Heather Halpern

Low Income Housing is More Accessible than Ever Not everyone is able to have the perfect home throughout the entirety of their lives. People are born into and can find themselves in not-so-great scenarios. Low-income housing is more accessible than ever. We are going to focus on the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs. Other programs may be available in your local area. What is HUD? HUD stands for The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). No rental property is actually owned by HUD. Instead, HUD allocates funds to states and building owners, who have agreed to provide housing opportunities for those who qualify for HUD housing programs. HUD supports hundreds and thousands of building owners looking to help low-income families. HUD also supports a plethora of state-run programs for the same purpose. We will go into details about some of these programs later on. Who Qualifies? The first thing we want to discuss is who actually qualifies for low-income HUD housing. This may seem straightforward but more people qualify than you may think. Families who have low income, families or people who have disabilities, and seniors may all qualify for low-income housing. Each specific HUD program has its own set of requirements. HUD Public Housing Program: HUD Public Housing provides safe and up-to-standard rental housing for eligible HUD families. These rental housing units come in a variety of types and sizes. They include elderly housing, high-rise apartments, multifamily units, and single-family homes. Eligibility for HUD Public Housing: This type of HUD programming is strictly limited to low-income individuals and families. It is based on an annual gross income. A requirement is that the individual applying must be a US citizen or have eligible immigration status. As part of the eligibility process, a HUD Public Housing agency representative will verify and check an applicant's references. This is to ensure the applicant and their family will be respectable and law-abiding tenants. Applicants can be denied if it is determined that their practices, attitudes, or habits, could have a negative impact on the dwelling or other local tenants. If interested, click here to determine if a public housing agency is in your state and to determine what your next steps are. Housing Choice Voucher Program The Housing Choice Voucher Program is the second type of low-income housing that we will be discussing. This program was formerly known as Section 8. This program’s purpose is to help pay rent for housing for those with disabilities, seniors, or low-income families. A Housing Choice voucher may pay for a portion of rent or for the rent in its entirety. Housing can include single-family homes, apartments, or townhouses. Eligibility for Housing Choice Voucher Program In order to qualify for the Housing Choice Voucher, you must be a low-income family, a senior, or have a disability. Annual gross income, family size, citizenship, and other local factors are all taken into consideration when determining eligibility for this program. As a general rule of thumb, a family’s income can not exceed over 50% of the median income for the area in which they live. Please check with your local Housing Choice Voucher Program as different sectors may have different requirements. Gain more knowledge on The Housing Choice Voucher Program here. Privately Owned The last type of low-income housing that we will discuss is the HUD privately owned option. HUD pays privately owned and pre-approved landlords for offering subsidized housing to eligible low-income tenants. These rents are offered at a reduced government rate. The types of low-income housing offered in the private-owned sector of the HUD program can vary greatly from city to city and state to state. Please contact your local HUD branch office for more detailed information. Feel free to search here for local apartments that are HUD-approved. You will then need to apply directly at the rental management office. Help with HUD Housing Finding and applying for any low-income housing can seem very overwhelming. It is always best to talk to someone who has extensive knowledge of the program you are looking to apply for. If interest in a HUD low-income program, you can locate and communicate with a HUD-approved counselor here. Also, feel free to call- to find a local housing counseling agency. The counselor you may speak with on the phone or on the web may be from a non-profit organization that is specifically approved to give advice on housing assistance. Everyone needs help from time to time and there is no shame or blame in asking for it when needed. Low-income housing is more accessible than ever. Privately owned HUD apartments, Housing Choice Voucher, and the Public Housing Program are just three of the low-income housing options currently available to you.