Section 8 housing in Bossier City
, Louisiana
, provides housing assistance to low-income households through the federal Housing Choice Voucher program. If you make less than 50% of Bossier City’s median income, you can apply to get on the waitlist for assistance when it opens. Section 8 housing assistance is a voucher program, which means it provides an accepted applicant with a coupon to use as money to pay rent. Its goal is to provide housing to low-income households. In Bossier City, voucher recipients will pay less than 40% of their income toward rent while the voucher covers the rest.
The Section 8 application process is complex and can be confusing. But don’t worry. Car and home insurance
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is here to help. In this guide, we'll go over Section 8 in Bossier City, including eligibility requirements, application procedures, and where to obtain Section 8 housing. What is Section 8 housing?
The Section 8 housing program was established in the 1970s to help low-income families that couldn't afford adequate housing. The program’s goal is to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing to people who can’t otherwise afford it, with specific consideration for senior citizens
, disabled people, and families with children. Section 8, often known as the housing choice voucher program, is handled by local public housing authorities. In Bossier City, that’s the Housing Authority of Bossier City (HABC)
—not to be confused with the Bossier Parish housing authority. Housing authorities provide vouchers to approved tenants that allow the tenant to pay, by law, no more than 40% of their income towards rent. Unfortunately, the need for housing assistance exceeds its availability, so waitlists for vouchers can be very long.
The application process can be confusing, so here are a few basics to get you started:
First, find out if you’re eligible. We’ll cover that in a bit.
Your family size will determine how many bedrooms your Section 8 dwelling can have.
By law, people using a housing choice voucher can’t be required to pay more than 40% of their income in rent.
If the rent for the apartment exceeds this percentage, the government pays the difference straight to the landlord.
Section 8 obligations
Like any government assistance program, Section 8 in Bossier City involves many rules, regulations, and red tape. Everyone at every step of the program has to abide by these, including landlords, tenants, and the HABC. Check out the table below for an idea about each party’s obligations.
| | |
|---|
Provide accurate and complete documentation | | Determine applicants’ eligibility and issue vouchers |
Find a suitable home and complete all necessary papers before the voucher expires | Adhere to fair housing legislation | Approve units, rental amounts, and leases |
Pay rent promptly and attend all required appointments | Complete necessary repairs and maintenance | Inspect subsidized units annually |
Notify the housing authority of any changes in income or family composition | Provide housing authority with documentation of any notices to the tenant, including eviction notices | Ensure that both tenants and landlords comply with program rules |
Key Takeaway If you are approved for Section 8 housing in Bossier City, the HABC will cover a large portion of your rent, but expect to be on a waitlist for a long time.
What are the requirements for Section 8 housing in Bossier City?
To qualify for Section 8 in Bossier City, your income can’t exceed 50% of the median income in the area—and priority will be given to households earning just 30% of the median income. The following sources count as income:
Alimony and child support
For more info on how HUD (the US Department of Housing and Urban Development) calculates income, look at this list
.
Bossier City's current median income is $48,385. The particular income restrictions for your household will be determined by the size of your family, as shown in the table below. Besides income, you have to meet some requirements to qualify for Section 8 housing in Bossier City. You must be a US citizen or documented immigrant who is 18 or older—but it’s okay if you have kids, and it may help prioritize your case.
Applications from registered sex offenders will be denied, and prior evictions—especially for drug use or methamphetamine manufacture—can hurt your case.
How to apply for Section 8 housing in Bossier City
The application for Section 8 housing in Bossier City can be viewed on the HABC Application website
. Most applicants will need to download the application
, print and fill it out, and mail it to: ATTN: Admissions, Housing Authority of the City of Bossier City, 79 Grace Lane, Bossier City, LA 71111. If you need assistance, try your local library.
Sometimes the HABC will allow online applications for specific applicants (such as the elderly or disabled individuals). The application windows are typically short, so you’ll need to keep an eye on the website.
Since the waitlist for Section 8 housing in Bossier City is long, it’s important to keep your address updated if you move after submitting your application. If you don’t, you could miss important notifications and your application could get skipped. You can keep your address updated in the applicant portal
. How to find Section 8 housing in Bossier City
There are a couple of ways to find Section 8 housing in Bossier City.
One way is to choose an apartment complex on the HABC Programs page
and apply. Another way is to search on the LA Housing Search website
. You can filter properties by location, budget, housing type, and a number of bedrooms, and indicate whether or not you have a Section 8 voucher.
You can also visit the Affordable Housing
website, formerly known as GoSection8, and search by zip code in the area where you want to live. Key Takeaway Once you receive a Section 8 voucher, you can choose from one of the housing authority’s programs, or you can rent any dwelling in Bossier City that meets Section 8 requirements.
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