Low Income Housing Information
Importance of Renter's Insurance
What Allows You to Qualify for Section 8 Housing in NE?
The Section 8 subsidized housing program in the United States is a federal one, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The eligibility requirements and qualifying conditions are the same in all fifty states, though some local public housing agencies (PHAs) may impose additional requirements or restrictions, usually based on prioritizing the people most in need of assistance; however the basic requirements are exactly the same for everyone.
Though many states have state level entities that deal with the Section 8 program in one way or another, the actual program does not involve the state government at all. In Nebraska, the state level entity is the Nebraska investment Finance Authority (NIFA, www.nifa.org). While Nebraska's Department of Economic Development offers a wide range of programs to help residents of the state with affordable housing requirements, none of these programs are Section 8. Instead the Section 8 program is operated by the local PHAs which administrate the program in all of its particulars in compliance with HUD's requirements.
When determining if someone qualifies for Section 8 housing, there are two primary factors that are taken into consideration: the applicant's legal status in the United States and their income. The legal status requirement is mandated by the federal government and requires that all beneficiaries be wither full United States citizens of legal residents with specific permission from the immigration authorities. Although there have been some exceptions made to this basic requirement - for refugees for example - in general HUD is very strict on this requirement and the status has to be confirmed by the PHA.
The income requirements vary, but in general the rule is that in order to qualify for Section 8 housing, the applicant has to have an annual income of fifty percent or less of the median income of the area they want to live in. This median income level is determined by HUD and regularly updated; therefore it varies widely from place to place. Obviously the median income for a place like New York City is much higher than it would be for a place like Oklahoma City; therefore just because you qualify in one place it does not mean that you qualify for section 8 housing everywhere. The median income data is generally based on either the local county or the metropolitan area and this data is readily accessible from the HUD website: http://www.hud.gov
The general rule for qualifying is fifty percent below the median income; however by law the PHAs are obligated to give seventy-five percent of their section 8 vouchers to people making thirty percent or less of the median income. This means that people making between thirty and fifty percent of the median income do qualify, but have access to considerably less vouchers. Beyond this restriction even after qualifying, many PHAs actively prioritize the types of people they give vouchers to, usually with an emphasis on families with children or the elderly, so it is entirely possible to qualify for Section 8 housing but still not be able to get it in any given area, depending on the preferences of the local PHA administrating the program there.