franklin
when
they
apply
may
take
their
voucher
anywhere
in
the
United
States.
Tenants
who
do
not
live
in
the
City
of
Franklin
when
they
apply
must
remain
in
the
jurisdiction
of
the
housing
authority
that
issues
the
voucher
for
12
months.
After
12
months,
tenants
may
then
use
the
voucher
to
lease
a
unit
anywhere
in
the
United
States
where
there
is
a
housing
agency
operating
a
housing
choice
voucher
program.
This
feature
of
the
program
is
called
"portability."
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