If you are a low-income family in Chandler
, participating in Section 8—or the Housing Choice Voucher Program—means that you only have to pay 30% of your income towards rent each month. The Section 8 federal housing program relieves low-income families, elderly people, and disabled people of some of the financial stress associated with paying for housing each month.
While Section 8 is an important program for many American families, the application process can be taxing. The waitlists are long, the processes are complicated, and endless amounts of documentation are required.
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What is Section 8 housing?
Section 8 is a federal affordable housing program that assists low-income families, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities in paying their rent. Participants are only needed to pay 40% of their monthly rent, with the remainder subsidized by the government.
The name of the program is derived from Section 8 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, which established the housing voucher program.
Here’s how Section 8 works:
Eligible tenants can apply to their local housing authority for housing choice vouchers or project-based vouchers to receive financial assistance.
Housing choice vouchers let tenants live in any unit that adheres to the specifications on their voucher.
Project-based vouchers are tied to individual properties and allow landlords to designate certain units as low-income housing.
Based on family size and composition, the housing authority provides vouchers for a specified number of bedrooms.
Tenants who search for housing with a housing choice voucher cannot be asked to pay more than 40% of their income in rent; the remainder is covered by the government.
Section 8 obligations
The Section 8 housing program dictates certain responsibilities for participating tenants, landlords, and local housing authorities.
Here’s a breakdown of each party’s responsibilities:
| | |
|---|
Provide accurate and complete documentation | | Determine applicants’ eligibility and issue vouchers |
Find suitable housing and complete all required paperwork before the voucher expires | Comply with fair housing laws | Approve units, rental amounts, and leases |
Pay rent promptly and attend all required appointments | Complete all 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 tenants, including eviction notices | Ensure that both tenants and landlords comply with program rules |
Key takeaway If you qualify for Section 8 housing, the government will pay a major chunk of your rent, but the application process can be lengthy and confusing.
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What are the requirements for Section 8 housing in Chandler?
The Section 8 housing program in Chandler is managed by the City of Chandler Housing and Redevelopment Division.
To qualify for the Section 8 program in Chandler, you need to qualify as an individual, family, elderly, or disabled person. You’ll also need to meet the following requirements:
The household income doesn’t exceed the annual posted income limits
You and your family members meet citizenship or eligible immigrant criteria
Provide required documentation including Social Security Numbers
You and your family members agree to sign consent authorization forms
You and your family members pass the criminal background history review
You’ll also have to provide more information to pass screening tests for eligibility if your application is selected from the waiting list.
Your household income is one of the most important requirements for qualifying for Section 8 housing. In order to be income-eligible, your annual income and circumstances need to align with one of the following requirements:
You’re within the very low (50%) income bracket
Your family is low-income and has been "continuously assisted" under the 1937 Housing Act.
Your family is a low-income family that qualifies for voucher assistance as a non-purchasing household living in HOPE 1 (public housing homeownership), HOPE 2 (multifamily housing homeownership).
You’re a low-income or moderate-income family that’s been displaced because of the prepayment of a mortgage or voluntary termination of a mortgage insurance contract on eligible low-income housing
Note that while fitting within one of these categories makes you eligible for Section 8 housing in Chandler, the HUD requires that extremely low-income families make up at least 75% of the families admitted to the HCV program each fiscal year.
As of 2021/22, the median income in Chandler used to determine income limits for Section 8 housing is $79,000. Here’s a table to help you understand maximum income limits in accordance with your family size:
How to apply for Section 8 housing in Chandler
To apply for Section 8 housing in Chandler, you’ll have to submit a pre-application via Chandler’s Housing and Redevelopment PHA applicant portal
when the waitlist is open. You’ll have to provide information supporting your eligibility in your pre-application that supports your place on the waiting list. Once your application is selected from the waiting list, you’ll have to provide more information and documentation for Chandler’s Housing and Redevelopment Division to assess whether you’re eligible and what level of assistance your family needs. This process may include screening interviews.
If you’re deemed eligible, you’ll receive your voucher and paperwork to request approval for whatever rental property you apply for.
How to find Section 8 housing in Chandler
Once you’re approved for Section 8 housing in Chandler, you’re able to look for any form of housing that meets the program’s requirements regarding decent, safe, and sanitary housing. If the unit is approved by Chandler’s Housing and Redevelopment Division and the landlord agrees to lease to you, you’ll be able to sign the lease and pay subsidized rent immediately.
The government’s housing subsidy is paid directly to your landlord each month. You’ll then pay the difference between the government’s subsidy and your monthly rent amount.
You can begin your search for a suitable rental property on AffordableHousing.com
, which allows you to browse hundreds of affordable units in your area which fit the program’s housing requirements. MORE: 8 easy tips for saving money on car insurance
How to save money on car and renters insurance in Chandler
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