Everything You Need to Know About Section 8 Housing in Dallas
To be eligible for Section 8 housing vouchers in Dallas, you must earn less than 40% of the area’s median income.
Written by Claire Beaney
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
Families with 50% or less than the median income in
Dallas
are eligible for Section 8 housing vouchers, which means the federal government will help pay a portion of their rent.The Section 8 program, created in the 1970s, helps low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled with affordable housing. With a Section 8 voucher, you can spend 40% or less of your monthly income on rent, with the government covering the remainder.
But navigating the Section 8 program for the first time can be a nightmare. Due to lots of paperwork, long wait times, and overburdened systems, obtaining Section 8 housing may feel like an overwhelming task.
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What is Section 8 housing?
Section 8 is a federal low-income housing system that helps low-income families, the elderly, and disabled individuals afford housing with the help of government payments. The name comes from Section 8 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, which established the housing voucher program.
Section 8 works like this:
- To qualify for rental assistance, potential tenants must apply to their local housing agency for housing choice or project-based vouchers
- Tenants who are using housing choice vouchers may live in any unit that fits the conditions specified on the voucher
- Project-based vouchers are attached to specific properties and allow landlords to designate certain units as low-income housing
- The housing authority offers vouchers for a specific number of bedrooms based on family size and composition
- Tenants who apply for housing using a housing choice voucher cannot be required to pay more than 40% of their income in rent; the remainder is paid directly to the government
Section 8 obligations
Tenants, landlords, and local housing authorities all have obligations under the Section 8 program. Each party is liable for the following:
Tenant | Landlord | Housing authority |
|---|---|---|
Provide thorough and accurate documentation. | Screen tenants | Determine the eligibility of applicants and distribute vouchers |
Locate a suitable home and submit all necessary documentation before the voucher expires | Comply with fair housing regulations | Units, rental rates, and leases must be approved. |
Pay your rent on time and show up for all scheduled appointments | Complete all required repairs and maintenance | Inspect subsidized units yearly |
Inform the housing authority if your income or family composition changes | Provide documentation of all notices to tenants, including eviction notices, to the housing authority | Assure that both tenants and landlords follow program guidelines |
Key Takeaway When it comes to Section 8 housing, the government will cover a large portion of your rent, but you should expect long wait times and a slew of requirements.
What are the requirements for Section 8 housing in Dallas?
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is managed by the
Dallas Housing Authority’s (DHA)
Compass Point Select team. The DHA and tenant will both individually submit their portion of the rent to the private landlord. While the DHA takes care of the actual program in Dallas, applicants will still have to abide by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements.
Every family member must be a U.S. citizen, national, or noncitizenwith valid immigration status. If anyone in your family has a history of drug-related or violent criminal conduct, you may be denied aid.
To qualify, your income can't surpass 50% of the area's median income. When assessing income, HUD considers the following factors:
- Wages
- Business income
- Interest
- Child support and alimony
- Benefits from social security
- Welfare assistance
Other sources of income may be counted as part of your total income. Take a look at
this list
to help you determine what your income may include.
As of 2021, the median household income in Dallas was $89,000. The actual income restrictions, though, differ based on the size of your household. This table illustrates the distribution of qualifying income in Dallas based on family size:
Family size | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Extremely low income | $18700 | $21400 | $24050 | $26700 | $31040 | $35580 | $40120 | $44660 |
Very low income | $31150 | $35600 | $40050 | $44500 | $48100 | $51650 | $55200 | $58750 |
Low income | $49850 | $57000 | $64100 | $71200 | $76900 | $82600 | $88300 | $9400 |
Other variables will be considered by the DHA on top of family size and income. If you have children, disabled family members, or elderly family members, your application may be prioritized. If you are currently unhoused, you may also be bumped up the waitlist.
How to apply for Section 8 housing in Dallas
To start the process of applying for Section 8 housing in Dallas, anyone interested in enrolling in the housing voucher programs must submit a preliminary application during Open Enrollment.
As funds become available, families who have completed a preliminary application will be chosen from the preliminary application database at random (via a lottery).
If a family is chosen, they will be asked to fill out the full Housing Choice Voucher application and will finally then be added to the HCV waitlist.
How to find Section 8 housing in Dallas
You can turn to the following resources to help find a home under Section 8:
Everything you do throughout your housing search should be documented, including visits to landlords, applications submitted, and so on. If any issues arise, keeping track of your interactions will be beneficial. Additionally, apartment listings that state "no section 8" should be reported to your local housing authority.
Following your move, the housing authority will send someone to assess the apartment to ensure that it meets the definition of "suitable housing." Inspections and recertifications will be performed by the DHA to ensure that you and the unit continue to satisfy program standards.
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FAQs
What is the most Section 8 will pay?
Section 8 makes it illegal for landlords to ask you to spend more than 40% of your income on rent. That means Section 8 will pay the rest, up to 60% of your monthly income!
The precise amount will be determined by your earnings, family size, and fair market rent in your area.
Are landlords required to accept section 8 in Texas?
No. In some areas, it’s been made illegal to discriminate based on a tenant’s income, so it’s not recommended for landlords to deny Section 8 tenants.
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